The thinking and problem solving norms are certainly those within the field
of physicists and mathematicians and may discriminate heavily against those
who's fathers and mothers are not in a priviledged position to provide the
child some advantage. My rebuttal to Popkewitz is "This brings the kids to
the fence and introduces them to jumping!" On a personal note, if I were
not introduced to the standards of problem solving and disciplinary
thinking in math and physics, I may well still be digging ditches today.
My instructors made me aware of the fence and the grass on the other side
looked greener. I learned to jump and the grass IS greener.
Eugenes notes about the diffusion of constructivist practices into
education are right on target. Radical constructivism challenges
transmissionist norms and brings a teachers focus on the learner, on
learning, rather than teaching. But what easily diffuses is soft, or safe,
constructivism, and results in a curious mixture of seemingly contradictory
practices in education, traditional and constructivist. But then radical
constructivism requires a significant reconceptualization of sense-making
and learning, as does activity theory. [Pause] And so it is not surprising
that a softer version is able to make its way into practice. It is an open
question whether a mix of instructional strategies that includes soft
constructivism is worse or better than one without it.
Bill Barowy, Associate Professor
Technology in Education
Lesley College, 31 Everett Street, Cambridge, MA 02138-2790
Phone: 617-349-8168 / Fax: 617-349-8169
http://www.lesley.edu/faculty/wbarowy/Barowy.html
_______________________
"One of life's quiet excitements is to stand somewhat apart from yourself
and watch yourself softly become the author of something beautiful."
[Norman Maclean in "A river runs through it."]