Moving at the Speed of Creativity - Encouraging content creation

Encouraging content creation

Published by Wesley Fryer in edtech, literacy, open source on March 5th, 2006

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Jim McNelis left a comment today on Miguel Guhlin’s blog, related to a post on reasons for embracing open source software solutions in schools. I am reposting my reply to both Jim and Miguel here, because hey– this is my blog and I can write whatever I want… and more seriously, because I feel strongly about these ideas. I subscribe to the theory that the more accessible and “out there” your ideas are, the more likely they are to be read and heard. And that is one reason (though perhaps not the most important) for blogging. Here is my comment (slightly edited):

The big difference we need to be pushing for in schools is students CREATING content rather than merely CONSUMING it. Those cell phone commercials you are talking about Jim (we saw several at the local movie theater today also) are pushing a MEDIA CONSUMPTION worldview. As educators, we need to be advocating for student voices: Students writing in the blogosphere, speaking out via podcasts, telling their stories via different digital storytelling tools like Bubbleshare. The conversation needs to be more about communication and relationships, which are closely tied to learning, rather than technology. Technology gets to be a distraction for many, just another way of doing the same thing they’ve always done (but perhaps with a bit more efficiency) for many teachers. Both these perspectives miss the boat.

I think you are right on Miguel, that we need to focus on core uses of technologies and realize we are wasting thousands of taxpayer dollars in most schools licensing Office software and the Windows OS from Redmond. It would be best to GIVE software tools the kids are using in school to the kids, so they can use them at home. This is turning the old computer lab sign, “Don’t copy that floppy” on its head. Instead it should read, “Please copy that open-source software CD and give it to all your friends and relatives!” (For more on this and a school district actually implementing this suggestion, check out Tim Wilson’s interview with Paul Nelson on the K-12 Linux Terminal Server Project.)

But the conversation can’t end there, because then we are all still just using sustaining technologies to merely make traditional educational models more efficient. We need to constructively use disruptive technologies to encourage students at all levels to CREATE content, not just just CONSUME it. That’s a bandwagon I want to be on for sure. Let’s encourage more people to do those things with OPEN SOURCE tools! Where’s our next parade? Sign me up for that mardi gras float please.

On this day..

4 Comments »

http://openboardblog.wordpress.com Jim McNelis

I think I’ll probably find you on the lead float Wes. Congrats on your eSchool News blog award!
http://www.speedofcreativity.org Wesley Fryer

Thanks Jim. This is an exciting honor. I am still regularly floored to be engaged in global conversations via the blogosphere that I wouldn’t be in otherwise. We live in exciting times, no doubt. The challenges we see in education are opportunities we need to not only discuss, but act on. I’m thrilled to be a part of the dialog.
http://www.psesd.org/weblogs/edtech/ Conn McQuinn

You’ve hit on one of my favorite themes with this entry, Wes. The empowerment of getting kids to be creators of content rather than simply consumers has two major benefits – it not only moves students to more active, higher-order thinking, but it also makes them much more aware of how content can be used to influence others.

The reason we used to teach debate in school was not to prepare students to be more effective at arguing a point. It was to make them more aware of how logic can be used – and abused – to sway opinion. That knowledge and experience helped protect them from the persuasive arguments of other people. We need to teach content creation, be it writing or video, for exactly the same reasons today.
http://openboardblog.wordpress.com Jim McNelis

One more thing: sorry if I misled. I meant only to highlight the variety of choices afforded by those commercial services and the transparency to the consumer. You are correct that commercial companies push a one-way consumption-only model. I agree that the ideal is to have a two-way creation/consumption model. I create music so that others may consume it and hopefully be inspired to create their own.