Exploring other perspectives on the world we live and learn in
We often use words to say much less than they could! Take the word ‘work’ for example. In our Western culture, evoking the word invariably calls up images of activities organised in time and space that are carried out essentially to earn money.
The following thoughts about work and learning were sparked by the first part of a book by Pekka Himanen called “The Hacker Ethic and the Spirit of the Information Age”.…
If the learner is to be a responsible citizen, he or she must also be responsible for his or her learning. You cannot preach that young people take on full responsibility in society without granting them responsibility for what and how they learn… (Schools challenged by Life Long Learning)…
If we want to introduce life long learning where individuals or groups handle their own learning process, assessing progress in terms of real goals (not artificial tests) and related knowledge needs and develop strategies to learn from what goes on around them, then we have to seriously question the “lessons” embedded in schooling as they may well be leading us in the wrong direction..…
Nine lessons of schooling … or why school is not what you think it is – School is about learning Maths or English and preparing young people for work and society. It is also about imprinting strong lessons in children. But how do these ’embedded messages’ impact learning?…
The following article was originally based on a talk I gave at Xchange 2006 in Belfast and on discussion about the concept of the next curve in educational policy-making that took place in European Schoolnet’s Policy and Innovation Committee that met in Belfast prior to Xchange. The title of my talk was “Thinking out of the box … but how big is the box?”…
Ambient schooling: Putting learning back into life – Taking a different perspective on learning as an integral part of all activities with the pedagogical, societal and ethical implications implied… (read more)
Connected Magazine, May 25th, 2003.…
The term “ambient schooling” is emerging as a new power word in the conceptualisation of tomorrow’s schools. By “power word” I mean one that has momentarily become magically imbued with extraordinary explanatory powers such that it is enough to use it in a conversation and all becomes clear (even if no one agrees on what it could be).
Using a gross over simplification, the concept of ambient schooling is largely driven by a techno-commercial scenario but includes a substantial pedagogical and ethical thread.…
Are we learning or managing competences? – Without some form of feedback and subsequent evaluation, no learning – in the very broadest sense of the word – can take place. Life is not possible without learning, as life in all its facets involves ongoing processes of change and adaptation that require us to learn… (read more)
Connected Magazine, Feb 15th, 1999.…
Without some form of feedback and subsequent evaluation, no learning – in the very broadest sense of the word – can take place. Life is not possible without learning, as life in all its facets involves ongoing processes of change and adaptation that require us to learn. Most of this learning requires no conscious intervention on our part.…
Ambient schooling: Putting learning back into life – Taking a different perspective on learning as an integral part of all activities with the pedagogical, societal and ethical implications implied… (read more)
Connected Magazine, May 25th, 2003.
“Anyone got a can-opener?” Opening up the Internet – Changing ways things are done has little to do with telling people what to do, but more with creating a framework for them to develop their own ways… (read more)
Connected Magazine, Oct.…