Comments on: Digital Helplessness(?)

By: Pam Robertson

Pam Robertson — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 10:43:12 +0000

I think you’ve pointed out beautifully how the learning does not stop at the end of the course. In order for learning to “stick” there needs to be action taken after the reading is over, which is beyond what eLearning can offer for now, but not for long. Love the Plato quote from Peter Wolcott too.

By: James Hobson

James Hobson — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 20:51:06 +0000

I’ve also been starting to think about the effect that our use of new communications media will have – or should that be is having – on the way we think and learn. We often have ‘conversations’ through the likes of Twitter and Facebook, some important, others not so much! Do we remember the words as clearly as we would if we didn’t know we could wind back through the digital history? Probably not. What I won’t devolve to resources is the change in attitude that should result from a meaningful interaction with another person.

By: Peter Wolcott

Peter Wolcott — Sat, 06 Aug 2011 20:24:58 +0000

Plato had perhaps the first blog posting on this topic. As quoted by James Gleick in “The Information”, p. 30, Plato states “For this invention [writing] will produce forgetfulness in theminds of those who learn to use it, because they will not practice their memory. Their trust in writing, produced by external characters which are no part of themselves, will discourage the use of their own memory within them. You have invented an elixir not of memory, but of reminding; and you offer your pupils the appearance of wisdom, not true wisdom.”