[Its.an.education.project] Ivan's latest blog entry on OLPC

[Bill Kerr]

ivan said:
As far as I know, there is no real study anywhere that demonstrates
constructionism works at scale. There is no documented moderate-scale
constructionist learning *pilot* that has been convincingly successful; when
Nicholas points to "decades of work by Seymour Papert, Alan Kay, and Jean
Piaget", he's talking about *theory*.

javier responded:
I agree.  But... there is a huge place to test how construccionism has work
in the last 8 years: Peru.


I think ivan's challenge here is important - why hasn't constructionism
scaled? - but the proper foundations to have that discussion still have to
be made - in terms of what is it and its history

ivan's history is v selective (Senegal, Project Headlight and then a "fast
forward" NN's Kampuchea experiment)

Javier's response does not help to clarify the meaning of constructionism.
eg. in my state (South Australia) the official department curriculum is
described as "social constructivist" but that is just jargon for fuzzy
process skills delivered in obscure language (edu-speak). Without further
detail the information from javier that *"8 years ago (aproximately) the
peruvian goverment decide to follow the construccionist method for the
education"* doesn't mean very much.

The particularly point I'd contradict ivan on is his use of the word
"theory" in the above quote. The work of Seymour Papert, Alan Kay, and Jean
Piaget includes a lot of theory *and* practice.

Some very good PhD studies, supervised by Papert and others, did come out of
the Media Lab. eg. the *Instructional Design Software Project* by Idit Harel
was one outstanding contribution to educational theory and practice. Work
such as this did have a big influence in Australia, it became the framework
of some schools here (eg. Methodist Ladies College circa 1990 - there are
other examples)

Ivan has made a valid point about constructionism not yet scaling but I'd
seek clarification on his use of the word "theory"

There are a number of issues arising that could be dealt with more fully:

   - a more detailed and fair history
   - the need to clarify what constructionism actually is (it is not just
   making and doing)
   - discussion of the scaling issue

Seymour Papert said consistently that logo and constructionism would
challenge traditional School and it was inevitable that School would fight
back against this intruder. In that sense "failure" has to be seen in the
wider social context and the particular learning paradigms that battle it
out daily in School. From what I have observed in Australia it works fine
with an informed teacher in a protected niche situation but for whole school
change inspired leadership at the admin level is required (usually not
forthcoming and often when the leadership changes the innovation collapses).
ie. significant transformation (scaling) is not easy without ongoing
systemic support

In general these sorts of questions keep coming up and won't go away - as we
move closer to the actualisation of one laptop per child, ie. the decreasing
cost keeps putting the question forward -- if we achieve immersion then what
software, learning environments and computer usage become optimal. (applies
to industrialised countries too)

-- 
Bill Kerr
http://billkerr2.blogspot.com/



On Wed, May 14, 2008 at 12:07 PM, info at olpc-peru.info <info at olpc-peru.info>
wrote:

> Ivan et al,
>
> Just giving you plain info.
>
> In your essay you tell us... "As far as I know, there is no real study
> anywhere that demonstrates constructionism works at scale."
> I agree.  But... there is a huge place to test how construccionism has work
> in the last 8 years: Peru.
>
> Las weekend I have been talking with my sister in law and another friend,
> both are teachers and have small kids in the school.  One of them teach in
> top high school (rich schools) and the other in public schools (poor
> schools).  Both told me the next: 8 years ago (aproximately) the peruvian
> goverment decide to follow the construccionist method for the education
> (here is as easy as one person in charge deciding this or that... then the
> whole system will move in that sense).  They (the teachers) got order to
> take a special course about "new education methods" that was basically
> construccionism.  The course was obligatory.  Both teachers are from the
> coast and for the coast area (I don't have information about Andean
> teachers... but I suppose it must be the same because the education is
> managed as a whole system... it shouldn't be... but.. it is!).
>
> I can continue telling about all the questions that I have ask them (to my
> sister in law and other teacher) but it was a long 4 hours conversation and,
> of course, was not a scientific or statistical study.  I don't have very
> clear IF the construccionism has bring good or bad for the teachers in Peru,
> but at least a huge group of peruvian teachers know what it is and they have
> been, in some way, trained to use it in the classroom.
>
> Knowing my country, and knowing my own people, I can guess that the
> theories of construccionism has not been well taught, deeply learned, or are
> in full use in my country.  But... a statiscal work (taking aleatory data)
> could be done.
> The bad news are that our authorities take an exam (about general
> knowledge) to 180,000 teachers.  Just 2,100 aproved the examination with the
> minimum qualification (11 points over a total of 20) and just 140 aproved
> with a note of 14 or more (over the 20 maximum points).  So any study about
> construccionism should take note the "base" over what you are trying to
> develop construccionism.  It can sound hard but I need to give you all the
> information (good or bad) so serious studies can be develop taken in account
> all the sides and happenings.
>
> Best regards,
>
> Javier Rodriguez
> Lima, Peru
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Ivan Krstić wrote:
>
>> On May 13, 2008, at 9:46 PM, Stephen John Smoogen wrote:
>>
>>> Just make sure you read all the way through before trying to
>>> understand it. I needed to read it through twice as he is a very angry
>>> person and his anger seems to go at a lot of targets..
>>>
>>
>> Do you feel that particular points were not properly supported or
>> explained in the essay?
>>
>> --
>> Ivan Krstić <krstic at solarsail.hcs.harvard.edu> | http://radian.org
>>
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