I think that education should stretch a person, but only in terms of ‘stretching’ them to learn more academic things, i.e. information, not stretch them to learn how to use computers all the time etc. I think that if people prefer to learn using pen and paper instead of computers, then that is their choice.
I do think that students should be taught (at a younger age to ourselves) an hour or so of I.T. lessons a week, like most schools do, so that you do have the ability to use computers when you wish too, but I don’t think you should be pushed into using technology to learn as it might not be what works for you.
I think that you need to stretch yourself so that you can learn various amounts of information for different topics, and you should undoubtedly be stretched because if you just learn without being pushed further and further, you’re never going to get very far. You should be stretched to learn the basic’s of everything which can help you seek more knowledge, but if you want to learn anymore, people can teach themselves or seek further guidance.
You should always push yourself and be stretched to learn more and more. You should be stretched to reach a certain standard of learning, but the rest is usually left for you to do yourself, and I think that sometimes this can be when you learn the most - i.e. frantic revision for exams etc!
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I think that every post I read so far agreed with the fact the euducation should strecth a person. I like how you pointed out the whole "academic" part instead of just learning how to use a computer for everything.
But I have to ask myself about the "if you want to learn with pen and paper" thing. I am not sure it would work in most cases. I mean if someone refused to use the computer at our university, they would be well behind because most of the research we do is done online, not to mention this entire unit.
My parents still prefer to look things up in encyclopedias and will refuse to look in google first. However when it comes to things that are in constant development and change, like certain political, technological or medical events there is no way to get the newest information through an ecyclopedia, so they give up and go to google.
I agree that we shouldnt be made too dependable on the pc technology but somehow we HAVE to know the developments so that we dont get left behind, and this could be defined as "stretching ourselves".
So, do you think Prensky's aproach favours 'stretching' learners to develop useful skills? It's based on the assumption that effective teaching needs to use the existing skills and predilictions of 'natives'
If that's good for the techno-savvy kids, is it good for them as they grow older?
Hi all!
In relation to Dave's comment, I think perhaps the way forward is compromise. It seems that Prensky seems to be more hung up on teaching via methods familiar to natives - ie digital gaming, that the idea that education should be challanging has been forgotten, or simply pushed aside.
On a personal level I think the key to bridging the divide between digital natives and immigrants, in relation to the education system, is to integrate the methodologies familiar to both groups. To maintain many traditional pedagogic methods and the idea of challanging or stretchin individuals, whilst incorperating digital technology into the curriculum.
What does everyone else think to this idea?
I think that should be stretched in every sense of learning but moreso by ourselves than others. I think there is alot of dependancy on learning from others with the assumption that they know best. I think this defeats the objective of stretch as then we presume that we have the answer after hearing an 'interpretation' from that person. I definetly don't think that new media has all the answer and is technically the way to go as the literature that has been and still is being published as brilliant means of enlightment. Furthermore face-to-face communication has presented some of the best learning such as presentations, discussions and debates.
I agree with you Pete that new media doesnt have all the answers and is the way to go forwards. I think that as Amie suggested, a mixture of both, so that neither digital natives/immigrants feel out of depth, would be a good way forward if it really was felt that curriculum teaching needed to change.
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