Schools: achieving success (White Paper), DfES, September 2001 (http://www.dfes.gov.uk/index.htm).
Read in New Scientist 12 June 2004 that the universe may have started with a hiss and not a bang. Was a bit of a worry because the “big bang” analogy is fairly entrenched in our communication toolbox – for example I have an agenda for an ict meeting next fortnight where one item is described as “Bang for Bucks” Will have to check around but don’t know that we are ready for analogies formed around “low moans, building roars and deafening hisses” …
If we were ready, suspect the “deafening hisses” might be reserved for the punchy claims about ICT from the DfES White Paper – mimicked I hasten to add by educational ict rhetoric in New Zealand.
Have been thinking about these punchy claims, and want to unpack all this “transforming and opening” stuff. Am old enough, and surprisingly given my recent lapses into cognitive sog, I can remember other technologies which have promised to improve teaching and learning for students. Wonder if it is “promises made” and “promises broken” time all over again?
In truth I kind of like promises made and promises broken. Think that an exposure to promises made and promises broken ensures the emergence of a collective distrust, a maturing paranoia which has to be a “good thing” given our vulnerability to “weapons of mass destruction,” “Diana - Madonna or whore?”, and “trans fats, fatty acids and partially hydrogenated oils” media controlled and manipulated thinking.
Can quickly come up with seven promises about technology that would open and transform educational pedagogy – you can probably come up with more.
Remember the ViewMaster™? - am still profoundly affected when I see a colour faded Dumbo separated from his equally colour muted mother. Lantern slides had their edu-moment as did those Encyclopedia Brittanica filmstrips about sexually transmitted diseases – I continue to think of vd as an equilateral triangle of dots moving across the genitals of adolescents. Movies, videotapes and DVDs have had their educational lobbyists – check out "Duck and Cover” 1952 – my absolute favourite educational movie. Is such an audacious attempt to educate the young of the “bewildered herd” in which Bert the Turtle shows what to do in case of atomic attack. - surviving THE BOMB. Teasing out the pedagogical strategies in “Duck and Cover” ought to be compulsory for every pre-service teacher trainee.
You could argue that all these technology initiatives “transform and open”, in the same way that we currently argue for “transform and open” when using computers, laptops and Palms but if you look more carefully you just might uncover another refrain running through all these seven technologies.
If you need help with uncovering I suggest you do a Google image search to find out what all this “transforming and opening” is really about – the refrain you will discover is that each of these "transform and open interventions requires Manovich’s Institutionalised immobilisation of the learner through the ubiquitous screen
Wonder if we might develop a new eduspeak word that captures “transform’, “open” and the presence of a screen?
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