learningfromeachother June 13, 2011
Once again it looks like we are thinking on similar lines, so I'll take your post as an excuse to add my opinions on the topic of motivation and learning and our destructive out-moded educational systems.
Some references to "the problem ref out-moded educational systems":
- Fwd - youtube - Education system needs rethinking: Sam Pitroda http://dadamac.posterous.com/fwd-youtube-education-system-needs-rethinking
- Fwd - The Changing Role of the Teacher in the 21st Century http://dadamac.posterous.com/fwd-the-changing-role-of-the-teacher-in-the-2
BTW The value of learning through first hand exploration and investigation is also very important, which is why I don't like to see very young children "exploring" too much through the mediation of a keypad and screen, I'd rather they had plenty of first hand experience - but that is a separate issue.
I think there are various ideas which are important and which are in opposition to standard educational systems inherited from the 19th and 20th centuries. These have to do with questioning the validity of a culture of "right answers" and include:
- Learn to tolerate uncertainty
- Learn to ask your own questions
- Be suspicious of questions where you are expected to give "the right answer"
- Be suspicious of environments where you are expected to give "the right answer"
- Be suspicious of situations where you benefit from other people having "not the right answer"
- Look for situations where everyone benefits from finding good answers together
I'm in favour of much of the pedagogy of OLPC - if it is carried through in practice. I do like Papert's ideas. Back when Mindstorms was due for publication over here I was in the queue to get a copy - I was an infant teacher experimenting with computers in my classroom and I was a great fan of Seymour Papert. http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seymour_Papert. However theory and classroom practice are not always the same - and I'm cynical about the possible gaps between OLPC theory and practice having observed the initial enthusiasts' use of LOGO and turtle graphics and also observed general classroom practice later.
The main complaint I have about OLPC is not pedagogy, it is simply related to the "per child" part of the name, and the fact that (in my opinion) this gives the impression these computers are "for all children" rather than "one each" for those children who do get them. They have never come anywhere near the children and teachers in the kind of schools I connect with in NIgeria, and are unlikely to do so. (As evidence I hoped to refer you to Negroponte's answer at a recent London event 21st Century Challenges: Digital technology in Africa when asked by a Nigerian about Nigeria getting involved in OLPC - but the question hasn't been included in the videos.) NB Before anyone contradicts that statement I should probably say that I am aware of the highly publicised single school in Nigeria that did have OLPCs in the very early days of the project.
Like you I am in favour of children who are "agents of their own learning" having access to computers, and (whether or not it is the ideal system) OLPC has made that possible for some.
Thanks for sharing the book details. They are new to me. The titles look great .
Pamela
On Sun, May 15, 2011 at 07:09, <ms@ms.lt> wrote:Children don't have a problem with this. What happens to us to make us
> Charles Paidock, Thank you for sharing the information below. I learned a
> lot speaking at Prof. Bob Lichtenbert's event last month and I hope to
> participate again. The topic of Motivation is relevant for Cyfranogi. We
> might discuss the question online and I could share our thoughts at the
> upcoming meeting. "Can people be motivated to pursue more meaningful lives
> in all ways other than by finding this within themselves? Reasoning with
> people to be more motivated is quite weak. How can we get at our wills
> and emotions? Any suggestions?"
lose our motivation? Education and society.I particularly recommend Vivian Gussin Paley's little book, You Can't
Say You Can't Play, on this point. AlsoLearned Helplessness: A Theory for the Age of Personal Control by
Christopher Peterson, Steven F. Maier and Martin E. P. SeligmanLearned Optimism: How to Change Your Mind and Your Life by Martin E. P. Seligman