Background for Closing NECC 2008 Keynote

I thought it might be useful to share resources related to my old friend Dr. Idit Harel-Caperton's closing keynote address at NECC 2008.

In April 1992, Harel-Caperton's book "Children Designers: Interdisciplinary Constructions for Learning and Knowing Mathematics in a Computer-Rich School," received the American Educational Research Association (AERA) Outstanding Book Award.

Dr. Harel-Caperton also co-edited Constructionism with Seymour Papert. Unfortunately, it is currently out-of-print. Used copies are available and libraries may have a copy as well.

Situating Constructionism by Harel & Papert from their groundbreaking book, Constructionism.

Learning Through Design: Observations from a Constructionist Perspective on a (Possible) Paradigm Shift in the Field - a 1991 paper by Idit Harel.

Related articles by Seymour Papert

Constructionism vs. Instructionism

Computer Criticism Versus Technocentric Thinking

A Critique of Technocentrism in Thinking About the School of the Future

Epistemological Pluralism and the Revaluation of the Concrete (with Sherry Turkle)

Papert on Piaget (Time Magazine)

What's the big idea? Toward a pedagogy of idea power

Papert Misses Big Ideas from the Good Old Days in AI (2002 interview)

Perestroika and Epistemological Pluralism (1990 Conference Keynote)

Professor Papert Discuses the $100 Laptop Project (US State Department - November 2006)

2004 Transcript of Australian radio interview with Seymour Papert

Papert.org - Seymour Papert articles and papers
Planet Papert

Paper by Edith Ackerman

Piaget’s Constructivism, Papert’s Constructionism: What’s the Difference? - A fantastic paper by Dr. Edith Ackerman to help you understand constructivism vs. constructinism.

Other books of interest

Frank Rick on Wall-E -- Well worth reading

The New York Time's op-ed columnist and former theatre critic, Frank Rich, wrote a terrific review of the new Pixar hit film, Wall-E.

Indeed, sitting among rapt children mostly under 12, I felt as if I’d stepped through a looking glass. This movie seemed more realistically in touch with what troubles America this year than either the substance or the players of the political food fight beyond the multiplex’s walls.

While the real-life grown-ups on TV were again rebooting Vietnam, the kids at “Wall-E” were in deep contemplation of a world in peril — and of the future that is theirs to make what they will of it. Compare any 10 minutes of the movie with 10 minutes of any cable-news channel, and you’ll soon be asking: Exactly who are the adults in our country and who are the cartoon characters?

Rich makes connections between Wall-e and the current presidential campaign as well.

For me, Mr. Obama showed signs of jumping the shark two weeks back, when he appeared at a podium affixed with his own pompous faux-presidential seal. It could have been a Pixar sight gag. In fact, it is a gag in “Wall-E,” where, in a flashback, we see that the original do-nothing chief executive of Buy N Large (prone to pronouncements like “stay the course”) boasted his own ersatz presidential podium.

I've not yet seen the film, but Rich's column, Wall-E for President, is worth reading.

Happy Independence Day!

An Australian friend just emailed the following question.

4th of July
If you asked, no matter HOW politely, do think that Britain would let the US back in?

Photo from http://www.flickr.com/photos/arindam_soma/2636433025/

Recent articles you may have missed

Here are some recent articles I published in District Administration Magazine...

Enjoy!

Keep the Wish List Short

Giving parents a laundry list of supplies to buy is lousy public relations and exacerbates economic hardships.

Published in the July 2008 issue of District Administration

What's a Computer For? Part II
Computer science is the new basic skill.
Published in the July 2008 issue of District Administration

What's a Computer For? Part 1
It all depends on your educational philosophy.
Published in the June 2008 issue of District Administration

Online Videoconferencing
Web tools such as uStream make video broadcasting accessible.
Published in the June 2008 issue of District Administration

Keeping Up with the Future
Consider these suggestions for staying informed and inspired.
Published in the May 2008 issue of District Administration

The Games Teachers Play
We are cheating our students by turning reading into a game of dodgeball.
Published in the April 2008 issue of District Administration

Public Schools?
Be wary of a gift that might squash the benefits of public education.

Published in the April 2008 issue of District Administration

Vote for Me!

Click here for an important announcement.

Vote early and often!

My 22nd NECC!

Just landing in San Antonio where I'll speak at my 22nd NECC and host
the 2nd Annual Constructivist Celebration.

I imagine that I've made approximately 60 presentations at NECC since
the mid-80s.

Hope to see you around the conference!

Sent from my iPhone

Hooray for Bill Gates!

OK, even I never thought I'd utter those words aloud, but check out this interview with Tom Brokaw.



Gates displays a sense of humor when asked if he has an iPod and he provides a reasoned mature answer to the question about concerns over children being harmed by computers.

This stands in stark contrast to the fear and loathing displayed by popular edubloggers who regale us with the virtues of their technology-free cleansing retreats and the micromanagement of their children.

Hooray for Bill Gates! Who would have thunk it?

PS: This news report about Gates' last day at Microsoft reminiscences is quite charming and well worth a read.