Running Conversation about Education and the Digital Age on YouTube

As I have explored various YouTube videos and the "related videos" that are listed beside them, I have been amazed by the running conversation that is occurring both through the text-based comments offered under the videos and through video responses and remakes.

I am particularly interested in the conversation the Kansas State Digital Ethnography project and its advisor, Michael Welch, Assistant Professor, have begun. It seems to have started about a year ago (1/23/07)with "web 2.0" (shown in class on 2/11)and has continued through "The Machine is Us/ing Us," "A Vision of Students Today" (shown in class on 2/25), and "The Information Re/volution" (shown in class on 2/11). There is a documentary style video about Kansas State that frames the conversation within the realm of Academia ("Academia 2.0)".

From these you can follow diverse tracks. Today, I was particularly touched by "A Vision of K-12 Students" created by B. Nesbitt.

These videos mark the changing dynamics of teaching and learning. Gregg Whitney sees it as changing the DNA of Education when he presents "21st Century Pedagogy." (Daniella Note: He's the Exec Director of Schools for the Catholic Diocese of Parramatta). "Three Steps for 21st Century Learning" highlights not only one possible set of steps to transform education, but also implies the g/local impact.

These videos reflect my pedagogical philosophy and show how education, at least in some arenas, is changing. This brings both excitement and trepidation to faculty, students of every age, parents and others. The question is not whether or not we should consider incorporating technology as much as acknowledging it is here to stay and developing methods to appropriately incorporate its potential benefits while limiting its potential detriments.