I fear that many will be scattering for Spring break shortly, and this disc=
ussion will lose momentum. Your Lower and Middle School Heads articulate a =
willingness to consider change - that is a start. I would caution them abou=
t some of Prensky's very good observations. A number of brain researchers t=
ake issue with the notion that kids multi-task. They claim it is an illusio=
n - that kids may switch between tasks very quickly, but they can only proc=
ess one task at a time. It's important we are not swept away by visions tha=
t may not materialize. [I'm thinking out loud here.] I know what I'm sugges=
ting is controversial; I just want the dialog to continue.
In that vein, I would like to suggest a book for spring reading. It's not a=
book about technology, but it is a book about systemic change. Read "A For=
ce More Powerful: A Century of Nonviolent Conflict," by Ackerman and Duvall=
. While the book explores political movements, that is what education has b=
ecome. There are three key messages: common/consistent mission and patience=
. In short, we have to get educators on the same page before we can proceed=
, and we have to be prepared for the process of educational reform to take =
a long time. Finally, there has to be a plan ready for Bastille Day. An edu=
cational vacuum could be more painful than a political vacuum. Fred Bartels=
, Peter Gow, and others have already some fine work defining what education=
al reform might look like.=20
Please keep the conversation going.
Joel
--=20
Joel Backon
Director of Academic Technology / History
Choate Rosemary Hall
333 Christian St.
Wallingford, CT 06492
203-697-2514
On Mar 1, 2010, at 9:45 PM, Jason Ramsden wrote:
> Joel,
>=20
> Well put my friend. Well put... of course, I then go on to read these
> letters from our Lower School Head and Middle School head a little later
> in the evening and think...yes, there is opportunity in the making:
>=20
> March Letter, Ravenscroft's Lower School Head
> http://www.ravenscroft.org/page.cfm?p=3D1460&newsid=3D1301
>=20
> March Letter, Ravenscroft's Middle School Head
> http://www.ravenscroft.org/page.cfm?p=3D1459&newsid=3D1303
>=20
> So proud to be a part of this school's wonderful, and supportive,
> administrative team!
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Jason T. Ramsden; CTO @ Ravenscroft School (Raleigh, NC - USA)
> Mobile: 919.337.2244
>=20
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