Presenters: Steve Hargadon and Audrey Watters
Location: Lincoln, California and Washington, DC
@stevehargadon and @audreywatters
Presentation Title: Learning and Technology: Openness, Agency, and Control
Presentation Description: Steve Hargadon and Audrey Watters discuss the politics and practices of open learning and technology — both contemporary and historical examples of how technology and schooling promote learner agency and compliance.
Link to presentation’s supporting documents:
none
Agora Cyber Charter School was using the locked down websites for “locked mindset” education 4 years ago. That’s a K-12 “public” school. Doctoral institutions also lack open mindsets.
This was ABSOLUTELY fascinating! Thank you so much for opening up my mind to the issues surrounding open learning.
You can “talk back” to this video with Vialogues here: https://vialogues.com/vialogues/play/11983
Fascinating discussion about open learning. My thoughts are flowing. As we examine critical thinking and do we as a society want it? We say we do and yet are we ready for critical feedback?! Are we able to hear, accept, examine our own thinking to move forward with growth?! We need to be open not only to the device and its innovative capabilities for learning but to critical discourse and collaboration with others as well.
Digital trail should be open for individuals to change their mind and share evidence for shifts. It has power to demonstrate personal growth and evolution. As scientists we document all observations and when new information is found the perception changes or shifts at which point the previous was not torn up or deleted-the new experiences led to the present understanding-model-person, etc.
Thank you to Steve and Audrey for an interesting keynote!
@GingerLewman had a great post about control the other day. The phrase that struck me was this:
“It’s not that I’m giving them control; it’s that I’m loosening my need to control them.”
http://gingerlewman.wordpress.com/2013/09/30/harnessing-an-independent-thinker/
I’m “struggling” with the tension that occurs when we TRACK performance in order to “find out what WORKS”
Steve: My favorite story from this presentation was the one you opened with about your daughter taking the “open” course through Utah K12 and how the locked down laptop led to some major cognitive dissonance. I also enjoyed your historical perspective on the use of propaganda and questions about democracy / self-expression. Challenging and good!
Audrey: I’m so interested in what you’re working on with your new book! It sounds incredibly timely and interesting. Good luck getting it finalized! Are you self-publishing? If so and I an be of any help to you just let me know. CreateSpace is a great print-on-demand publishing option!
Thanks to you both for sharing this thought provoking presentation and kick-off to the open learning strand!