A10MakeshiftCrew

A10MakeshiftCrew

To-Do

The paper makes this claim: “Web 2.0 is creating a new kind of participatory medium that is ideal for supporting multiple modes of learning.” For purposes of this assignment, pick a mode of learning which you consider the most important and most exciting for YOU!

Which idea/claim discussed in the article did you find most interesting?

Anne: I found the idea of a modern-day apprenticeship most interesting. I always wished for more apprentice-like learning in undergrad. I especially wished for it once I arrived in the workforce and had almost no functional experience in manufacturing plants. Though, I doubt that online learning will ever substitute for actually being in a plant. But, at least I would have learned my chemical engineering more permanently. I know that learning would be more fun and productive if we could establish a "learning to

be" academia.

Alberto: I found the idea of Learning to Be the most interesting. I found the idea of open source development the most interesting part of that. I feel like you can learn a lot from open source development, especially with all the help available to you online from other developers who are also learning, but at their own pace. This kind of hands-on learning prepares you immensely for the real world because it teaches you to reach out for help as you need it.

Kyla:I found the idea of the long tail in learning to be most interesting. I had never before considered that the internet was making it so that people don't just buy bestsellers, but buy whatever specific thing they are looking for. In the end, I wonder if this takes away from some of our ability to connect with each other and relate. Since we have almost everything at our fingertips, might we never stumble across things we weren't looking for? Are we losing something with our shared knowledge

of bestsellers and other common things?

Bobby: I found that the idea of social learning was most interesting. Instead of the traditional way of learning, students can work (ie. discuss, ask questions) about the subject matter with other people. The process of learning is differentin that students are more engaged and are able to interact with other people instead of just being isolated within their own minds.

With which idea/claim do you disagree the most?

Anne: I wonder how the the schools will be able to pay salaries once more and more students find the free versions of learning to be more desirable. How is this sustainable in the long run? I completely agree that we will have to make the system more conducive to the rapidly changing job/skills market, but how will educators continue to make a living? Will people start getting certificates? How will employers measure new hires without degrees? Based on experience? What if someone is changing fields?

Alberto: I disagree with the idea of learning in online places such as Second Life. I feel like learning in a virtual world classroom is no different than learning in a real classroom. The only difference I might see is students losing interest in a lecture and be able to just walk away from the computer (and stay logged into the class), where in a real lecture a student would not be able to walk out of a classroom without certain repercussions.

Kyla: I don't necessarily agree that Web 2.0 is the main thing that is sparking Learning 2.0. I think that the changes that need to occur in education are a lot bigger than just incorporating technology or becoming more "demand-pull" oriented. Education is a complicated issue, and while technology may help, it's only one tiny piece of the puzzle. I think that the bigger pieces right now are about reversing inequalities, providing equal opportunities, finding ways to attract and respect good teachers, creating new classroom strategies that engage students, etc.

Bobby: I don't agree with the idea of having just a "demand-pull" oriented learning as we all have different styles of learning. Students need to be given a foundation before having an informal style of learning too. Without the structure and basis on a certain subjects, they are not able to freely branch out to other parts. They should combine the "demand-pull" with the "supply-push" in order to make the best out of two worlds.

What learning style did you choose for purposes of this assignment?

Anne: I read the article and then answered questions… must be learning about. Alberto: Learning to Be (Learn by doing). Kyla: Learning about.... I read the article and then answered the questions. Bobby: Learning to be.

What percentage of your overall educational experience is "Learning About"?

Annie: 85% Alberto: In total probably around 65% Kyla: About 80% Bobby: 80%

What are the strengths of "learning about" from your experience?

Anne: With learning about, you get a theoretical basis and often more insights into certain insights that may not be established while learning to be.

Alberto: By learning about, you cover a great deal of depth on the subject matter. This allows for a deeper understanding of the subject.

Kyla: "Learning about" is a very safe way to learn and teach. It guarantees that everyone will learn the same things and I am so incredibly used to this style now that I am good at getting information in this way.

Bobby: "Learning about" is good because it gives a structure for students. Without the structure, the student might not be on the same page as where others are and might not understand the extent of what they are learning. They need this foundation first before then can solve problems or learn about the subject. It is like jumping into a high level undergraduate/graduate course in applied mathematics (such as when I took fourier series and boundary value problems) without having worked on calculus I-III or differential equations. The student would not have any idea what was going on as the professor is talking.

What are the weaknesses of "learning about" from your experience?

Anne: Learning about is often a very passive form of learning. And it is often much hard to retain knowledge that is "learned about". It is easy to "fake" knowledge when "learning about".

Alberto: Learning about tends to be a boring way to learn because it involves a lot of reading and listening in a lecture. Also, learning about doesn't guarantee that the student will learn because he or she can say the learned about the subject but have nothing to show for it necessarily.

Kyla: "Learning about" doesn't encourage much creativity or inquisitiveness. It can be stifling and I think it makes us less innovative to be constantly learning in this style.

Bobby: "Learning about" does not allow the ability to explore the subject matter freely. I am not as creative and sometimes cannot see the extent of what I can do with the information learned. By being confined strictly to a structure, the I might miss shortcuts or innovative techniques that could aid in learning about the subject matter.

What percentage of your overall educational experience is "Learning to be"?

Anne: 20%. As I get further past my "formal education" years, this percentage will obviously go up. Alberto: I'd say about 25% Kyla: About 20% Bobby: 20%

What are the strengts of "learning to be" from your experience?

Anne: I truly understand when I learn to be. I retain what I learned for much longer. I feel more confident about myself. I feel more prepared when I am asked to use my knowledge.

Alberto: When learning to be, you engage and do what it is you're trying to learn. This is invaluable because it teaches people without telling them or having them read a book. If people learn a task by doing it, later on they'll know what to do when asked to show what they've learned.

Kyla: "Learning to be" makes things stick with me for a lot longer. It also gives me more ownership of what I've learned, so I'm more likely to apply it or expand upon it.

Bobby: "Learning to be" aids in my learning because it allows the me to do more than just read and listen about the subject. It enables me to interact with the subject matter and adds to the strengthening of memory by making the event more personal. I can recall the information better from the associations because it is more eventful and encoded in my mind. 

What are the weaknesses of "learning to be" from your experience?

Anne: Without enough background knowledge, it is easy to feel lost unless sufficient guidance is given. Also, there is the issue of feeling embarrassed due to lack of experience in an area. In today's competitive world, many are obsessed with how great a person is upon arrival, and do not have patience for those who are eager to learn. So, people who don't already "know everything" can feel shy about contributing, for fear of exposing their ignorance. Also, one often cannot get the same depth and theory just from learning to be.

Alberto: When learning to be, a person may not gather the deep, underlying principles of a task they way they would if they read a book about the same task. The knowledge and science behind a task is lost and so the deep understanding of the task or lesson is lost too.

Kyla: "Learning to be" requires confidence and some direction. It can be overwhelming and intimidating if you don't already have a start or an idea.

Bobby: "Learning to be" is difficult because I sometimes do not know where to go. It is helpful to have an idea of what I am doing, otherwise I feel like I am wasting my time. An example is in my undergraduate research project for a fluids experiment. I had no idea of what I was doing since I am an electrical and computer engineer. I did not really understand what information that I was supposed to gather for a while and kept going in circles.

Do you agree or disagree with the following claim: “everyone is interested in something and feels passionate about it.”

Check comments… (unable to paste within this box)

Name something that YOU are personally interested in and feel passionate about.

Check comments… (unable to paste within this box)

Is the following statement true for YOUR passion: “for any topic that a student is passionate about, there is likely to be an online niche community of practice of others who share that passion.”

Anne: Footwear: yes. I am part of several barefoot running forums, Meetup groups, and there is a growing community of barefoot and minimalist runners. This is not really on iTunesU in an instructional form, because there is still a significant crowd of podietrists who think they are able to outsmart evolution with shoes,and those who do not subscribe to the belief that humans were built for long-distance running. I have, however, learned a lot from the forums, and, the forums have pointed me to new books hot off the press: Barefoot Running by Michael Sandler, a Boulder local. And The Barefoot Book by Daniel Howell, PhD. Personal growth: yes. Visual art: yes, I just watched a how-to on iTunesU for oil painting, which I have been dying to get into (I have mainly stuck to drawing my whole life, along with sewing, and other crafts) But, iTunesU will never substitute for being at an art studio drawing a live figure. How exciting that I can potentially learn to mix skin tones at home! Human brain and learning… yes, though I tend to like listening to or reading books, so far, as the iTunes library was difficult to browse on my first try. Dancing: Youtube, websites and email lists, MeetUp.com

Alberto: Yes there are groups of people passionate about sports, especially soccer and football. These are not limited to sports columns and news sites. There are also numerous forums about programming, especially open source programming. Running: Yes

Kyla: Yes, it is true that there are communities online for all of these passions. There are tons of cooking websites and blogs, and also sites with sewing patterns and ideas. These are the online communities I use the most. There are places for my other passions, I just don't feel the need to be part of those communities.

Bobby: Yes, there is a place for bboys/bgirls online. At bboyworld.com and bboy.org, bboys/bgirls can create profiles to share footage, talk, and find out about upcoming competitions for local, regional, or nationals. In some of the forums, you can learn about what gear people wear to dance, training spots, events, nutrition, injury solutions, crews, music, graffiti art, news, acknowledgments to hip hop, and the history. I personally have not explored the whole website (Bboy World) and only check for upcoming events, watch videos, and read some of the comments.

If not: could it become a reality in the future?

---

Authors of this document are the MakeShift Crew:

Alberto Aranda
Andy Truman
Anne Gatchell
Ho Yun "Bobby" Chan
Kyla Maletsky