"In thinking about the future of learning, it's
not like any of us have the answer," he says, "but what can
we do in real places, particularly those that face serious obstacles,
that are good experiments in how learning and school can be different,
and what you can do with technology."
David
Cavallo, January 30, 2002
MIT Media Lab researcher
http://www.edweek.org/ew/newstory.cfm?slug=20mit.h21
Principle
7:
When building conceptual
models of understanding the focus is on the knowledge and not on the
medium that is being used to convey understanding of the knowledge.
This has been convincingly demonstrated through online discussion, where
students discuss a particular concept and build a conceptual framework
through their discussion. The discussion itself is a summary of their
"work in progress". There is no need to then construct a project,
an essay or a presentation of what they know.
Asynchronous discussion
forums provide the opportunity for students to build consensus building
knowledge forums. The asynchronous nature of these forums provides students
with time to reflect on previous comments carry out appropriate research
and then contribute their own comments to the discussion. It is felt
that a greater use of these discussion forums would promote the development
of conceptual knowledge and in the process, transform schools into learning
and research organisations.
Principle
8:
Inevitably being
able to ask the question that leads to the discovery of new knowledge
is more important than answers to questions that we already know.
If students are
true to the concept of becoming lifelong learners then they also must
become lifelong teachers of themselves. In order to become a teacher
it is imperative that the student understands how to ask good quality
"thinking" questions. This is something, which must be taught,
as students will naturally return to questions that can be answered
from the textbook or reference sources, which are available to them.
The questions that students ask also tend to be recall questions or
questions that require limited comprehension. It will be necessary to
spend some considerable time developing student ability to ask good
questions. This ability, to ask clever, high order thinking questions,
is a precursor to becoming lifelong learners.
Principle
9:
The most effective
way to learn about something is to become involved in the knowledge
building process.
This rule presupposes
that students have good access to information that is relevant and appropriate,
(in terms of age appropriateness and degree/level of understanding),
and that advanced information is available on demand, This also presupposes
that students have got fast access to the Internet or libraries of information
in a range of media formats.
