"Left! No, left!"




Class Notes:

SPAM- Because of Google? Google attracts links--enables spam to proliferate. A solution: akismet.com (Uses API)

After you sign up for wordpress.com, you get an API (Application Programming Interface). The API concept allows anyone to write their own program--all in a public data form.
Eg. Flickr.com, wordpress.com

Trajedy of the Commons- "More for me, less for you"
Comedy of the Commons- "Less for me, more for you" (Lawrence Lessig)

Retrievr- This method changes the way we think (Papert)

API concept is communicative- It's collaborative; it's an active communication because it's posted publically.

"From Mindstorms; Children, Computers, and Powerful Ideas"- Similar to McLuhan's ideas; emphasis on the thinking of children; emphasis on the environment in which people placed; changing the way we think; if you're able to see it in front of you, you are able to think in concrete form
metacognition is the awareness of one's cognitive processes
Learning is more about engagement and interaction; Need to experiment on your own to learn; "What could make an explanation more engaging?" -Dr. C
Eg. Knowing how to write and not just read.
Using computers to interact in class allows reflection and fosters learning.
Do oral exams test in greater depth? Tests used to be oral until the first written test was presented for mathematical testing purposes.
New media allows us to choose from an array of opportunities to match our cognitive processes. We can think at a greater range. But there is also a down side--there's more to choose from and you can't look at everything. You need to scan the horizon and decide what you want.
Metaperspective-"you'll always be able to see the forest as well as the trees"; you'll always be able to think about thinking
"The computer is a window on to windows"-Dr. C
"The computer is not a culture unto itself but it can serve to advance very different cultural and philosophical outlooks"-Papert



*Thursday, we will be talking about our projects.


Philip: Its not practical but that doesn't mean its not useful.