[Olpc-open] Constructionism

[Tomeu Vizoso]

On Sat, May 24, 2008 at 10:23 AM, Bert Freudenberg <bert at freudenbergs.de> wrote:
> (pruning the cc list)
>
> On 24.05.2008, at 02:10, Alex Belits wrote:
>
>> Eben Eliason wrote:
>>> It seems like a relatively hard problem to address with the strict
>>> teacher/student model, but seems it could naturally be resolved in an
>>> environment which encourages peer collaboration, since a) the teacher
>>> can depend on the bright students to assist in helping those who
>>> require a little more time to grasp the concepts (and let's face it,
>>> you can learn just as much by teaching) and b) because the bright
>>> students can work together to challenge each other as well.
>>
>> I disagree. Most kids, bright or otherwise, are completely unprepared
>> for the role of teachers, and they should not be forced into it. To
>> improve education one has to make it interesting (what is not the same
>> as entertaining), so students have positive motivation to learn.
>> Fear of
>> anything that a school can impose on a student will never overcome
>> fear
>> of social ostracism that a well-performing student will face in the
>> environment where students find learning to be an unnecessary burden
>> imposed by adult oppressors, even if the student independently finds
>> the
>> subject of study and learning process to be interesting.
>
> This is a sad conclusion. You indeed describe what happens in many
> schools. But it's *not* the kids that are "unprepared for the role of
> teachers" that are at fault here, but the oppressing adults.

I think there's a misunderstanding here. Eben and Bert are talking
about children being able to engage other people (not just other
children) in learning, Alex (in my opinion) talks about the more broad
role of a teacher as those in conventional schools.

Regards,

Tomeu