Reflection on Papert's Article

Be all you can be! The sky is the limit! I believe I can fly, I believe I can touch the sky. These are no exaggerations. Seymour Papert’s article on “The Children’s Machine” (Rethinking school in the age of the computer), is a masterpiece. According to Papert (1993), “my learning had hit a critical level, in the sense of critical- mass phenomenon of a nuclear reaction or the explosion of a population when conditions favor both birth rate and survival. The simple moral is that learning explodes when you stay with it”. Papert demonstrated we can be all we want to be. We have to be able to recognize that time when conditions favor both birth rate and survival. If we do, then we may be able to conclude as Papert, “the deeper I got into my “affair” with flowers, the more connections were made; and more connections meant I was drawn in all the more strongly, that the new connections supported one another more effectively, and that they were more and more likely to be long lasting”.

Have you ever generated a fatal error message when you try learning something new? You are no doubt familiar with that same error message with a computer system. Sometime you get the blue screen or memory dump error. Did you panic, restart your computer or called for technical support? Our creator (so perfect) ensured we have none of the memory error. Human brains have no limit to the amount of information it can process and or store throughout lifetime. Why limit yourself or “short-change” yourself in life’s endeavors? Why conclude you can never be good in mathematics when you have not even tried?

Why reinvent the wheel? In Papert’s article, is good example of why. We all seem to continue to wholly embrace preparation of individuals to become teachers. To this area there seem to be no more want in pedagogy, learning theories, and all the likes. Papert (1993), stated that “everyone understands that the method of importance in education are those of teaching – these courses supply what is thought to be needed to become a skilled teacher. But what about methods of learning? What courses are offered for those who want to become skilled learners?” What an injustice to all the generations past and present.

We spent so much money and time developing courses for teachers to become skilled but neglect the students? It sounds to me like we started building the house from the roof down to foundation instead of vice-versa. It took thirty seven years before Peck learned how to fix things (Papert, 1993). It is not too late to undo all the injustice to the present and future generations. I have a dream! Let us meticulously facilitate developing courses on how to become a skilled learner. Result will bring untold success to our society. If there’s no student, then there will be no need for the teachers. In this sense, educational reform, Papert style will indeed require a revolution- a revolution in thinking (Murphy, M., 1996).

References:
Papert, S., (1993). The children’s machine: Rethinking school in the age of the computer (pp. 82-103).
Murphy, M., (1996). The children’s machine: rethinking school in the age of the computer by Seymour Papert, 1993 Basic Books, New York. Retrieved 22 October, 2006 from the World Wide Web: http://www.cdli.ca/~elmurphy/emurphy/papert.html