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Sunday, August 24, 2014

That we're preparing kids for technology for which we have no idea will even exist in the coming 5, 10 years is why I teach what I do (multi-platform), the way I do (just tinker with it!). Check out this cool Washington Post article that gives many compelling reasons for using your STEM teaching opportunity to teach "thinking" over "doing", summarized nicely by a University of Maryland professor:

"The problem is, if you're only familiar with one type of software, you won't be prepared for disruptions in the market".

And the key word in learning tech in general, programming specifically, is that "disruption" isn't a bad word! It's a way of life that we need to teach and model to kids to get beyond "one and done" approaches to ask "uh, oh -- well, what else could I try?" when things don't go as you expect, even if it isn't that you made a mistake, but related to the limitations of the software you're using. Anyone who knows me knows, I won't accept teaching kids to be consumers of tech -- they've got to move beyond settings based competencies (computer literacy) and get their hands dirty tearing stuff apart and rebuilding (tinker behind the screen).

And, another gem to take away from this article is this quote from a high school learner:

"I want to go to school with people who have been learning outside of class and know how to teach themselves stuff ... When you find people like that, there are no boundaries".





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sepinventors@gmail.com

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Charlottesville, VA, United States
I'm a freelance ed tech consultant involved with learning labs throughout the Charlottesville area. M.Ed with 10+ yrs programming experience in private industry, loving reconnecting to the fun teaching animation programming.