Comments on: Are iPod Banning Schools Cheating Our Kids? http://tametheweb.com/2008/07/30/are-ipod-banning-schools-cheating-our-kids/ Libraries, Technology and People Tue, 02 Dec 2008 13:11:59 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: Brendan http://tametheweb.com/2008/07/30/are-ipod-banning-schools-cheating-our-kids/#comment-5921 Brendan Wed, 30 Jul 2008 21:43:36 +0000 http://tametheweb.com/?p=3240#comment-5921 The author of the CW piece, and many others who put forward these arguments against what they perceive as an emphasis on rote memorization, missed the point of the exercises and have little insight into early pedagogy. In your primary and secondary schooling you are building both the foundational knowledge which will serve your critical thinking later, as well as the capacity to remember bits of information. It's more than just the subject matter it's the skills acquisition that is important. Simplifying human memory into 'a machine that stores and spits out data' is an insult. Information is entered into human memory, but from that point on it will become something much different, ask Akutagawa. Critical thinking is forged on the anvil of memory, the connections you make consciously are augmented by many more made subconsciously. The author of the CW piece, and many others who put forward these arguments against what they perceive as an emphasis on rote memorization, missed the point of the exercises and have little insight into early pedagogy. In your primary and secondary schooling you are building both the foundational knowledge which will serve your critical thinking later, as well as the capacity to remember bits of information. It’s more than just the subject matter it’s the skills acquisition that is important. Simplifying human memory into ‘a machine that stores and spits out data’ is an insult. Information is entered into human memory, but from that point on it will become something much different, ask Akutagawa. Critical thinking is forged on the anvil of memory, the connections you make consciously are augmented by many more made subconsciously.

]]> By: Sarah http://tametheweb.com/2008/07/30/are-ipod-banning-schools-cheating-our-kids/#comment-5907 Sarah Wed, 30 Jul 2008 17:06:22 +0000 http://tametheweb.com/?p=3240#comment-5907 I am disappointed in what seems to be the unquestioned acceptance of the statement as fact without critical debate as to its validity. Am I to believe that all straight A students are tight-booties who spend their education memorizing textbook formulas like robots? They don't have any intellectual curiosity about the subject matter being taught to them? I don't believe it. However poorly *emphasized*, I do get your point: assignments and assessments should be carefully designed so as to reward complex and creative thinking and not rote memorization. Although educators can't ignore issues related to academic honesty, using that argument to shut down the use of technologies - without exploring their potential use for learning - seems very shortsighted. iPods in education - now that's a good idea. :-) I am disappointed in what seems to be the unquestioned acceptance of the statement as fact without critical debate as to its validity. Am I to believe that all straight A students are tight-booties who spend their education memorizing textbook formulas like robots? They don’t have any intellectual curiosity about the subject matter being taught to them? I don’t believe it.

However poorly *emphasized*, I do get your point: assignments and assessments should be carefully designed so as to reward complex and creative thinking and not rote memorization. Although educators can’t ignore issues related to academic honesty, using that argument to shut down the use of technologies - without exploring their potential use for learning - seems very shortsighted. iPods in education - now that’s a good idea. :-)

]]> By: Victoria A. Petersen http://tametheweb.com/2008/07/30/are-ipod-banning-schools-cheating-our-kids/#comment-5901 Victoria A. Petersen Wed, 30 Jul 2008 16:36:17 +0000 http://tametheweb.com/?p=3240#comment-5901 I've always wondered about the memorization tendency; yes, you are learning facts, but what do you do with them? And if you do nothing with these facts, how can you put them to good use? Since getting my Technology Manager job last year at the Mancos Public Library, I feel that I've learned so much; in addition to reading more non-fiction than ever before, I've started reading blogs (TTW and Chris Brogan were my first :), learning about Web/Library 2.0, and actively started commenting on blogs and social sites such as Twitter and FriendFeed. Also, in about 6 months or so of participating in Second Life I am now creating exhibits and volunteering for educational conferences. Overall, the web and the people I have met here have made my mind active again - more so that I ever felt in college, learning by rote. I'm expanding my world, teaching others about what I'm learning, and feeling challenged like never before. I can only hope that creative thinking processes do trickle down to the higher education world, and let students engage their mind instead of their memorization skills. I’ve always wondered about the memorization tendency; yes, you are learning facts, but what do you do with them? And if you do nothing with these facts, how can you put them to good use?

Since getting my Technology Manager job last year at the Mancos Public Library, I feel that I’ve learned so much; in addition to reading more non-fiction than ever before, I’ve started reading blogs (TTW and Chris Brogan were my first :), learning about Web/Library 2.0, and actively started commenting on blogs and social sites such as Twitter and FriendFeed. Also, in about 6 months or so of participating in Second Life I am now creating exhibits and volunteering for educational conferences.

Overall, the web and the people I have met here have made my mind active again - more so that I ever felt in college, learning by rote. I’m expanding my world, teaching others about what I’m learning, and feeling challenged like never before.

I can only hope that creative thinking processes do trickle down to the higher education world, and let students engage their mind instead of their memorization skills.

]]>