cAsTa Ways: An Interview with Bill Ferriter
Posted By Barbara Lindsey on November 1, 2008
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When we posted our interview with Steve Muth a while back, we said we would do a follow up with Bill Ferriter, a teacher whose work really exemplifies the powerful educational possibilities of VoiceThread. This is indeed that interview, or rather collaborative dialog—the kind of conversation where, as Bill explains it, everyone involved works together to come to some new understanding by engaging in respectful, challenging and productive discussions around a topic or idea. His approach constitutes a Socratic approach to learning that empowers students and prepares them for a future where collaborative problem-solving becomes the norm and where our students must be able to work together locally and virtually on issues that cross geographical and cultural boundaries.
We have much to learn from our K-12 colleagues and while I do believe most of us would like to collaborate more closely with colleagues within, across and beyond our disciplinary boundaries, we have yet to discover how to connect in meaningful, effective and enduring ways. Over at his blog, Bill talks about “places of professional synergy where colleagues learn from each other and improve practice together” in reaction to Kevin’s question about why he freely shares his work with everyone and how that is at odds with our current higher ed tenure system.
Although I do agree that the tenure system, especially in the humanities, should value the collaborative, interdisciplinary work that we increasingly see in the profession, I am also convinced that we all need to do more to help our k-12 brethren break out of the isolated teaching silos I think still exist in the K-12 environment. Of course, all this is difficult to rectify, if, as a K-12 professional, you aren’t given the time to engage in ongoing communities of practice and if, as a higher ed professional, your articulation efforts aren’t rewarded in the all-important tenure, promotion and review process. So how can we effect lasting change? Do we need to? Want to? Can the kind of dialogic exchange Bill uses with his students be part of the answer? What are your thoughts? Please listen to this interview and let us know.
The wATw Podcast: An Interview with Bill Ferriter [51:30m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (440)
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