Peter Slattery

Wes Fryer continues, I think, to raise interesting questions about use of technology in our educational systems and what this means for young people, classrooms and the processes of learning and education. Blogging on the 26th Dec (and yes, he blogged on 25th as well), he gives this outline of a paper he is soon going to be presenting at a conference:

‘Every learner in our classrooms today needs immediate access to mobile, wireless technologies, along with opportunities to learn how to use these tools in powerful, constructive ways. Learning today should not be limited to a consumptive activity followed by periodic regurgitation. Instead, students as well as teachers should continually act as co-learners and co-creators of content for local audiences as well as the global stage. Clay Shirky correctly observes technologies don’t get socially interesting until they become technologically boring. The commoditization of digital learning devices is essential (but not sufficient) for digital learning equity and the learning revolution. In this presentation we’ll examine how netbook computers and the free, open source Ubuntu operating system can empower a new generation of digital learners in Oklahoma adept at the three C’s of 21st century literacy: Creating, Communicating, and Collaborating.’

Good old-fashioned education? High-tech cutting edge use of learner driven e tools? Truth is slippery and elusive as always. And there is no difference with the topic of young people, computers, learning, eduction, schools and all that goes with the growing upness of our young people.

There is a sight called ‘Educational Insanity’  (kinda cool name for a site) and there you will find what Jonathan D. Becker, J.D., Ph.D. has to say about this. I have cut and pasted some findings from research that he quotes. Main points are these:

• Teachers niche in the ecosystem – English teachers were much more likely to use computers than their peers.
• Teacher / Ecosystem Interaction – teachers who reported feeling pressure and support from colleagues were more likely to use computers more. Also, where there were too many competing invading species (other “programs” or “innovations”), computer use suffered.
• Teacher-Computer Predisposition for Compatibility – teachers who found computers to be more compatible with pedagogical beliefs and practices used computers more.
• Opportunities for Mutual Adaptation – teachers that had more time to “play around” with computers used them more for teaching/learning.

Whatever your view, computers look like they are here to stay.

I don’t know if I am scared by this or excited by it. Again from the prolific Wes Fryer.

‘Telecommunications convergence is a topic with which I’ve grown increasingly familiar over the past few years, and I address frequently in blog posts, workshops, and conference keynote presentations. Convergence has BIG implications for learning. As digital devices become increasingly ubiquitous, people of all ages will have opportunities to access digital content (including video) in more places, at more times, with greater levels of personalization and choice. In addition, an even more disruptive innovation is the ability of individuals to author and publish content for a global audience with connected, digital mobile devices with a few button clicks. As easily as past generations have made phone calls, citizens today and tomorrow are publishing and will increasingly publish media for global distribution and consumption. We live in the day of the prosumer, where the lines between content consumer and content creator will continue to become increasingly blurred.’

But here is our boy at the age of about 18 months…and he knows how to use that thing….