I thought this article had a lot of very valid points about education and technology today. I really liked how the article opened up talking about how we need to move beyond thinking of computers as a way to receive information and start thinking about technology more creatively. Going along with that, Mitchel talks about how teachers can’t just put information into a student’s head, the child must learn through an active process through “exploration, experimentation, discussion, and reflection.”
Just as the article talks about, I have found that throughout my educational career, and time I have been introduced to technology (specifically, computers), I have only been taught the “proper” way to type and to search the web. Instead of learning how to create, I’ve been taught how to filter through information until I am able to find what I need. That’s why I thought the Computer Clubhouses were so intriguing. I think that every child should be offered a place where they are free to express themselves and get the support they need to do so. Instead of hovering over students with assignments, rubrics, and grades all of the time, they should get an opportunity to be creative. They should be able to experience the feeling of having made something that reflects who they are.
Although I think it would be very difficult to merge all of the different core subjects of the curriculum, I do think that technology-related assignments should incorporate more than just one core area of the curriculum. It’s definitely true about how learning today was designed for paper and pencil. I agree with the fact that education should have more of a focus on strategies for learning the things you don’t know.
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After reading the article, I agree with your feeling about the creative aspect of using technology. I, too, thought the Computer Clubhouses were such a cool idea. There really aren't many opportunities for students to express themselves creatively without rubrics. Instead of getting "marked down" on things they did poorly, the students are recognized for their strengths, it seemed like. The feedback from the students in the article made it sound like the kids really enjoy being there.
ReplyDeleteHowever, I think that this source of creativity can easily be incorporated into all subject areas. Computers are one mode of expression, but there are others using paper and pencil that can also elicit students' creativity. Assignments in general can have strict rubrics that tell exactly what the child needs to do, or they can be looser, allowing the students to create their own project or study what they're most interested in.
Also, as far as your second point about it being difficult to "merge all of the different core subjects of the curriculum," that is practically how I learned all through junior high and high school. The curriculum at my school was integrated so that all of the subjects sort of overlapped and we studyed things in units.