...a little bit wacky, but an interesting talk none the less by Clifford Stoll (author of Silicon Snake Oil - 1995)
Loved it! Thanks. Why, because:
Stoll says NO to computers in school (I'm not sure of his angle on this as I've not read his dissertation- as he suggests.) Also, he asserts: "If you want to know the what the future will be like in 20 years ask a Kindergarten teacher..."
Well, I used to teach kindergarten-2 grade in public schools for 5 years and I HATED the insistence on thrusting technology on these young learners simply to qualify them as '21st century learners.' Despite my experience with kindergartners in still wonder about the futureSecondly;
Stoll loves Robert Moog. I also taught music for 4 years and I am grateful to Moog for all the cool 70's music produced with his invention. But, more importantly, for the cool human Moog was!
Mary,this post is why I love Moodle. Thanks for all you do for us.
Peace
Hi Kirk,
So pleased you loved that video link! I came across it yesterday while looking to see what Clifford Stoll had to say, if anything, after revisiting his book 'Silicon Snake Oil' which I had bought in 1995 when researching for my final year dissertation, 'Ethical Aspects of the Internet: Cyber Ethics or Virtual Morality?'.
In the introduction to his book, 'Silicon Snake Oil' Stoll was professed to be 'deeply ambivalent' about the 'Information Highway', so his opening gambit about computers in schools, as seen in that video lecture, made me smile!
Cheers
Mary
Fascinating Mary, a passionate person.
I agree with him in respect to always wanting to learn, to discover and relate the new to the old in the puzzle that is our existence. But then computers not in schools, maybe, now, no. Its is not the educator that drives the tools of learning but the educated, it is all about engagement with the medium that best reflects the tools society has to hand. It is perhaps our nature that when growing up we want the newest things, that is what drives educational technology. Using the tools the students already have increases engagement in learning rather than forcing what is perceived to be outdated.
Education is about imparting what has been learnt in a form that fits the present so that it can be applied to the new in the future.
Gareth
Hey,
with little humans....put the hardware under their nose-then they will teach you about the software intricacies- IF YOU LET THEM!
D