Edina Digital Age Learning

Paul Oh On October 10, 2014  Paul Oh , from the National Writing Project , presented a talk on Connected Learning at the University of Minnesota. I had a chance to interview Paul a few years ago for an EduWin Podcast , and it was great to finally meet him in person and hear his thoughts on connected learning, and education. The  event was co-sponsored by the  Emma Birkmaier Critical Literacy and Urban Education Speaker Series , the  Learning Technologies Media Lab , the U of M Department of Curriculum and Instruction , and the  Minnesota Writing Project . Oh started out his talk asking two questions: What was an interest you had as a young person that you were passionate about?  Was that interest recognized in the school you attended? The room was evenly divided as to whether they had the opportunity to pursue their passion in school.  He provided examples where people have taken an interest in a topic and followed their passions ...

A few highlights from this year's South View Middle School Service Learning Project. This year's event moved from the Media Center to the Gym, and over 200 people came to attend and learn from the students.  In this video by Claude Sigmund, Cool Planet Founder, Paul Thompson shares his experience working with the students. And in this video, Susana Valdez of the National Youth Leadership Council shares her thoughts on what she observed today: This event continues to grow, and I was impressed by how students incorporated digital age learning to collaborate and share their learning with the world. Later today, I'll add links to some of the student Websites.

Great Learning For the past 12 years, 9th grade Government students at South View Middle School have been involved in some type of Service Learning project. As you will see in the video below, the project, the product produced by students and the depth of learning that happens has evolved significantly. This year's iteration kicked off last fall in October, with a fair organized by Edina Service Learning Coordinator, Julie Rodgers Bascom, and media specialist, Cathy Heller. The students had a chance to meet with partner organizations that they might consider volunteering at, and to learn more about those institutions.  Once students were paired up with organizations, they spent the next 7 months volunteering time and talent, and documenting their learning on Websites and blogs. What was truly remarkable about this experience was to hear how it transformed students, and how most said that they would like to continue with some type of service into the future. ...