Monday, July 1, 2013
Wesch's "The Old Revolution" & "The Machine is Us/ing Us"
At the end of his article "The Old Revolution", Michael Wesch asks a question of how might our students best learn “the basics” and “basic literacy skills”. He mentions earlier in the article that it is not hard to see a disconnect between the traditional modes of teaching and the world we all now live in. With this there is a call for new media literacy and the 21st century skills, which are the current fads but are needed since they are the best ways to reach our students. Though he agrees it is the latest fad, he also does provide some backing as to why the revolution may not fail since it is not grounded politically, most of the tools to help facilitate are free, and because it is driven by the “rethinking the basics” movement. Our students are digital natives in which traditional settings may not be the most appropriate way to have them learn, and as educators we are constantly shifting our instruction to best suit them. The video clip “The Machine is Us/ing Us” helps support that frame of reference of what it is like to have the mastery of media like how the digital natives do. The way they think is far from the traditional settings and therefore we should make changes to our system in order to best service them.
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I wonder if technology, and therefore kids' brains, have changed so much, that some revamped educational fad will not be sufficient to make clear positive educational change. I mean, when has it ever? Have any of these fads really made a significant difference?
ReplyDeleteThe way they think is far from the traditional settings
ReplyDeleteI agree with your point here. I think that this goes beyond allowing students access to technology in the classroom. I think it also includes integrating subjects as best we can. Doesn't it make sense that a math and science class work hand in hand and then students write about their work in their English class.