tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19457872.post8128893597205574615..comments2024-03-26T23:57:42.268-04:00Comments on SpeEdChange: Creative Collaborationirasocolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01412837280249622430noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19457872.post-574606740590069842010-10-15T00:09:28.028-04:002010-10-15T00:09:28.028-04:00Why do you have to be indirect about it? Seems aw...Why do you have to be indirect about it? Seems awfully inefficient. <br /><br />Moreover, testing really isn't the issue. Postman is saying that a teacher couldn't even begin a conversation by saying, "Why is the sky blue? Let's think about that for a minute," unless she specifically did NOT know the answer (in which case all of the following speculation will likely be rather useless). It just makes no sense to say that teachers should never teach something that they actually know.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19457872.post-37397518100856279592010-10-14T17:26:03.125-04:002010-10-14T17:26:03.125-04:00Ah the anonymity of anger and insult. Fascinating ...Ah the anonymity of anger and insult. Fascinating to see how people behave when their name is not associated... which brings up the failure of many educational systems to raise caring humans who can collaborate. But I digress. <br /><br />Of course, "Anonymous" (if that is your real name), the question was about testing, as you admit when you say "check their knowledge." Checking their knowledge is not learning, it is testing/evaluation. And honestly, if you cannot tell if a student understands that 2+2=4 without asking that question directly, you have no business being a teacher.<br /><br />- Ira Socol<br /><i>who will repeat the ground rules here - if you are going to be insulting and rude, sign your name, or your comment will be deleted. Rational arguments are expected here, from rational people.</i>irasocolhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01412837280249622430noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19457872.post-76649730689612435452010-10-14T17:18:26.074-04:002010-10-14T17:18:26.074-04:00About Postman's quote: Who said anything about...About Postman's quote: Who said anything about testing? As I read those comments, the point, it seems to me, is that he's saying that a teacher can't stand in front of the class and check their knowledge as to whether 2 + 2 = 4 by asking them that -- or any other math question to which she knows the answer. That is about the stupidest thing ever said about education. <br /><br />Sure, it might be good sometimes to ask questions wanting not just to hear a rote answer but to hear a process of reasoning . . . but it's unbelievably stupid to suggest that teachers should never ask questions to which they know the answer. That would mean that the entire body of human knowledge would be basically cut off from the classroom.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19457872.post-8428218142763798032010-10-14T05:50:27.363-04:002010-10-14T05:50:27.363-04:00Great ideas. Read Clay Shirky's Cognitive Sur...Great ideas. Read Clay Shirky's Cognitive Surplus: Creativity and Generosity in the Connected Age. Very fascinating and thought-provoking book that focuses on a culture of changing the world in the digital age.Stephaniehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13329658087881504768noreply@blogger.com