Life is just a game/art at Vermont farm

Sunday, February 27, 2011

From Knowledgable to Knowledge-able: Learning New Media Environments
by Micheal Wesch, Kansa State University
Talking point #5
Hyperlink

In Micheal Wesch's article, "From Knowledgable to Knowledge-able: Learning New Media Environments", the author discusses the need for todays modern calssroom to convert the teaching style from top down authoritative knowledge of the teacher style, toward a format of digital information where knowledge is made, not found. Students must progress from cognitive memorization of facts toward finding and analyzing and especially creating information.
Wesch describes the process toward technology to be a form of social revolution because it empowers the student and changes the teacher-student relationship. Different types of technology are mentioned. The HYPERLINK allows information to be in different places at the same time. BLOGGING shows that anyone can create information, while WIKAPEDIA teaches us that an  information network allows students to work together to create new informatin environments.I was amazed to learn that NETVIBES are portals that can bring in any specif kind of information to our sites. Yeah, an old dog can learn new tricks!
I think the main idea of this article was the importance of the why and how of what our students are learning which adresses the form vs content format of education.So these are the tools available to create information but I think the bigger problem is using this technology to enforce real life , problem solving skills vs abstract content based memorization and to incorporate prior knowledge into what is being taught in school.
Authenic environments, created from technology can provide scaffolds for students to learn and to acess tools to learn not normaly encountered in schools. In a study examining Instructional Frameworks, Jan Herrington states the instructional technology community is in the midst of a philosophical shift, promoting real life situations through accessing information and tools to promote critical thinking and problem solving. The information is out there, it is up to educators to grasp and teach methodology to students and themselves to embrace this time in education.

Points to discuss in class:
No Child Left Behind emphasises Teacher Accountability and test scores which reflect rote learning is how teachers are measured. How do we incorporate use of information technology and creation of knowledge within this atmosphere?

8 comments:

  1. Great points here, Mary. And the fact that you have embraced blogging yourself in such an enthusiastic way is further evidence to the "new tricks" issue you mention! :)

    The issue you raise at the end seems to me to be the primary one. As a teacher educator, I am so concerned about this and wonder about the inconsistencies NCLB raises for K-12 educators. Much to ponder.

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  2. Mary, what do you think Wesch would say about no child left behind?

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  3. Mary,
    I liked how u defined hyperlinks,blogging and wiki in your own words, reading that over just seemed amazing to me, all those things are taken for granted in most cases and I couldn't imagine the internet without them, better yet I couldn't imagine not having all this available information at my fingertips ! I think that some things need to be taught without the use of technology though.

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  4. I am really intrigued by one of your thoughts, Mary. "So these are the tools available to create information but I think the bigger problem is using this technology to enforce real life , problem solving skills vs abstract content based memorization and to incorporate prior knowledge into what is being taught in school." I'm not exactly sure what you are trying to say. When I think about the tools that Wesch describes, I think they empower students more than the traditional tools for making life decisions. For me, being able to recite the 14th Amendment isn't all that helpful. But knowing the meaning behind it, and how to use that amendment to analysis law and policy is very helpful. I think the former is a clear example of traditional education while the latter is an example of the New Media Education that Wesch describes. Great comments and connections!

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  5. I'm going to have to play around with Netvibes...I didn't know anything about it!

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  6. The information is out there, it is up to educators to grasp and teach methodology to students and themselves to embrace this time in education. I think this is really true and what our teachers should try to work on. Maybe if teachers and students sat together they could come up with some good ideas that are suitable.

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  7. I think your thoughts are insightful and so are these comments! I agree with Dante that what is important is knowing how to critically think rather than memorize information, which is something we aren't often taught how to do. We don't often recognize this type of thinking as significant in our culture either, and I think it is because we are a consumer culture. In our consumer culture AND authoritative education system, we are taught to conform or as Michael Wesch uses "follow along."

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  8. Great point Mary. Its easy to remember something but whats the point of remembering it if you do not know what it means are to use it. Analytical thought is definatly missing with the new generation and I definately think media and technology is in contrubition to that. Kids are surrounded by it so thats all they know and can relate to. I think teachers should build on that and not move away from it. Its their nature so why not enhance and force them to take away as much as they can from in the form of learning.

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