Found this interesting piece on the IFETS list.
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Date: Tue, 29 Apr 2003 08:21:58 +0900
From: Lawrie Hunter
Subject: Re: IFETS-DISCUSSION Digest - 27 Apr 2003 to 28 Apr 2003 (#2003-3)
Re Prof. Zhang's question, of whether or not educational technology is an independent discipline:
It has been observed that formal education systems are not keeping up with the new kinds of thinking that emerge as technology explodes. In a recent Wired magazine article, James Paul Gee asks
How did videogames become such successful models of effective learning? Game coders aren't trained as cognitive scientists. It's a simple case of free-market economics: If a title doesn't teach players how to play it well, it won't sell well.
Source: http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/11.05/view.html?pg=1
If Learning Science is to be a true integration of wisdom resources, there's a need for the incorporation of more than just existing academic/educational 'disciplines.' Technology is blossoming much faster than unified bodies of theory can characterize it. Some kinds of learning are happening without educational input.
In my interviews for the journal Document Design (http://let.kub.nl/docdes/)
I am finding that designers like Matt Jones (http://www.blackbeltjones.com),
who designed BBC's news site (http://www.bbc.co.uk/), are developing new thought about document design (a.k.a. information architecture, a.k.a. user experience design...) much faster than theory can adjust. Leading web design (usability) practitioners are eclectic, experiential learners of their craft; they do not covet their work; they are collegial (read blog); they do not look for a solid place to sit. Can we say the same for leading educators?
The integration of fields impacting on learning and technology, then, requires a reconception of the nature of theory and its relation to practice. Those who ignore the (emerging) future are condemned to repeat the past.
Lawrie Hunter
"whether or not educational technology is an independent discipline"
by Gunther Dippe -
Number of replies: 3
In reply to Gunther Dippe
Re: "whether or not educational technology is an independent discipline"
by Martin Dougiamas -
Nice one! I'm on that list but missed that post.
I'm very much in agreeance with it (as you might guess looking at this site) ... research as design, design as research.
Lawrie might be lumping together "leading educators" a bit - I know a few excellent teachers who are busy experiencing, designing, improving and helping other teachers around them. However, they don't always publish widely (and even if they do, there is SO much literature out there) so most people never hear about them.
I'm very much in agreeance with it (as you might guess looking at this site) ... research as design, design as research.
Lawrie might be lumping together "leading educators" a bit - I know a few excellent teachers who are busy experiencing, designing, improving and helping other teachers around them. However, they don't always publish widely (and even if they do, there is SO much literature out there) so most people never hear about them.
In reply to Gunther Dippe
Re: "whether or not educational technology is an independent discipline"
by John Gone -
Thanks Gunther,
Re: Teaching Online with Moodle and Low-end media,
Most excellent article! Your articles and links are very informative and thought provoking.
My son received a Playstation 3 years ago as a gift and I wasn't happy about it. One day I decided to just sit with him and watch him play to try and see what was so attractive about the exercise for him. It was the challenge of trying to figure it out and then win. I hadn't realized that there was so much reading and thinking involved in good videogames. I began to wonder how a kid could be in school all day and come home ready to be seriously challenged by a game. Was it because he wasn't being challenged at school?
This quote from the article referred to in your post says what I've been trying to say in the low-end media thread:
[ quote ]
It has been observed that formal education systems are not keeping up with the new kinds of thinking that emerge as technology explodes. In a recent Wired magazine article, James Paul Gee asks
How did videogames become such successful models of effective learning? Game coders aren't trained as cognitive scientists. It's a simple case of free-market economics: If a title doesn't teach players how to play it well, it won't sell well.
Source: http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/11.05/view.html?pg=1
If Learning Science is to be a true integration of wisdom resources, there's a need for the incorporation of more than just existing academic/educational 'disciplines.' Technology is blossoming much faster than unified bodies of theory can characterize it. Some kinds of learning are happening without educational input.
[ end quote ]
I do hope that the article mentioned above and all of the related material on this subject is reaching the educators. I'm sure that many students today wonder why their teachers can't, or won't, find a way to connect with them in a more relevant way. I think their lessons need to be packaged and delivered in a way that makes them believe that we have some understanding of their new reality. Then, I hope, they will begin to believe that we care enough to teach them what we think is important. And teach them in a language they understand. Does that make any sense.
I'll get to the other sites as time permits.
john captain
Re: Teaching Online with Moodle and Low-end media,
Most excellent article! Your articles and links are very informative and thought provoking.
My son received a Playstation 3 years ago as a gift and I wasn't happy about it. One day I decided to just sit with him and watch him play to try and see what was so attractive about the exercise for him. It was the challenge of trying to figure it out and then win. I hadn't realized that there was so much reading and thinking involved in good videogames. I began to wonder how a kid could be in school all day and come home ready to be seriously challenged by a game. Was it because he wasn't being challenged at school?
This quote from the article referred to in your post says what I've been trying to say in the low-end media thread:
[ quote ]
It has been observed that formal education systems are not keeping up with the new kinds of thinking that emerge as technology explodes. In a recent Wired magazine article, James Paul Gee asks
How did videogames become such successful models of effective learning? Game coders aren't trained as cognitive scientists. It's a simple case of free-market economics: If a title doesn't teach players how to play it well, it won't sell well.
Source: http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/11.05/view.html?pg=1
If Learning Science is to be a true integration of wisdom resources, there's a need for the incorporation of more than just existing academic/educational 'disciplines.' Technology is blossoming much faster than unified bodies of theory can characterize it. Some kinds of learning are happening without educational input.
[ end quote ]
I do hope that the article mentioned above and all of the related material on this subject is reaching the educators. I'm sure that many students today wonder why their teachers can't, or won't, find a way to connect with them in a more relevant way. I think their lessons need to be packaged and delivered in a way that makes them believe that we have some understanding of their new reality. Then, I hope, they will begin to believe that we care enough to teach them what we think is important. And teach them in a language they understand. Does that make any sense.
I'll get to the other sites as time permits.
john captain
In reply to John Gone
Re: "whether or not educational technology is an independent discipline"
by Gary Frederick -
Our daughter also got her PS2 several years ago. It has been a rich learning tool. We play Dark Cloud and Final Fantasy X and Kingdom Hearts. She learns strategy as she moves to the goal. We collect information about the various parts of the game and enter them into databases and then use the information like an inventory management system to plan how we will level up weapons.
We play civilization games and learn that if you don't feed your people, they die. She also looks up information about the Hanging Garden of Babylon or a trireme.
How many of us played the Pokemon card game? Playing required reading skills and learning some complex rules before you could play. And the kids loved learning to play without thinking they may be learning skills they could use elsewhere.
I find using games a great way to learn. And as you pointed out John, it teaches them in a language they understand.
We play civilization games and learn that if you don't feed your people, they die. She also looks up information about the Hanging Garden of Babylon or a trireme.
How many of us played the Pokemon card game? Playing required reading skills and learning some complex rules before you could play. And the kids loved learning to play without thinking they may be learning skills they could use elsewhere.
I find using games a great way to learn. And as you pointed out John, it teaches them in a language they understand.