Week 1 - Blog Posting #2 - Learning 2.0

Did you know that education is behind coal mining in terms of technology use and innovation? How can a field that promotes lifelong learning utilize fewer technologies than coal mining? Students of the past were part of an industrialized nation. Education adapted to the needs of the nation by preparing students for fields of industry and science. And then, what? Did education simply grow comfortable? Is that why it has not modified and adapted its methods to be preparing students for the upcoming technological age?

Learning about Learning 2.0 has put many things into perspective for me. Prior to beginning my program at Full Sail, I gave little thought to use of technology in the classroom. I felt that it’s great if a teacher felt comfortable incorporating technology in their classrooms, and I also felt that it was great if a teacher continued with the methods that have worked for years and years. I have always understood that we are living in a different world now than even 10 or 15 years ago, but I have never considered that educators might be ill-equipping students for the future. The impact that technology has on our world today and in the future is definite cause for rethinking the way education works.

“Minds on Fire: Open Education, the Long Tail, and Learning 2.0” by John Seely Brown and Richard Adler adequately describes the transformation in thought that education must labor through: “instead of starting from the Cartesian premise of “I think, therefore I am,” and from the assumption that knowledge is something that is transferred to the student via various pedagogical strategies, the social view of learning says, “We participate, therefore we are.” Learning 2.0 is going to assist students in developing the skills that will be required to survive in the future career market. One of the videos discussed that some of the skills students will need include artistic abilities, synthesizing capability, problem-solving, and teamwork.

The transformation from the Cartesian view of learning to the social view of learning is beginning to take place. Steve O’Heare, author of “e-learning 2.0 - how Web technologies are shaping education” says that through his research it has become evident “Teachers are starting to explore the potential of blogs, media-sharing services and other social software - which, although not designed specifically for e-learning, can be used to empower students and create exciting new learning opportunities.”

I returned to the land of teachers and students the middle of August. Since last May I have seen a tremendous effort by the staff to incorporate more Web 2.0 tools in the classroom. I know of three teachers that have begun to use blogging in their classrooms. Others have begun to utilize YouTube videos and social networking sites in order to better encourage their students to be active participants. This is the beginning of a revolution in the education world, and I am excited to be a part of it.

Minds on Fire: Open Education, the Long Tail, and Learning 2.0:

http://foruminnova.files.wordpress.com/2007/12/minds_on_fire.pdf

e-learning 2.0 - how Web technologies are shaping education:

http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/e-learning_20.php