Or... may be I need to start taking larger steps. Yikes! Here is some technology I had no idea already existed. Jetpacks on the market next year? Jetsons here we come!
Ken Robinson (2011), in reference to a New York Times article where the author states, regarding the introduction of television, that "The average American family doesn't have time for it." Are we at this same point when people say they don't need technology? I think we're past that stage, people are getting on board, teachers are embracing it. Point is we are at a place with technology that is just as transforming as the introduction of television.
Things are changing. Economy and society go hand in hand and education needs to keep up with it. Which means our technology plans must be fluid and essay to adapt, not written in stone.
As discussed in our twitter session, a living document would keep a tech plan in the forefront, easy to adapt, and able to keep up with societal and economic changes. Forward on! As Robinson (2011) says, "The ability to innovate and adapt to change is not a luxury: it is a necessity." So it follows a tech plan must be able to adapt to changes in society and economics, always looking towards to future.
In order to keep up with the rapid changes in the world, we need to tap in to our creativity, in all disciplines. "Science and mathematics can be just as creative as music and dance." (Robinson, 2011) This made me think of a Fringe episode I watched recently where the scientist converts a mathematical equation into musical notation claiming 'music is a mathematical language'. Really? Here's proof that this is somewhat true. Robinson suggests the culture of creativity has to involve EVERYBODY and all disciplines, of which science and math are no exception!
Huffington Post Tech. (October 24, 2013). The Future is Now: 9 Unbelievable (Real) Technologies That Exist Today. Retrieved from:http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/09/09/gmc-the-future-is-now-_n_3843405.html
Robinson, Ken. (2011). Out of Our Minds: Learning To Be Creative.
Schweitzer, Kate. (October 1, 2009). Fringe's Music to Math Connection Contains as Much Fast as Fiction. Retrieved from http://www.popularmechanics.com/science/4292462
IANAMathematician but I think some of the reason that creativity gets snuffed out of math is that the computation was beaten into me at an early age and not the beautiful side of science and math: the relationship side of it. For example, once you learn light intensity is an inverse square of the distance away from a point source, you can relate that to other areas, such as gravity, sound, etc. I posted this link before for another class but I like its implication: http://www.ted.com/talks/conrad_wolfram_teaching_kids_real_math_with_computers.html
ReplyDeleteWhile I agree that music can absolutely be described by math, I think that's where it stops for me. Once you understand deeply the relationships between the notes for a given scale and style that only provides you with a brush and palette to work with. For instance, in blues music, the flat 5th, 3rd, and 7th notes, coupled with the 'swing' in the eighth note pairs, are prominent. So to are the different chord progressions you see in standard formats. But the beauty lies in what you leave out, what you add, how you hook in with other musicians and the audience to create the feel you're going for, that sort of thing. Once Wolfram gets _that_ down (http://tones.wolfram.com/generate/) I'll put down my harps forever and just use the computer. Or not, it just feels good to create through that means.
Music creativity comes from predicting emotion elicited from the dynamics, phrasing, tempo, phantom notes, and harmonious relationships with other creative musicians or with the next track. Math plays a huge part is this process but is far more organic than the study of music theory could offer. That being said, the understanding of theory allows the creative musician to create organic math through music. I could compare the musician's knowledge of music theory, aural skills, and muscle memory to a good tech plan. The creative musician needs not just one of these elements but the whole "plan".
DeleteThanks for the link on Conrad Wolfram, saw it a while ago, was good to revisit. You definitely know more about music than me with only a year of piano under my belt at a young age. But I agree, it's not a straight translation from math to music, there's feeling and creativity involved too.
DeleteSo a tech plan is the set of keys, but still allowing for the flexibility of them to be played how the district sees fit in order to get the music going? I like that analogy
DeleteBrilliant!!!!
Delete"The ability to innovate and adapt to change is not a luxury: it is a necessity.” (Robinson, 2011)
ReplyDeleteThis is why I believe internet connectivity should be subsidized. In 1934, the Communications Act of 1934 was placed into law and was responsible for,
"regulating interstate and foreign commerce in communication by wire and radio so as to make available, so far as possible, to all the people of the United States a rapid, efficient, nationwide, and worldwide wire and radio communication service with adequate facilities at reasonable charges, for the purpose of the national defense, and for the purpose of securing a more effective execution of this policy by centralizing authority theretofore granted by law to several agencies and by granting additional authority with respect to interstate and foreign commerce in wire and radio communication, there is hereby created a commission to be known as the 'Federal Communications Commission', which shall be constituted as hereinafter provided, and which shall execute and enforce the provisions of this Act.” (http://www.fcc.gov/)
It is time that every American have the right to the internet and be able to live in a community be it large or small. Our Alaskan villages, families (children) in poverty should be protected under this law. Even the 1996 amendment did not revert the inclusive nature of the original Act.
Good point Christopher. I tend to think about the haves and not the have nots in discussing technology. This is a real issue. Wonder what kind of uprising the 'haves' would start with government fingers on the internet?
DeleteI agree with you that our creativity needs to be tapped for all areas of study. It is interesting because a lot of teachers and parents get frustrated when teachers try to teach students math in different ways from the ones they learned growing up. Seems really silly to assume that we had/have everything figured out in regards to teaching math.
ReplyDeleteSo true. Change is always difficult, painful and I guess even embarrassing especially if you're trying to keep up with your kids.
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