Hive NYC’s Julia Vallera and Amira Dhalla (Mozilla Learning) held a workshop entitled How to Teach, Learn and Make on the Web at the 2015 PASE Conference at PACE University School of Education in July. The conference brings together educators from the PASE network to share opportunities, pedagogies and practices in after-school learning.
Prior to the workshop, Julia and Amira presented a science-fair style table with information and resources on Mozilla/Hive Learning Networks during the lunch plenary session, including patches, pins and the Hive NYC Get Involved guide, as well as a laptop for browsing teach.mozilla.org. Mozilla’s commitment to empowering web users with the digital skills and web literacy to act as creators, citizens and future leaders engages learners locally, connecting with peers and mentors globally for maximum impact.
The workshop aimed to increase participants’ understanding of the mechanics, culture and citizenship of the web, looking at how it can be used as a platform for teaching, learning and creativity. Participants had a variety professional education backgrounds, including a teacher, a public school administrator, staff from Guided Education, a CS college student and two after-school educators. The plan was to introduce Mozilla Learning Networks tools, explain how to start new clubs in schools/communities, explore the Mozilla Learning curriculum as well as how to contribute to it, and provide an overview of how Hive NYC connects to Mozilla’s wider mission.
After an icebreaker for participant introductions, everyone placed themselves on a spectogram in response to five prompts:
- I know how to read the web
- I know how to write the web
- I know how to participate on the web
- I believe I have control over information that I share on the web
- Learning how the web works should be as important as learning other core school subjects
Responses to each prompt varied within the spectogram and lots of interesting discussions ensued, some of which highlighted potential discrepancies in perceptions of what it means to “write” the web, for example by blogging.
Amira and Julia used a slide presentation to give participants an overview of the networks, groups and convenings within Mozilla Learning Network, looking at the Web Literacy Map as a framework for reading, writing and participating on the web. Participants split into two groups to brainstorm ideas for learning the competencies related to particular literacies from the map, using either existing or new apps, websites and resources. The groups built on this by designing activities that they could potentially use in their own institutions/communities, sharing their designs back with the rest of the group for further discussion.
Activities generated during the session included digital profiles for an after-school basketball team—in which students could use Mozilla’s X-Ray Goggles to remix NBA player profiles to reflect their own stats—and a program for high school students to learn leadership by developing social media campaigns to publicize school events through the year.
The PASE conference organizers issued a survey for participant feedback. Reflection on the workshop was positive, with a perfect score from almost all participants! In particular, people responded well to the structure and hands-on nature of the workshop. Those involved enjoyed learning about MLN tools and were enthusiastic about sharing them with students and colleagues in their own networks.
How to Teach Learn and Make on the Web w/ @colorwheelz & @amirad @HiveLearningNYC @mozilla #PASEcon2015 pic.twitter.com/qT7LAZMd1e
— PASE (@PASEsetter) July 28, 2015
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