Another week - where does time go? The usual smorgasbord of articles
this week, with a couple looking at ICT (e-learning) and education. While I’m a
great believer in the power of technology to really enhance/extend/enrich the
learning process, it also seems to me that we are in danger of putting the cart
before the horse, encouraged by those who see extra money. We know that the
corporates and their deforming puppets in politics are promoting online
teaching and assessment as the future. The agenda for this Education
Innovative Summit 2013 tells us all we need to know. Doesn’t the
summit have a great title? Sorry - look at the presenters, and spot the
reputable educational researchers and experts.
Contrary to this technological and profit driven approach, I believe
that the richest and best learning originates from actual hands-on experience.
This really came home to me the other day when I was watching an episode of the
English archeology programme ‘Time Team’ which was based in the grounds of an
English school. The children were fully engaged pushing the ground radar
transmitter and having the results explained to them, cleaning pottery finds
and other artifacts, examining remains of stone walls and so on, under the
guidance of the archeologists.
Real life learning.
Naturally, their classroom time revolved around their experiences
and learnings, illustrated through paintings, written work, research and so on.
It struck me that there is no way that any technological experience, today and
in the future, could ever replace the actual hands-on involvement in this,
augmented by a range of sensory experiences.
Sure, technology has a very powerful role in enhancing this in ways not previously
possible, but it can not replace it.
The moral of this is that we need to be mindful not to be seduced by
the ‘silicon snake oil’ ( a title of a book on this topic published a decade or
so ago), or by those with a vested interest in peddling technology, and to keep
real learning opportunities and experiences at the front of our pedagogy.
I welcome suggested articles, so if you come across a gem, email it
to me at allan.alach@ihug.co.nz.
This week’s homework!
Our schools are being undermined
by a constant rhetoric of decline.
Sound familiar? Which country do you think this article
came from? Isn’t it ‘amazing’ how GERM politicians say the same things,
regardless of country?
Teachers reject 'pointless' new phonics check
Something to
look forward to, as the GERM infection spreads… Does ‘success’ in this count as
‘reading?’
Fast
Food Education Reviewing the Facts about Education Reform
Written about ‘education deform’ in the USA,
but very relevant in all GERM infected countries. This is the future unless……..
Read
This and Share My Nausea
Here’s something that hadn’t occurred to me
- the advantages, to ‘deformers’ of having a young inexperienced teacher
cohort. Diane Ravitch explains.
Policy muddle stifles innovation
A blog article from
Australia which will ring bells for educators in other infected countries.
The
Tech-Driven Classroom Is Here, But Grades Are Mixed
Seems results are not matching the predicted
outcomes.
Open University research explodes myth of 'digital
native'
Mark Prensky developed
the digital native concept some years back, although he has moved a bit since
then. This article goes further, to look at whether this framing has substance.
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