Due Monday, 11/29: Blog Entry & read “The Classroom or the World Wide Web? Imagining the Future of Learning Institutions in a Digital Age” pp. 8-25 in The Future of Learning in a Digital Age and “Screen Time” in The Dumbest Generation.
For Friday: Answer at least three quiz questions (feel free to answer questions from more than one author). Use the reply button to provide your answer.
1. In The Future of Learning piece, the author suggests that the modes of learning are changing dramatically, yet schools have only “changed around the edges.” According to the piece, what does virtual learning offer that is vastly different from that offered from traditional, structured, specialized education?
2. The Dumbest Generation describes “The Flynn Effect?” What is this effect? In what area of the IQ test did the largest increase occur in and what do researchers attribute that to? What do you think of these results and the sense of knowledge in both the traditional sense and knowledge in the “digital” sense?
3. Mark Bauerlin in the Dumbest Generation feels that “as the Web grows, the young adult mind ____________.”
a. stalls
b. grows
c. stays the same
(I might add that disagree with Bauerlin in this statement. It is far too early to determine what the effects are on the mind. DH may need to adopt a new idea of what knowledge is in today’s world. I feel that we are not the dumbest generation, but we have a completely different approach to solving problems. What we need to know to be successful in today’s world, differs so much from that of the past.)
2. The Flynn Effect is that IQ scores have risen markedly over the century. The largest increase has occured in “spatial reasoning” due to screen diversions. I think this is a great testament to our increasing digital knowledge and our ability to process multiple things at once. In the traditional sense though our knowledge has taken a downturn. The true effect can’t be fully investigated yet but in the short term much of the knowledge we term traditional is not quite up to standard.
3. a. stalls
3. Virtual learning challenges many aspects of traditional educations in ways that can be both good and bad depending on the subject material or circumstance being examined. On page 10 the authors state, “But there is certainly a greater degree of fluidity and access to participation than at traditional educational institutions.” This quote is saying that virtual education levels the playing field for students because more people are able to access the internet and there problems like admission can be neglected. The authors do mention that there are still problems with censorship and in some cases families do not have money to have direct access to computers. The point they are making is that these situations pale in comparison to the traditional system we have now.
Virtual learning also offers individuals a better chance to collaborate. Wikipedia is mentioned because it has become the largest encyclopedia available and it was compiled by individuals who volunteered. The idea of hierarchically positions is challenged as well because anyone is able to get involved in the project.
There are so many aspects in which virtual learning can benefit our generation so I’ll explain one more and just mention the other ones. The digital revolution has allowed people to become self-learners. The internet has allowed us to explore a vast amount of information in a relatively easy fashion. We can study the topics that are of interest to us rather than just the items we are taught in class. This has both positives and negatives because we can look at so many things but it also prevents us from becoming completely immersed in only one topic.
Other areas include increases in collaboration, multitasking, and project based grading versus the traditional standardized tests and set curriculum (increase in “horizontal learning”). Really the changes are the 10 points made at the end of the article. For more information see pages 26-35 of “The Future of Learning” article
1. From the Dumbest Generation, what percentage of infants to 6 year olds watch tv everyday?
a. 24
b. 56
c. 73
2. From same piece, the ability to interact meaningfully with tools that expand mental capacities is what?
a. collective intelligence
b. distributed cognition
c. transmedia navigation
3. From The Future of Learning, describe the medieval university and how it relates to todays universities.
For the first question, c. 73
2. Ditributed Cognition is the ability to initeract meaningfully with tools that expand mental capacities.
3. Medieval universities followed the same principles as today’s universities. With the exception of technology. This illustrates how little we have really changed in sense of education in universities. The priniples remain the same
3. Medieval universities are just like the ones today. Students who wanted to learn went to a place where scholars taught just like we go to class and get taught by professors.
oh whoops…i didnt see that you answered first. sorry! ill answer another!
1. In The Future of Learning the article reads “Institutions of learning have changed far more slowly than modes of inventive, collaborative, participatory learning offered by the Internet.” What does the article say is the cause of that?
2. Future of Learning: True or False
The Medieval University is similar, if not almost identical to, the universities today.
3. Screen Time: The Flynn Effect shows up on tests when the material is about which of the following?
a. learned content (vocabulary)
b. history and world culture
c. puzzles and pictures
For the first question, it is because our “traditional institutions have been tremendously successful.” Oxford University, one of the oldest and most prominent schools of higher education, has been around for almost as long as the Catholic Church. It has lasted for years because their medieval way of teaching is still successful. Much of the departmentalization, use of advanced schooling, specialization, and isolation from the medieval times are still effective today.
3. – c. puzzles and pictures
#2. True- The medieval university is similar, if not almost identical to, the universities today. According to the piece, education has changed around the edges by adding technology but it still has the same basis and principles as the medieval university did. I agree with this piece that with all of the changes in technology education and its principles need to be changed for the future generations.
1. In the Future of learning piece, what do the authors call “one of the best examples of a future learning institution in our era?”
2. In the Bauerlin piece, what does the author NOT mention as suggested methods to greater intelligence? (Not just what he believes in)
a. Video Games
b. Blogging
c. Reading Books
d. Texting
3. Write one to two sentences summarizing Bauerlin’s opinion.
For the first question, Wikipedia.
#3. Bauerlin is basically saying that because children today do not read as many books as they once did and because their scores are lower in some areas they are classified as the dumbest generation. I do not agree with what he has presented in the piece. I feel that most of the information he presented did not back up what he was saying. It did the opposite. When I read the piece I felt that what he presented and wrote about should not be presented in a cause and effect manner. With the information was presented I am in favor that we are not the dumbest generation; we are just better in certain areas than we once were.
2. d – texting
1. From reading Screen Time describe the problem with the Flynn Effect.
2. From both articles, please describe who a “millennnial” is.
3. Describe the problem of “self learning” or allowing children to determine how they learn.
1. The Flynn Effect refers to the rising IQ scores over the course of the past century. Scores have risen in areas of spatial reasoning – that, of course, is linked to our increased screen time and immersion in the digital world. The problem is that we are largely lacking in traditional knowledge, or Facts.
1. The Flynn Effect refers to the rising IQ scores over the course of the past century. Scores have risen in areas of spatial reasoning – that, of course, is linked to our increased screen time and immersion in the digital world. The problem is that we are largely lacking in traditional knowledge, or Facts.
2. In “Screen Time,” Millennials are defined as people born between 1980-2000 with an innate ability to use technology. They’re comfortable with multitasking and using a range of digital media to the point that they’re redefining what it means to learn and play (with ease and finesse). “The Future of Learning” pegs the birth of the Millennials at 1983 (with the birth of the desktop), noting their ability to learn through peer review via collaborative networks and open source social networking sites.
3. One could easily argue that self-learning comes naturally these days, what with the ever-increasing levels of interactivity the web offers. I think of reading an article on NPR, where many things they reference are hyperlinked. I end up following these hyperlinks and end up getting a little mind expansion with my news. The problem with this style of learning is that it simply does not allow time for thinking and reflection. That said, how deep does knowledge sit in our self-learning brains? And that said, does it matter how deep that knowledge resides?
2. A “millennial” is a person born between the years of 1980 and 2000. They not only have innate abilities to use technology, but they almost demand it in everything they do. Millenials can multi-task and are pros with interactivity.
These results staggered me!
1. During the 2004 election a little more than _____ of the 4.1 million blogs were kept by _____to____year olds
2. In the Kaiser study, children ranging from 6 months to 6 years spent on average ______ minutes (or ___ hour(s) and _____minutes) a day on screen media which is _____times the amount they spent reading or being read to.
3. What percent of students in grades K-3 have their own e-mail account? How many of them prefer this to any other medium of communication?
These are super specific questions and I applaud anyone astute enough to answer them.
For the first one – half, 13, 19
2. Children ranging from 6 months to 6 years spent on average 1 hour and 58 minutes per day on screen media which is 3 times the amount they devoted to reading (other media).
3. 30% have their own e-mail accounts and 1/5 say they prefer it over any other medium of communication.
Questions:
1) What are some of the good effects that technology has had on children? How is multitasking perceived by both adults? How is it different than teenagers’ interaction with it?
3) 1 in ___ kids are addicted to gaming. What are two good outcomes that regular use of video games have brought us? What are three bad side effects of gaming?
3) Which answer does NOT answer the question:
Since the 19th century we have had a “tendency toward increasing…
a. specialization
b. advanced schooling
c. standardization/broadening
d. departmentalization/isolation
yes…i did infact forget the 2….
2. 12
1. Some good effects of technology for children is that it can act as a way to soothe children and give them a more accessible place to learn. It gives them move interactive ways to learn at a young age.
Multitasking for adults is usually perceived as reducing the amount of effort on one thing to allow to focus on another. Typically they look at it as something more negative than positive. Teenagers on the other hand view multitasking as a natural part of life. It is a way for them to everything at once. They see no impedance in it.
3. C
1. What is participatory learning? How are we applying this idea to our Digital Humanities class?
2. According to the Kaiser study, a child’s bedroom has changed in function. What does Kaiser call it? Why is the name given to a child’s bedroom in the digital age?
3. According to the Future of Learning reading, what problem has the “digital divide” caused?
1. “Participatory learning includes the many ways that
learners (of any age) use new technologies to participate in virtual
communities where they share ideas, comment on one
another’s projects, and plan, design, implement, advance, or
simply discuss their practices, goals, and ideas together.”
In other words, participatory learning encourages the student to have a voice, an opinion and ultimately share that with others. It involves more work and collaboration on the students’ half. Participatory learning allows students to share their own ideas while receiving feedback, not just from the teacher but more importantly from their peers.
I love that we are applying this in our DH class. By using the blog, we can post our individual ideas and continue to develop them, yet we can receive comments/critiques from our peers and our teacher. Dr. Shlitz has promoted collaboration in a unique and productive classroom setting (as we found out today, we are not quite used too). The class discussions encourage everyone to develop an idea, a unique point of view, while listening to others and building on their own foundations.
2. Kaiser calls children’s bedrooms as “multimedia centers”. This is because of all the technology in a child’s room. In such that they have TV’s, computers, mp3 players, DVD’s and other tech to interact with
3. The “digital divide” is a problem because the schools today are lacking the technology that the world has. They are behind digitally and need to catch up. The article says that the basic resources are lacking in today’s educational institutions. The schools are on one side of the divide and the world is on the other.
1. In public and academic libraries, which of the following attracts the most usage?
a. books & magazines
b. clean bathrooms & heavy-duty staplers
c. audiovisuals & multimedia
2. What is distributed cognition?
a. the ability to follow the flow of stories across multiple modalities
b. the ability to act meaningfully with tools that expand mental capacities
c. the ability to multitask whilst being tickled with a feather
d. the ability to pool knowledge and compare notes with others
3. Based upon your reading of “The Future of Learning,” briefly describe cloning cultures. Do we have one in the U.S.? Are its effects positive or negative?
Bonus! What frightens Mark Bauerlein?
a. writing a page without a statistic or quote
b. iTunes
c. change
d. all of the above
For the second question, distributive cognition is
b. the ability to act meaningfully with tools that expand mental capacities.
1. c. audiovisuals and multimedia
(but I’d guess clean bathrooms and heavy duty staplers would be second followed by books and magazines)
Bonus!
After reading this piece I believe the answer is d. all of the above. This is just an educated guess however :)
3. The “cloning culture” idea is the theory of a government attempting to “pump out” people who are all on the same level of intellect. A cloning culture creates drones that are all expected to perform on the same level which is usually boring and uninspiring for many of the students. This practice is seen in the form of “No Child Left Behind” in the United States. The effects are usually counterproductive because the students are not encouraged to learn to their full potential.
In public and academic libraries, audiovisuals and multimedia attract the most usage.
1. Do you believe the simplicity of the Apple store or the cluttered window displays of other shops attract more customers? How do you think our attention spans as a result of technology usage contribute to your answer?
2. Davidson and Goldberg note that the education system has been slow to adapt to the technological advancements as compared to all other aspects of life. Do you agree with this statement? Why or why not?
3. “…will the social networking possibilities prompt greater reflexivity, a more sustained sociality in which the positions and concerns of the otherwise remote are more readily taken into consideration in decision making?” What do you believe to be the proper answer to this question raised by “The Future of Learning Institutions in a Digital Age?”
2. I do agree with this statement. New technology is constantly being introduced. However the school system tends to warm up slowly to this technology. There are so many great new pieces of technology out there that could aid the classroom but are not being used due to the fact that the schools tend to be slow to adapt. In the future of learning piece there were a lot of great suggestions as how to incorporate things such as internet games into the classroom. I believe that children would really enjoy these and that they would learn a lot from using these games. However, I think that it will be a while until we see schools using this. They like to wait to see the results of using these new technologies before they fully integrate them into the classroom. The down side to this is that by the time this is complete a new piece of technology is out and needs to be tested. This cycle causes the school systems to be behind in adapting to new technologies.
I think that the simplicity attracts more customers. The Apple store is always crowded and hectic, as the chapter displayed, and I think that this is because of the technology that awes the customers and the supposed superiority that the store claims above it’s competitors. Attention span definitely plays a role because people can get in, find the thing they are looking for, play around, and get out. I know that when I visited the Apple store I didn’t feel the urge to look at anything in depth, I just glanced at some things and left.
1. I think the simplicity of the stores attract buyers because they can go in and find exactly what they want. I think this desire to find things quickly and convienently does stem from our short attention spans. I think technology provides so many great, new, exciting possibilities that we get distracted easily. Therefore, we like stores that are simple, and have everything set up in a simple, yet “technological” way. It is convenient, just like the technology we use.
2. I agree with this statement. Well, I think it depends on the school. But in most schools, I think technology is being used, just not very frequently. I think students learn basic computer skills, learn basic research skills, and basic PowerPoint skills. I think there is a lot more to technology that this, though. I highly doubt schools are using blogs for classroom assignments, like this class. And I don’t think most schools have a system like BOLT in place, like Bloomsburg does. Compared to everyday life, schools definately don’t use as much technology, since most people use cellphones, laptops, iPods, and other devices almost all the time. I think schools are slowly getting there, but I’m not sure they realize how important it is for them to get there now.
3. I think that social networking does provide a certain kind of ‘voice’ for people who otherwise would be considered ‘remote’. Technology allows almost anybody to share their opinions and I think in certain instances, their opinions may affect decisions and outcomes. I do think it is important for people to communicate with words and technology, though. But I think technology could provide an outlet for people who want their voices to be heard, since technology is worldwide.
1. Name 2 explanations that psychologists suggest for the “increase in intellegence”. (The Dumbest Generation). Give another possible reason why intelligence has increased over time (do not use increase in screentime).
2. What does Mark Bauerlein suggest that IQ tests measure? Describe the correlation between the Flynn effect and the amount of “learned content” (math, vocab, etc) on a test?
3. Explain what you think a virtual institution would look like, who runs it, and how it works using examples both from “Imagining the Future of Learning Institutions in a Digital Age” and your own innovative ideas?
3. A truly virtual institution would look like a website. There would not need to be any buildings because professors would be teaching from offices in their homes. There would be a large amount of interactivity to simulate the interaction with peers and teachers. I would think there would be video conferencing for the learning situations and not just reading. There would have to be collaboration as well.
1. I found it interesting that forty-year-olds and kids have different ideas about technology. Forty-year-olds see each new technological development as a distraction, or a “competition with other diversions”. What does the article say kids view new technological developments as?
2. When discussing video games, I found it surprising that the articles states 1 in 12 ‘tweens’ are ________ ___________ to video games.
3. In Screen Time, Scott Carlson makes a point about millennials. He says they want to learn, but they have a distinct ‘learning style’. What makes millennials’ learning styles so different, and arguably detrimental?
1. The article says kids view it as an “extra comfort.” In fact, the article even says they mature in the technology and view it as fitting in “nicely with the rest.”
2. clinically addicted
1. Both readings talk about “changing education”. What do each of the articles say about this and how are their views different?
2. What reasoning does the chapter in Screen time use to say that the millennials are “The dumbest generation”? Do you agree? Why/why not
3. What are some examples of the new classroom that were given in the future of learning? Which do you think would work best. Give reasoning based on the readings and what we have learned in class.
If anyone didn’t watch the video that Ches posted, on changing educational paradigms, you should. Very nicely demonstrates exactly what the “Future of Learning” piece is about :)