[IAEP] Contents of IAEP Digest, Vol 28, Issue 24

[Alan Kay]

I meant that it would be useful to hear your answers to your questions if you 
only had "all the books you could ever want in plentiful enough quantities" 
instead of any computers.

Cheers,

Alan




________________________________
From: Tabitha Roder <tabitha at tabitha.net.nz>
To: Alan Kay <alan.nemo at yahoo.com>
Cc: iaep at lists.sugarlabs.org
Sent: Mon, July 19, 2010 5:11:45 AM
Subject: Re: [IAEP] Contents of IAEP Digest, Vol 28, Issue 24

On 19 July 2010 00:26, Alan Kay <alan.nemo at yahoo.com> wrote:

Though there are a few truly important differences between books and laptops, it 
would be really worth while to get *your* answers to your questions with regard 
to having any and all books that one could desire in the same educational 
situations in NZ.
>
>
I am not entirely sure I understand. In NZ we have computers in every school, 
just not many computers. Unfortunately we don't take the approach that olpc 
recommends. We don't have:
* child ownership (and the empowerment that goes with that, I don't feel the 
benefits of learning outside and school and within community are as widely 
recognised as it should be)
* low ages (computers are used a little bit at all ages in most schools, but 
learn by play is mostly for preschool here, then it gets more and more serious 
and unplay like as school years go on for some sad reason)
* saturation (1 or 2 computers per class)
* connection (schools have internet mostly, but that does not translate to 
connection between kids creating, constructing knowledge together)
* free and open source (an area being worked on by a few fierce voices, and 
growing awareness is occuring in schools but there are politics to overcome as 
much as understanding to build)

I think new teachers entering our schools know about the theory of 
constructionism and social constructivism, but I don't know how many can 
translate that theory into practice, or how well our education system allows for 
this. I think we can do more thinking about thinking about ways to think (thanks 
for the essays Marvin), utilising networks more and providing appropriate 
mentors. 


There is a high school in NZ that is leading changes to our education sector. 
Albany Senior High School - http://ashs.school.nz/ and 
http://theopensourceschool.blogspot.com/ are good places to see a completely 
open source school by design. Open source matches their teaching philosophy. 
They run a unique timetable with 100 minute blocks, "impact projects" on 
Wednesdays which are students working on their own developments, tutorials and 
community development time. The school has shared learning spaces not 
classrooms. There are some other schools that use open source software but this 
one is the most public presently.

I think the view of technology and its application for learning need to change 
in NZ.

Tabitha



      
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