Jackson Fox

Assignment 2

January 27, 2002



Article: Fischer, G. (1998) "Making Learning a Part of Life-Beyond the 'Gift-Wrapping' Approach of Technology."



What did you find interesting about the article?

I liked that the article provided a concise overview of the current state of assumptions. This overview helped me understand the issues that were covered in the paper.

I also liked the discussion of how technnology has failed to have much impact in education do to the misconceptions that surround its role in bettering education.

What did you find not interesting about the article?

Nothing of note.

What do you consider the main message of the article?

I felt the main messgae of the article was that technology could help to transform education into a much richer and effective tool by emphasizing interactive knowledge construction and by providing a richer educational environment. However, this cannot happen unless certain fundamental misconceptions about technology and its role in education can be fixed.

Are the blue links useful?

Somewhat. I like the feature, but I don't like how you are taken to a long list of words. I would prefer a small popup window with the information instead.

In what other situations have you encountered this feature?

I have seen it used as it is here, to provide meanings for possibly confusing or unknown words and concepts. And of course, for hyperlinking in general.

Do you know any of the people mentioned in the diagrams?

I have heard of Skinner, Dewey, and Piaget.

What has Jean Piaget contributed to the deeper understaning of learning?

Jean Piaget said that intelligence is the result of active participation of a child in his or her environment. Essentially, a child develops schemes which encode its modes of interaction with its environment. As the child develops, its schemes are further developed wo accomodate new information.