Technology and Higher Ed

"While things are in motion (dramatic disruptive change) we can't use the old mindset to describe the new mindset. We can't use current processes to accomplish new processes. We can't measure a butterfly as if it were still a caterpillar. The event of change requires us to also change the way we view ourselves, our roles, and our processes."

"By having students actually create music, Mr. Kapur and Mr. Cook hope to show the value of understanding computer science. Using a music program that responds in real time provides "instant gratification," Mr. Cook added, and can interest students who weren't originally attracted to computer programming."

"But you lose much more than you gain. If you believe, as I do, that education is a collaborative exploration of ideas, you've immediately restricted the class's ability to explore a subject together. You've determined the course in advance, so students will not be able to make any meaningful contributions to its direction. If you stumble onto an interesting detour in your thinking, you might be able to veer off for a while, but the inexorable pull of the fixed list's itinerary will ineluctably drive you on."

"This competition to cooperation thing requires a huge culture shift here in the States. The longer we wait to begin to immerse our students to the principles and literacies of sharing and participation, the longer it will take for that shift to occur."