Robert Cringely thinks so.In my future model the "school" is only a PC/game machine/mobile phone/headset thingee that clues me in about everything around me and helps me learn what I need to know. Why would I ever give that up? The truth is we won't. If we have more students, we just build more devices. Classrooms aren't absolutely necessary, nor will location even matter.
_____________________
picture via mexican 2000
Posts
Hey, learning by loading up on 'information' is fine and can be done from any computer-aided device. But what about all the things kids learn while fighting, playing, competing, teasing,scaring, loving, hating one another and with all the scary/warm/loving/stupid/intelligent teachers around them? Of course, we need regular schools with regular teachers and regular students!
ReplyDeleteThe trouble is that kids are growing more and more accustomed to 'virtual' interactions and that is something to worry about.
ReplyDeleteI do agree with you but.
I agree with you that kids are getting more used to virtual interactions, but have we reached a place where person to person interactions have less value? While a kind of learning might happen via virtual modes, but school has also always been a 'community' thing.To 'belong'to a community is a huge human need-look at the sub-culture of gangs...Also, the teacher-student dyad is simple, effective and beautiful. Why would we want to do away with it entirely?
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure he postulates doing away with it. His argument is more a natural flow from:
ReplyDelete1. That children's social interactions are getting more virtual.
2. That they are accustomed to using certain 'toys'
3. That we may be left with no choice.