Comments on: Learning should be an invitation, not a mandate

By: Charlie Roy

Charlie Roy — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 17:27:32 +0000

Love the post. The shifting from “sage on the stage” to guide and coach is the biggest difference technology will bring. I work as an administrator who sees some teachers hesitant to embrace technology largely because it means abandoning their comfort level with chalk and lectures. Choice and the freedom that comes through integrating technology leads to higher student engagement, relevance, and LEARNING.

By: Sue Waters

Sue Waters — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 22:27:11 +0000

Marc talked about programming skills being the key competency when he came to Perth last year to deliver his digital natives digital immigrants presentation. Just as I disagree with the digital natives/immigrants debate I also believe he is wrong regarding programming skills. If anything we could say that programming was a more important skill to have in the early stages of the web whereas the web has now changed to such an extent that people with no programming skills can become incredibly successful provided they are digitally literate. Programming is important to him because games and the money to be made by people creating these games.

By: Kristen Kozloski

Kristen Kozloski — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 18:22:00 +0000

I would agree with you Wes that semantics, in this case are very important!! As we begin to talk about technology in the 21st century, I will share the mantra that I use often with my students and teachers, “it’s NOT about the technology!” We so often talk and write like it is! Mark may have meant to imply that we as educators need to create an environment that will help our kids become literate (not that I want to speak for him), however, many of our decision makers, at the local and state level, will take Mark’s ideas in a literal form which will continue to promote “old school” ways of thinking. We need to be conscious about our word choice so that people truly hear what we are saying about changing teaching and learning paradigms for the 21st century!

By: Ed

Ed — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 18:13:31 +0000

As for keeping on top of the curriculum of technology, the idea made me think of the saying for teachers that they should be guides on the side rather than sages on the stages. This advice asks teachers to relinquish a great deal of control (and ego) over to their students. You rightly point out limiting the students to old school paradigms is stifling, no choice and external motivations. In addition, a teacher cannot profess control over a subject he or she has little knowledge over. However, that teacher can provide the environment and tools to create and then assess the ability to create based upon the framework of literacy that is provided.

By: Bill Farren

Bill Farren — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 16:42:16 +0000

“All of which brings us to an important question: If programming (the ability to control machines) is indeed the key literacy of this century,…”
I don’t believe the “the ability to control machines” will be the key literacy of this century. I believe it will revolve around having enough wisdom and skill to live well in a world where machines have allowed us to change the world in ways that are deleterious to our mental and physical health. Our main problems are not a result of being unable to control our technology but of being unable to control our impulses and desires.
An interesting read about Choice: The Paradox of Choice: Why More is Less, by Barry Schwartz
I do however, believe that choice in learning is a great thing.
Cheers.