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Papert Matters - Children, Computers and Powerful Ideas

Replied Sep. 10, 2007

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Torrance, CA USA (but you I'll always be a Jersey boy)

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For 25 years, Gary Stager, an internationally recognized educator, speaker and consultant, has helped learners of all ages on six continents embrace the power of computers as intellectual laboratories and vehicles for self-expression. He led professional development in the world's first laptop schools (1990), has designed online graduate school programs since the mid-90s and is a collaborator in the MIT Media Lab's Future of Learning Group. Mr. Stager's doctoral research involved the creation a high-tech alternative learning environment for incarcerated at-risk teens. Recent work includes teaching and mentoring some of Australia's "most troubled" public schools. Gary is Senior Editor of District Administration Magazine, Editor of The Pulse: Education’s Place for Debate, Adjunct Professor at Pepperdine University and an Associate of the Thornburg Center for Professional Development. Dr. Stager is also the Executive Director of The Constructivist Consortium. In 1999, Converge Magazine named Gary a "shaper of our future and inventor of our destiny."

Most recently, Gary was the new media producer for The Brian Lynch/Eddie Palmieri Project - Simpatíco, 2007 Grammy Award Winner for Best Latin Jazz Album of the Year.

Website:

http://www.stager.org

Gary Stager's Blog

Until we meet again

Dear colleagues, conference organizers and new friends,

I'm sorry I'm not with you this morning, but I wanted to wish you all a triumphant end to a great conference and safe travels home.

I sure hope we will be able to work together in the future. Please do not hesitate to drop me an email or call upon me if I may ever answer a question or be of service. Attending this conference earns you a lifetime guarantee.

All the very best,

Gary Stager
http://www.stager.org… Continue

Posted on September 16, 2007 at 12:50am —

Until we meet again

Posted on September 16, 2007 at 12:48am —

Comment Wall (7 comments)

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At 2:48pm on September 16, 2007, mlambert74 said…: Gary,

Thanks for flying here on your own costs. There were a number of positive comments about your sessions. We need to dive a bit more into Piaget.

Thank you for your support!

mike l.

At 11:56pm on September 14, 2007, Gary Stager said…: Hi Kevin,

Don't get into trouble :-)

Gary

At 4:46pm on September 14, 2007, Kevin Jarrett said…: Hey Gary! How are you? Welcome to Shanghai! What's new? I'm hoping to participate with Chris Smith and Jeff Utecht for their Second Life session. It will be late (10-11pm my time) but well worth it.

BTW I saw the thread on your page about professional development, you have NO idea how I'd like to join that comment stream, but, while the chance of what I write being seen by my administrators is fairly low, were my honest opinions discovered, there would be ... consequences. :/ Let's just leave it at that...

-kj-

At 7:19am on September 12, 2007, David Carpenter said…: The GenYes model does work expanding the learning community connecting students in a new role with their teachers. Another model to think about is building the cadre of lead teachers who are given time and resources to work with their teams to design their professional learning around their needs and what they teach.

At 5:59am on September 12, 2007, Tod Baker said…: If I look back, experience tells me that professional development does indeed fail. It often inspires individual teachers but fails to take root at a school-wide level. Maybe that paper by Ms. Martinez will discuss that issue. I tagged the GenYes site and will look further into their program. I like to learn. I want to teach better. Most of my colleagues do as well. If we create the right environment, we can move teaching and learning forward.

At 8:02am on September 11, 2007, Gary Stager said…: If "professional development" DID work, we wouldn't be discussing ways to beg, bribe, cajole, coerce, threaten or trick teachers into using computers at a basic functional level a quarter century since they entered their work place.

Professionals develop when in a context in which it is expected and supported. Continuous learning is a definition of "professional."

The notion of "waiting for professional development" is based on a flawed premise that learning is hard and external. Sylvia Martinez rightfully points out that one of the reasons professional development doesn't work is that it almost always occurs outside of the context in which teachers conduct their practice. In other words, if you want someone to learn to teach differently, they need to develop that knowledge where it will be applied - in their classroom. Generation YES - http://www.genyes.com is one demonstrably effective day of doing this effectively and at low-cost.

I wrote about this issue on a number of occasions, including here: http://www.districtadministration.com/ViewArticle.aspx?articleid=360

I'm looking for a recent paper by Ms. Martinez in which she shares some stunning data regarding teachers and technology professional development. Stay tuned.

At 6:05am on September 11, 2007, Tod Baker said…: If professional development doesn't work, then you run for the hills. However, with the right professional development program, an environment conducive to teaching and learning with technology, and a vision for education in today's (or tomorrow's) information landscape then professional development will work.