David Warlick’s Keynote at MassCUE

David Warlick’s Keynote at MassCUE

Okay attempt number 2 at blogging on the go.

David’s keynote at MassCUE. – Literacy and Learning in the 21st century.

David Warlick begins by showing us the resources for this conference to be found at the following sites. The Landmark project, his wiki on presentations and the blog at your service

He takes a survey of who blogs – about 20 hands go up
Who knows what a blog is – all hands
Who knows about wikis – most hands
Who uses a cell Phone a – all hands
Who gave up the wired phone for a cell phone – a few, David comments the number seems to be increasing.
37,0000 library of congress to hold the all information we generations 2003 only 1/100 of 1% ever got printed it is time to get rid of paper. Where are we going? What will the future be like? We are redefining literacy and what it means to be literate in the 21st century. How do we redefine literacy?
He then shows us a wearable computer, Geek Sheek
Finger phone for thumb and pinking, and a GPS toe ring¦.
If this is where we are going, we may make a decision that we will take our technology with us leaving the desktop computers.

Silence as he tells us that we know nothing about the future we are preparing our kids for a future we know nothing about. What will the information landscape look like? What tools will be available? What new jobs will exist?

We need to stop integrating technology but we need to begin teaching literacy, reading, writing and ‘rithmatic.

Shows us some spoof and inaccurate websites, wikipedia warnings, do we want our students to read truth, and unbiased work. Do newspapers and text have warning about their information? What is truth?

We need to teach kids how to be life long learners. We need to teach our students how to know what is a reliable credible source. We can no longer teach student from approved authority but how to prove the authority. How do you decode, prove the authority and organize the information. How to determine relevance?

Example of wikipedia  relevance how long it took to get the Information on the changing status of Pluto.

Wikipedia: time 13:35 on 8/24/06
BBC News: time 13:34 on 8/24/06

David then shows us a cool example of earthquake data, export to excel and make a map of the data. Showing math can help tell a story we need to expand our notion of what it means to be a processor of information and employ it. All our information is made of numbers (digital). Processing information in order to add value.

David moves to a look at the long tail three online distributors of content. The long tail shows books, movies and music that would not exist because could not market their work in a physical stores. But online can do this. These companies are making money on the long tail

We all need to be responsible consumers of information, as well as, responsible producers of information.

We are overwhelmed by information, information needs to compete for attention. We need to teach our students how to express ideas compellingly. We need them to work with text, audio, video and images. Music and Art are essential to help communicate information, it is part of the literacy skills. (applause).

We also need to teach Ethics. To love, seek and protect information and truth.

The code of Ethics
Seek and express truth
Do no harm
Be accountable
Respect and protect the information infrastructure.

The computer is the pencil and paper of our time. Think more about the information then the technology. We need to invest in our future, please read The World is Flat. We need to keep looking forward, we cannot stand still. The world is changing everyday. David believes we will achieve educational reform when teachers do not teach the same thing year after year but have the time and support to re-tool their classes almost daily.

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One thought on “David Warlick’s Keynote at MassCUE

  1. For blogging on the go, you did a great job. The information is so true, so scary, and so interesting. Maybe I need to start putting together a workshop on research skills for teachers/students. Thanks again.

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