Collaborative Learning: Just because it is there???

I want to climb “mount Everest because it’s there” that is basically the message of Terry Freedman’s article on collaborative learning. He comes out and says that the reliance on, collaborative tools such as blogs, podcasts and wikis isn’t the way children should be heading solely for their research. Now to a certain degree I do see his point he raises the point of the reliability of these sources, and it is true anyone can change the information in these sources. And shouldn’t we be teaching children to treat these sources just like they would any other way. We encourage children to cross check information, basically this new way of presenting information is not only a new source of information for children but it also allows them to develop their skills in questioning and comparing sources. Freedman states that teachers shouldn’t be using this technology just because it is there, which is true if we do use it just because it is there it loses its effect, but it is like anything if it used properly it can be quite a good thing. As teachers we shouldn’t be rejecting this new technology, rather we should be encouraging it, it allows for new perspectives, questioning skills. Freedman leaves us with the thought that these activities are useful for children to set up. And it is it involves research, writing and editing and they are easy to set up. So if they are useful for children to use why can’t they be a valuable source of information to children?

Reference: http://www.terry-freedman.org.uk/artman/publish/article_420.php accessed 13/05/08