Remember Michael Wesch? He created the excellent video The Machine is Us/ing Us about web2.0. Its message: The Machine is us was very nicely argued. Prof Wesch is back again with another video, A Vision of Students Today, about the student life today. Mainly (but not only) about the relationship between teaching and technology.
The students surveyed themselves and this resulted in the following statements – but don’t stop here – the film is very much worth watching both for its message and presentation. Here are some of the statements which arise from the survey:
- I complete 49% of readings assigned to me
- I will read 8 books this year, 2300 web pages & 1281 facebook profiles
- I facebook through most of my classes
The film contains two important quotes – the first my McLuhan (1967)
Today’s child is bewildered when he enters the 19th century environment that still characterizes the educational establishment where information is scarce but ordered and structured by fragmented, classified patterns subjects and schedules.
and the second from 1841 when Josiah F. Bumstead said about the inventor of the blackboard:
The inventor of the system deserves to be ranked among the best contributors to learning science, if not the greatest benefactors of mankind.
Don’t make the mistake of interpreting Wesch as a luddite. It is very important to be able to criticize technology. The amazing thing is that we are allowed to criticize cars without being accused of luddism but if you are critical towards IT you stand accused of wanting to return to the stone age.
Wesch is making an important point that teaching should be more relevant and less dependent upon technology. Simply adding technology, or supplying it to students, does not improve teaching, learning or education.
Prof Wesch Digital Ethnography Blog
Oh, and while you are there check out their Information R/evolution video.