Not sure if the prompting of Christian Long (sorry I can’t find the exact link) precipated this interview but regardless, it’s great to see a non-educator like Robert Scoble get close and personal with a personality like Eliot Soloway. The two sit down and talk about the future of education, the power of mobile computer, women in technology and access. Soloway does a nice job of expressing in a very positive way why things are changing and his vision for schools in the next five years. He’s a realist and provides some nice insights.
[tags]robertscoble,eliotsoloway,cellphones,christianlong[/tags]
Thanks for sharing this Dean. It’s a great video. I have a few quick comments:
— It’s quite a bizarre world when Scoble’s son’s school’s computer lab is shut down.
— I really have to question what school has the budget to spend $50 every year on every student to get them new cell phones.
— That’s a very shocking statistic about Detroit schools.
— I don’t think that the death of news papers will be a good thing.
— And finally, that was a great way to end the conversation. Parents to need to get back involved with encouraging learning and being active participants in their children’s education. We’ve lost a lot of that.
Terrific video – thanks for sharing this! It’s inspiring to see how other educators are innovating and promoting the use of mobile devices in schools – and to see Eliot’s passion. In Australia last week there was a real threat of cellphones becoming banned – by law – in schools. Thankfully, wisdom prevailed and (at least for the time being) educators can continue to innovate with digital mobile devices to support and enhance learning.
In particular, this dialogue shares some terrific insights about how mobile devices can be used. Some of the ideas discussed here are exactly what I’ve been saying about mobile learning: that it can be done in teams, it can be used to create new knowledge, not just a replication of what’s in a textbook, and that mobile devices provide the ultimate way to share ideas and knowledge. Superb. Also:
– I love the idea of widespread multimedia self-expression in the (near) future: the very idea is tantalising and exciting to imagine.
– I totally agree that what’s needed is guidance to help students to understand how their cellphones can be used for learning.
– I love the analogy that Hermione in the Harry Potter holds the key to learning of the future. 🙂
Viva la cellphone!
(P.S.: A bit of an aside: *less* women in computer science??? Holy smokes, Batman… when I did my computer science degree (ten years ago), there were only three girls in my year of almost 200… As you say… *how* could it be less now, it was less before?!!!)
Fascinating discussion.
I wasn’t familiar with Kite tv either(is that the correct spelling?)
Astonishing to hear that fewer women are going into computer science as well. Enjoyed all the talk about the library and needing to be able to “mine” information….
Made me really want an iPhone!
The idea that the technology enhances students’ interactions with the world–it’s not that it takes them ‘away” from the world.
Thank you Eliot and Robert.
The digital chasm combined with so many school’s inability to open up the way in which kids learn, engage the world, and express themselves – is just as scary (or daunting) as the current economic meltdown.
The accessibility and acceptance of multimedia tools in schools can be a huge help to kids with disabilities as well – kids who learn differently should be able to express what they’ve learned – differently.
Our son, who has Asperger’s Syndrome wasn’t given this chance until he was accepted to the 2-year high school for arts education – where he flourished.
Good luck Eliot! We need more teachers and administrators like you.