Caine and Caine (2011) reviewed explored the cognitive engagement that has been designed into video games. They find “popular technology engages children and adults using challenging scenarios, exciting and relevant social issues, collaboration, ownership, relevant engagement, competition, and action” (p. 8); they find these features contribute to a situation in which natural learning occurs. Natural Read More
This post continues the theme developed in Cold Closure in #edtech Repairs and Another Take on Cold Closure in #edtech Repairs In the return to in-person teaching, we have discovered that IT systems have degraded. We can’t be surprised by this. IT professional have been overwhelmed with the “to do” list. Until systems are restored Read More
“Mission creep” is a familiar concept. An organization undertakes a project with an intended outcome defined–it is the value that will accrue as the project becomes complete. Over time, the project expands to include more and more outcomes. Before leaders stop to realize it, the original mission has become something far different. In schools, computers Read More
I found this when cleaning up files… in the thesis for my master of arts degree. He wrote it in 1980. I wrote my thesis in 2000. It still appears to be an accurate assessment of our situation. Twenty years ago, Papert perceived education to be on the verge of a technologydriven revolution that sounds Read More
Reviewing some notes, I found the definition of deeper learning from Buder and Hesse (2016) which comprises five characteristics: Emphasizes complex problem solving which requires learners to apply what they have learned in unfamiliar situations; Declarative knowledge is not presented and learned as isolated facts, but connected by themes and concepts; Students develop the ability for critical thinking which includes the Read More
Occasionally, we hear about a legacy computer system that is in danger of failure and the failure will be disastrous. Calls go out to long-retired programmers who had expertise in the long-abandoned language who make the necessary repairs. I imagine a time soon when similar calls will go out to teachers who remember teaching before Read More
Here is one more post culled from old materials I am cleaning out. When I last taught educators who were emerging researchers, I used this to help them navigate the information sources we encounter: As researchers and seekers of information, we depend on words, images, and other media created by others. Not all resources we Read More
I am beginning to use the term “Innovation Age School” to describe education in the middle of the 21st century. Innovation, we know, is “doing something differently.” I am convinced we are doing things differently… we are doing everything differently… how we make money… how we engage with others in our community… how we interact Read More
I’ve been cleaning out my Google Drive account along with some other older files. I’m trying to reduce both the physical and digital clutter in my places and spaces. Here is an interesting story rescued from that clutter: We have a new fleet of largely dysfunctional computers. Two months ago, the principal invited me to Read More
The purpose of education is to help people learn. Learning is a natural physiological process of the human brain and the nature of those processes define the rules within which educators (and education policy makers) must play. While it might be convenient for policy makers to define test scores as a measure of learning, those Read More