Week 3: Michael Wesch's Great Video

I was very taken with many points of Michael Wesch's video.

One in particular rang quite true to me. In the video, Wesch states "we have to discuss, challenge, critique, share, create meaningful connections, and create significance."

Isn't this what learning is all about? Brain-based learning supports many of these qualities of learners. Finding relevance, attaching new information to old information, and creating connections are all attributes of effective learning.

This can be done in any classroom with any subject. In my art room, I go by the mantra "Look, think, make, learn." This is naturally parallel to what Wesch is saying.

Wesch, though, is relating this learning procedure to the use of technology and to using information.

Because information is all around us (the internet) We need to move from an information acquisition education to a information use education. Wesch's idea of discussing (what is the information), challenging (why is it important), critiquing (what is the value), sharing (let others look at it), creating meaningful connections (oh, I see why this is important), and creating significance (this is important to me because) is a great model of learning in the technology and information age.

Teachers should use this model as an effective learning tool in their classrooms whether they use technology or not! (We hope they are using it!).

Yours,
Aaron