Something I keep coming back to is the pedagogical rationale for all the talk among educators about the (some would say) radical changes happening in our schools where technology "revolutionizes" the classroom and the subjects we teach. Some of the terms one hears include:
- workflow
- flipping the classroom
- video, video, video
- digital literacy
- digital citizenship
- information society
- information management
- critical thinking
- collaboration
- 21st century competencies
- programming
- and so on
In my school, many of the above are oft-discussed, weighed, and touted as necessary components of our classrooms and curricula. I have heard myself bringing up for discussion plenty of the topics in this list and I would argue that many of my fellow educators reflect and talk about the above with total sincerity.
Okay, so what's the big deal?
Probably nothing or ??????. But what keeps popping backing into my head is the physical layout of the classroom at Harvard where this tablet workshop was held. Four or five rows of student seats behind stationary tables in half-circles that descend from the last row of student seats to the first. And what do we find "down in front"? A chalkboard (or projector screen) and podium. This is clearly where the professor "stands and delivers" (which was the case for our presenters at the workshop, as well). The room did not offer any sort of the physical flexibility that I noticed. It seemed like a totally traditional classroom that had "teacher-centric" written all over it.
And, on the couple days when we had to vacate the classroom we were using because a Harvard class was coming in, the Harvard class was totally run in that professor "stand and deliver" mode.
This I find quite interesting.
Why?
In think back on all the discussion we've had in my school about transforming the classroom, 21st century skills, critical thinking, etc., we talk as if these changes are revolutionzing education. But, to the extent my school is a "prep" school preparing our kids for college (and explicitly for colleges like Harvard), it makes me wonder if were are doing our job to prepare them for the educational experience they will actually be having in those colleges they go to.
Just wondering. No solid conclusions on my part. No empirical studies. I probably should ask some of our grads and see what their feedback would be.......but I do seriously reflect on what I REALLY should be doing to prepare my Middle Schoolers for their best educational future. It is endlessly fascinating!!!!
No comments:
Post a Comment