Alan November interviews Angela McFarlane
In this episode Alan interviews Professor Angela McFarlane, from the University of Bristol in the United Kingdom. This conversation was recorded in Belfast, Northern Ireland during the Xchange conference in June 2006. Alan and Professor McFarlane discuss a variety of topics including designing more meaningful work for students and the digital divide. We are honoured that Professor McFarlane will be a keynote speaker at this year’s Building Learning Communities conference July 16 through 20 in Boston. For more information visit our site: Novemberlearning.com.
[display_podcast]
The comments in the Pod cast reflected a lot of what I am seeing as a teacher in the USA about the furthering digital divide. There are major socioeconomic issues connected to the “haves and have nots” in the acquisition of digital knowledge. There is a higher level of connection with students who take a greater interest in using web 2.0 tools. These students may stay after school by choice rather than force from after school detentions. And why not as our own desire is to never stop learning would we not push these kids further into an area of interest to them. Students who do not have the same level of exposure often do become disengaged by the lack of interaction and topical content droned out through textbooks. When students are disengaged in a traditional learning environment they often pay a heavy price discipline wise and become further removed from the classroom community.