Rethinking learning in the digital age

Seymour Papert develops his long and distinguished career in rethinking how schools should work based on Constructionist learning. Also, he focuses on the impact of new technologies on learning in schools. In his book, The Children's Machine, Dr. Papert explores the art of learning; a topic that has been widely ignored by educational researchers. He introduces the concept of 'mathetics,' which he defines as the art of learning, and discusses the "mathetics" in the school setting and in light of his own experiences. His story, how to deal with the etymology of flower name, emphasizes the need for connectedness, and for tying new learning to interests and knowledge structures that are already in place. Papert believes that a successful learner has a desire to making connections, both between different mathematical ideas and his/her current state of understanding.

Traditionally, educators emphasize conveying a lot of information and facts, and do not model the learning process. They try to delivery of answers far more than the learning of answers. Papert(1993) claims that “in school children are taught more about numbers and grammar than about thinking.” He expects children to become motivated learners and problem-solvers through providing the learners with the appropriate tool—computer-- to participate the learning process. From his constructivist view of learning, Papert (1988) established some important guidelines for the placement and use of computers in schools as follows:

1. Seek out open-ended projects that foster students' involvement with a variety of materials, treating computers as just one more material, alongside rulers, wire, paper, sand, and so forth.
2. Encourage activities in which students use computers to solve real problems.
3. Connect the work done on the computer with what goes on during the rest of the school day, and also with the students' interests outside of school.
4. Recognize the unique qualities of computers, taking advantage of their precision, adaptability, extensibility, and ability to mirror individual students' ideas and constructions of reality.
5. Take advantage of such new, low-cost technological advances as temperature and light sensors, which promote integration of the computer with aspects of the students' physical environment.

Currently, more constructivist learning practice is taking place in our education institutions due to the exploitation of the digital media. For instance, Stager (2005) at Pepperdine University has designed successful post-graduate courses by applying constructionist learning theory in an online community of practice. The courses produced enough stimuli, support and expectations of reflective practice to assist students to learn about learning while learning to do wondrous things (Stager, 2005).

[References]:

Papert, S. (1993). The Children's Machine: Rethinking School in the Age of the Computer, Basic Books: New York.

Papert, S. (1988). Computer as material: messing about with time. The Teachers College Record, 89(3). Available URL http://www.papert.org/articles/ComputerAsMaterial.html

Stager, G. (2005). Towards a pedagogy of online constructionist learning. 2005 World Conference on Computers in Education, Stellenbosch, South Africa. July 2005.