Ebb and Flow(and how leave space for it)…This principle concerns itself with balancing the use of tools and activities so that the learning opportunities get renewed and remain fresh.
In a nutshell it reminds us that we need to establish many bridgeheads and pathways back and forward between the real hand-made world and the digital domain. It also serves as a reminder us that learning needs to run wide, wild and free at times .
Use this principle to support planning and the design of “new learning environments”
The permanent use of one method, resource or media no matter how new or dramatic the tool will eventual lead to boredom, ennui and “disconnection” in the learner. There are great benefits in not seeing one tool as the answer and integrating the range of approaches that make for authentic learning experiences…Doing one thing , watching one media or using one tool or approach to the exclusion of others has been a considerable drawback in the adaptation of new tools in the learning process. Interactive whiteboards have in the past been as an answer in themselves. Just remember there is no one answer and there is no one common path to the future
Children can make their eBooks own complete with illustrations (ebb and flow)
Card/paper and computer in cahoots rather than competition
Real notebooks & PDA as complimentary tools
The principle of ebb and flow also has major implications for classroom design and use Ewan Macintosh in Scotland wanted students to start a blog on Google to capture students colaboration Google. Then he thought about doing it in the real world with sheet of A3- it worked really well – “ Its’s a wiki” says Ewan” but not as we know it.”
Ebb and flow in Stoke UK came from studentsat St Peter’sSchool composing their own song melody bass lines in GarageBand and then Standing in front of live audience, eveneually in the Royal Albert Hall and singing in choir to their own composition
It was a delight to watch them perform. Seeing the recognition of the subtleties in the music and knowing what was coming next – they should do – they wrote it.
Get tracing, painting, mapping, modelling and card and paper collage in cahoots with the computer in rather than in competition. Remember a real-life drawing notebook & PDA as complimentary tools . The most useful notebook we could give students is a flat paper one that slips into a pocket along with fostering the embryonic skills of graphical note taking, drawing and collage.
Establish as many bridgeheads as possible between the analogue world and the digital domain. See Zoning
