Encouraging our students to "learn" Interesting article in last week's THES wondering whether in emphasising the use of IT to search and retrieve vast stores of information we actually end up encouraging the collection of "facts" and artifacts rather than intellectual engagement with the topics being discussed: "we are creating experts in retrieval, collection and filing who can live happily in the knowledge that facts, information and techniques that once would have required a rather more challenging existential engagement can sit on a server or hard disk to be accessed at any time." The author's concern is that we are "encouraging a climate in which information, ownership and control is repeatedly mistaken for action and engagement" and he cites an example of a student who turns up to a seminar with a photocopy of the set reading but he hasn't actually read it and a poorly proofed essay that is considered acceptable to the student submitting it because he "could do a spellcheck ... with the press of a button ...".
Simpson, B. In an age of memory sticks, precious little knowledge adheres, THES 22nd May 2008, pp 24-25
A colleague comments that one of the problems students seem to have, that relates to the above article, is the evaluation of all this information.
These allied concerns seem to go to the core of the instrumentalist attitude lots of people seem to complain about, the what do we need to know to pass the exam mind set. The question is how do we encourage students engage with the materials?  ¶ 11:33 am 0 Comments