Carla's blog, Surprise!, is a great place to have a good discussion. She started a discussion on stem cell research and then this week posted this:
"Houston has purposed (and really wants to) build a school just for immigrants. They have a large group of students whose needs are not being met by the traditional school system, and so they want to make a school with the flexibility and focus that immigrant students need. More info on CNN: http://www.cnn.com/2004/EDUCATION/09/08/immigrant.school.ap/index.htmlMegan probably has the same thought many of you do:
What do you think? Will this meet the need or will it further isolate ethnicities?"
"Well, that is my post for today. No one has come and read any of my posts so far so it kind of feels like I am just talking to myself. I hope that someone eventually checks this out! Until next time...."I commented that at least I am reading her blog (and enjoying it too--she's putting some personality into it, which is nice). Blogging brings up an interesting point about audience. It's out there on the Internet, and you never know who might be reading you--even if they never comment on your blog. I posted a comment similar to Megan's on my other blog, wondering if anybody was reading my blog, and a lady from Melbourne Australia said she was reading it -- and enjoyed it! Who else could be reading, and we don't know? I posted my thoughts on my other blog about how just the potential of having an audience, even if we don't know how big that audience may be, forces me to be more thoughtful and careful about what I say.
At least for this class, hopefully your blogging buddies will be reading. After that, who knows?
"Luma" (still my favorite screen name :-) had a thoughtful response to the Mindtools article by David Jonassen that we all scanned for last week's assignment. In the article, Jonassen says that:
"When learners use computers as partners, they off-load some of the unproductive memorizing tasks to the computer, allowing the learner to think more productively."Luma disagreed with his evaluation of memorizing as "unproductive." Her reasoning is that
"Although memorizing often seems like busywork, it is very necessary in education. There is no way to get along without at least a few rudimentary memorization skills. The very ability to read comes from memorizing letters, combinations, and sounds. How much longer and more difficult will homework assignments take if students are not required to memorize? Students would be constantly looking up information that should be found in the cannon of knowledge of an educated person."I thought she had a great point, and there is power in being able to quote or recall information from memory, but I responded with the reasoning from the other side of the fence:
"This is actually heavily debated in education right now. Do we teach students to "know" things by having them memorize procedures and facts, or do we help them learn how to "do" things with knowledge that is stored in computers or databases? For example, should students have to memorize calculus equations, or simply know what the theories are and how to apply the correct equation to the correct situation?"I'd like us as a class to discuss this further. And don't be afraid to share your opinion, even if it's different from mine. I'm still developing my ideas and like to hear your perspectives!
Here's some possible questions for discussion:
- Do you agree with Jonassen that technology should be used as mindtools and not for drill-and-practice, memorization, etc.?
- What kinds of learning and knowledge do our students need to learn the most?
- Should we have students memorize facts, numbers, formulas, etc.?
- How much memorizing should we do and how much other types of learning should we encourage?
