[Edu-sig] Learning (some more) programming

[Arthur]

Paul D. Fernhout wrote:

>I'll agree with your larger point in practice in our society, on roles for 
>both intrinsic motivation of liking some thing versus the extrinsic desire 
>to learn something just to get some task done. There is another path 
>humanity used to be on, but we are not back on it much yet, though I feel 
>we will be more and more (and free and open source software leads the 
>way), see:
>   "The Abolition of Work"
>     http://www.whywork.org/rethinking/whywork/abolition.html
>   "The Original Affluent Society"
>     http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,901135,00.html
>
>Still, I might suggest you hated writing as a kid because you were forced 
>to do it by compulsory schooling before you were ready or willing?
>Even if that was not the case for you, it certainly is the case for lots 
>and lots of people.
>  
>
We seem to be allowing ourselves radical, and against the grain thinking 
in all this.

So..

Understand then that there are those of us, who - with all good 
intentions - question the fundamental enterprise being discussed - the 
simple idea that technology has a pivotal, productive role to play in 
the endeavor of educating children (for some generally understood 
definition of "children").

Despite the Sworn Testimony of  any number of Certified Geniuses, we are 
going to hold out for Evidence.

Which is different from saying that for those children who are going to 
grow up in a technology laden society, it is better that they know how 
to push the right buttons than that they not.  But very little 
intervention is required there, and certainly it should not be confused 
with education in a more meaningful sense.

I, for one, happen to think that an enormous number of possibilities 
begin to open up later in the developmental game. 

That is, at the stage when the fact that an offered experience is a 
being mediated through a digital Mystery begins to become something we 
can expect to have accepted without a very wrong message attached.  

Art