I found the blog assignment for this week to be so relevant and meaningful to where I am in the world of education at the present time. I also find it such a large, multi-faceted issue that it is difficult to know where to begin in response. I will start by commenting on the following statement and offer some ideas. Not sure if I should credit Dr. .Siegel or the North Central Regional Educational Laboratory, but it pretty well sums up where we are currently.
“Our education system does not work today. To be literate today involves the ability to use new technology, understanding science, having global awareness, and the ability to keep learning. When students or employees collaborate on a project, they are thinking and using their organizational skills. They take control of their learning. They become confident and proud of their accomplishments. Education needs to be flexible.” Like the t-shirt states, I am not ADD, just not listening (or am bored). Unfortunately schools are tremendously unwilling to admit that the lecture, note taking, fill in the blank on the worksheet, test, grade, move on approach to education does not teach anyone to think, does not inspire anyone to learn, nor does it impart any memorable information to be used later in life. Education is sadly anything but flexible because to be flexible means giving up a measure of control and many cannot take that risk as they fear the outcome. Perhaps thoughtful, intelligent, free and creatively thinking individuals really are something to fear if these are qualities you do not possess yourself.
Dr Ruth Reynard gets to part of the problem with what we currently do by pointing out that it is how we learned and how we process information and knowledge rather than thinking about how new students and future students think. She sums it up by stating “new technology has challenged the way in which education is delivered, but newer technologies are now challenging how people process information.” We do not need to teach students to memorize and regurgitate for test time, we need to show them ways to use the skills they already have, and make it memorable, empowering and heaven forbid, fun to learn!
Howard Rheingold points out that we should encourage students to ask questions and be critical of information sources. This of course flies in the face of the traditional all knowing teacher role of being in control of information, and quite frankly being right all the time. Crap detection, focused attention, critical thinking, something school bureaucracies tend to look out for and fear. They harken back to the good old days where schools remain places for 19th and 20th century workers to be dropped off while parents are at work. Newsflash to the out of touch elders of the school systems, expressing yourself and connecting with peers is natural, esp for teens. Participating is just a start but at least it gets them off the couch and part of the world in which they inhabit. I especially enjoyed Howard’s challenge to the digital native distinction as it implies that they all know how to use this amazing technology at their fingertips....which really is where we as educators come into the picture. gls
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