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Jeff wrote:

>Part of the reason the presentation bothered me so much was that I felt
>it was an out-an-out rejection of academic CONTENT rather than a
>critique of the methods employed to teach that content. And I, in turn,
>reject the notion that academics are obsolete based on the idea that the
>world is changing so fast we can't predict what content is worth
>teaching.

You're right.  I WAS bringing all of my pedantic optimism to the 
video--and also inferring things that weren't said about WHY the kids 
felt so disenfranchised from the learning.  It was a knee-jerk 
reaction to the horror of lecture halls where the professor is miles 
away and in his/her own little world "lecturing."  I was one of the 
lucky ones.  I had small class sizes and plenty of opportunity to 
interact (without technology) throughout college.  And that's what I 
want for today's students (WITH technology put to creative use!)

And Dawn's point is well-taken too.  Her daughter Nikki was offended 
by the apathy toward learning in the video (and its reflection on her 
real-life experience with classmates).  However, I must say that I 
hold Nikki's professors responsible, in part, for not establishing a 
non-negotiable requirement for the investment of their students in 
the educational process.

For me, it all comes down to the excitement and lasting change that a 
good education provides.  It requires a tremendous investment on the 
part of educators and an equal investment from students (and 
remember, as educators, it is WE who set the expectations for the 
students).  That student investment, I think, is more likely to come 
when we step into new teaching territory that is exciting for 
them.  I suppose it comes down to my same old song--education is, at 
all levels, meant to be about student learning and achievement.  As 
educators, we must continually ask ourselves how we are ENSURING that 
learning.

Toni


Toni Buzzeo, MA, MLIS <mailto:tonibuzzeo@tonibuzzeo.com>
Maine Library Media Specialist of the Year Emerita
Maine Association of School Libraries Board Member
Buxton, ME 04093
http://www.tonibuzzeo.com
Fire Up with Reading: A Mrs. Skorupski Story, illustrated by Sachiko 
Yoshikawa (Upstart 2007) BRAND NEW! 

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