Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Hana Sustkova on October 29, 2011 at 12:56am

That's I believe too. Education is very important part of the life not only for student, people learn the whole life and choose their ways of education theirself in general. As a child or student, however, they are part of the formal education system. Like you say, the learners are in dialogue with the teachers and the learning process must be very active from both sides.

Permalink Reply by Jennifer D. Klein on November 1, 2011 at 10:47pm

I agree with you absolutely, Karen; thanks for these words.  As a product of exactly this kind of student-driven learning in the '70s and '80s, I've seen the power of letting students construct knowledge, not just insisting they consume what we think is important.  It goes back to Paolo Freire, too, and the need to move away from banking education and toward dialogue-based paradigms in which students are teachers and teachers are students.  We don't build innovative young global leaders with innovative new solutions by telling them how to lead and guiding them through every step; instead leadership is fostered by facilitating opportunity, agency and choice for our students.  This is actually why my session on the Berkeley Carroll -- Bumpe global partnership is being run almost entirely by the high school junior who thought up the project--it's all about empowering students, not directing them.

Permalink Reply by Karen Yager on November 6, 2011 at 3:16am

I am looking forward to your session! We read so much on raising student outcomes and improving teacher effectiveness but rarely so we ask the students for their input.

Permalink Reply by Dr Ronnie Lowenstein on November 4, 2011 at 4:48pm

yES... STUDENT VOICE IS CRITICAL! I agree with you as do the members of the NetGeneration of Youth Global Community of Practice ...

Initially launched in 1999 to foster civic engagement, media literacy and youth voice. NetGeneration of Youth (NGY) has expanded to schools and organizations in the US and abroad who share a commitment to cultivating youth as 21^st century STEM enabled, Media Literate Leaders who are civically engaged, culturally aware, empowered with global competencies & committed to shaping a positive global future. 

Members of our team(Asst Principal Emilio Garza from Los Angeles, Mrs Ingrid Graham -Partnership Advisor from South Africa), will present on Thursday to share how the NGY Model, in collaboration with technology and partnerships has served as a Catalyst for Transformation.  We look forward to further dialogue to learn from and with you and others in the emerging global education commumity... Yours in Vision... Dr Ronnie Lowenstein , Founder of NetGeneration of Youth. 

Permalink Reply by Karen Yager on November 6, 2011 at 3:29am

This sounds like an amazing program for young people. I am organising a Student Think Tank later this semster. The young men I teach are clever, articulate and globally connected. It would be wonderful to be able to have you speak to them through Skype or Video Conference. Warm regards, Karen, Dean of Studies Knox Grammar School.

 

Permalink Reply by Dr Ronnie Lowenstein on November 6, 2011 at 7:45am

Karen, thank you for your response.  The Knox Grammar School sounds like a thrilling place to be!  And your philosophy sounds so compatible with our own!  I would enjoy further dialogue with you first and then I would be honored to speak with your students - ... I can be reached by email at rbl50@aol.com and on skype at 'ronnie.lowenstein.' 

Let the dialogues begin!!  

 

Permalink Reply by Dr Ronnie Lowenstein on November 6, 2011 at 7:57am

Karen,

Continuing to think about Knox Grammar School and your creative efforts to cultivate creative -future focused thinkers so necessary in Global Age.

I would be interested in learning more, and exploring your interest in joining the NetGeneration of Youth Global Community of Practice.  With the target population you have (males), you might enjoy being 'twinned' with our affiliated school in the United Arab Emirates.... ??

To give you a more comprehensive understanding, I am sharing a description of NGY below... Hope to hear from you soon!

 

Global Net Generation of Youth (NGY)

1800 Old Meadow Road, Suite 1417

McLean, Virginia-  22102

USA

202-262-1729

 rbl50@aol.com

Primary Points of Contact:

Dr. Ronnie Lowenstein, Founder/Executive Director

rbl50@aol.com      202-262-1729

Organizational Mission:

Begun in 1999 as a response to the digital divide, NetGeneration of Youth (NGY) was launched as a digital empowerment and youth leadership initiative targeting traditionally underserved communities across the US.  Since then, the NGY inquiry and project based learning model has been adopted by schools and organizations in the US and abroad who share a commitment to cultivating youth as 21^st century leaders who are civically engaged, culturally aware, empowered with global competencies & committed to shaping a positive global future.  Using state of the art technologies, best practice demonstration models have evolved a global network of NGY Ambassador Clubs that inspire youth to aspire, academically achieve, and pursue career paths as the next generation of explorers, scientists, engineers, innovators, and ambassadors shaping a positive future, and have also established a NGY  Global Community of Practice that empowers educators as pioneering designers of 21^st century teaching and learning.

 

Educational Activities:

Currently, NGY programs are expanding internationally with technology enabled partnerships in Canada, Africa, United Arab Emirates and the USA.  Best practice initiatives providing professional development opportunities for educators, international exchange  and scholarships for youth to attend leadership and community service institutes

 Currently, NGY programs are expanding internationally with technology-enabled partnerships in Canada, Africa, United Arab Emirates and the USA.  Three of our ‘Best Practice’  Initiatives include:

• ·‘Global NetGeneration of Youth Cyberjournalists Investigating Careers of NASA ISS Leaders,’ designed in collaboration with SMART Technologies as a demonstration project of the International Space Station National Laboratory;  It provides opportunities for youth to investigate significant, real world issues, to communicate with inspiring ISS role models, including scientists, engineers, astronauts, inventors, and to practice applying the 21^st century global competencies they need to invent the future.
• ·U.S. State Department sponsored Global Connections and Exchange- Africa initiative launched September 2010  “ Cultivating NetGeneration of Youth as Global Citizens and Media Literate Leaders in a Global Age” that twins three high schools in US, with schools in Zambia, Uganda and South Africa.
• New: Recruiting schools for launch of ‘ NetGeneration of Youth- I-edu Global STEM Leadership Challenge:’ Using NGY inquiry and project-based learning strategies and hands-on robotic experiences, students are inspired to serve as members of a NGY Virtual First Responder Team and NGY Cyberjournalist Team addressing a simulated global earthquake disaster.  Students and teachers use state of the art collaborative technologies to connect, collaborate and communicate.

 

We hope you will join us to design and implement innovative, collaborative programs that involve educator and student exchange and jointly designed curriculum and instruction guided by the Ubuntu spirit. Together we Are; Together we Can!!