What Would Seymour (Papert) Say?

Seymour Papert, author of Mindstorms: Children, Computers, and Powerful Ideas, would relish in the fact that coding and robotics in education were even topics up for discussion today! Papert wholeheartedly believed that allowing children to use coding, especially while learning mathematical concepts, making mistakes, and reviewing and correcting those mistakes is the key to overcoming "mathphobia," the fear of learning math. Stanford University's Paulo Bilkenstein wrote in his article, "Seymour Papert's Legacy: Thinking About Learning, and Learning About Thinking," that Papert's work with his programming language LOGO, "convinced him [Papert] that children learned more efficiently if they could see a tangible result for their learning efforts." 

Papert believed that just as we use pencils, paper, paint brushes, and crayons in our every day lives, so will we add the use of computers. As you will see from the video clip below, Papert also used robotics to enhance learning. With Lego LOGO, children are, "playing with toys in a very sophisticated way." They build with construction Lego sets then interface what they have built by programming with the LOGO computer language to add motion. Papert believed in what he called the "fundamental fact about learning: Anything is easy if you can assimilate it to your collection of models. If you can't, anything can be painfully difficulty." Most importantly, he believed that children learn that, "knowledge is a unified thing. That mathematical and scientific knowledge is not separate from their passion for toys and from things they did from when they were small children." 

Watch the video clip below to see Seymour Papert discuss his beliefs on how computers and technology in the classroom will change how children are educated:

Mindstorms: Children, Computers, and Powerful Ideas Part II

More on Seymour Papert's Mindstorms: Children, Computers, and Powerful Ideas:

It's Okay to Make Mistakes. In Fact, We Encourage it:

Through his research on computers and education, Papert stresses that a child will have difficulty learning if they do not assimilate newly acquired knowledge to previous knowledge. Through his coding program, LOGO, “children learn to use computers in a masterful way, and that learning to use computers can change the way they learn everything else.” (pg. 8) The reader learns just how coding “transforms” learning by allowing children to take a more self-directed, active part of their learning. The biggest part of this is making mistakes and “debugging,” a process where the learner finds and fixes their errors on their own. Debugging is an important part of the learning process and “is the essence of intellectual activity.” (pg. xiii) Papert believes that, “people seldom get anything right on the first try.” (pg. xiii) It’s this beliefs that permits Papert to present a compelling argument as to why students need opportunities to use computers and code.

Math Can Be FUN!:

One of the biggest ideas Papert writes about is how students of math learn to be “mathophobias” early in their educational careers. This “phobia” of math, “is often the first step of an invasive intellectual process that leads us all the define as… “mathematical” or “not mathematical” (pg. 8) thus setting the tone for children’s relationship with learning math. Papert found that when children could make connections with math concepts and their previous knowledge of body movement and how it works, they could apply this knowledge to learning geometry (what he calls Turtle geometry). Papert writes that, “Turtle geometry, a kind of geometry that is easily learnable and an effective carrier of very general mathematical ideas.” (pg. 63) Turtle geometry is learnable because it is syntonic learning; it’s in harmony with the student’s learning environment.

My Conclusion:

Mindstorms presents a compelling argument that “new knowledge often contradicts the old, and effective learning requires strategies to deal with such conflict.” (pg. 121) It’s these effective learning strategies such as coding, debugging, and project-based learning that allow students to take control of their learning through use of computers and coding to engage them in activities that are meaningful in their real world. I must agree with Papert on his findings because as an educator myself, I have seen first-hand how effective project-based learning can be for students. When given opportunities to use real-world scenarios, students are better able to assimilate their learning. Also, I have used the LOGO program myself. As Perpert writes, I too, found the process of writing the code and debugging invaluable to my learning. Mindstorms is a book that was well before it’s time, and what Papert writes is as relevant today as it was in 1980 when it was first published.

Mindstorms: Children, Computers, and Powerful Ideas Part I

Introduction:

Mindstorms: Children, Computers, and Powerful Ideas is a must read for anyone, especially educators, who think that coding and programming are only for computer science engineers. When Papert wrote Mindstorms in 1980 (revised and republished in 1993) he was at the forefront with his beliefs of how computers and technology in the classroom would change how students learn.

Who is Seymour Papert and What's This Book About?:

“[There are] two central themes of [this] book . . . children can learn to use computers in a masterful way and that learning to use computers can change the way they learn everything else.” (pg. vii) Papert had the opportunity to work closely with Jean Piaget earlier in his career from 1959 until 1964 at the University of Genova at Piaget’s Center for Genetic Epistemology. From there, in 1964, he used his time as a professor of math and the co-director of MIT’s Artificial Intelligence Laboratory to build on Jean Piaget’s framework of constructive learning theory to develop his own model on how children learn which he aptly named constructivism. Papert’s constructivism learning theory believes that students learn best by discovery and use information they already know to acquire more knowledge. Participation in project-based learning is essential in order to make connections between new ideas and previously-obtained knowledge. The case studies Papert presents in Mindstorms highlight the benefits of his learning theory along with the addition of computers and coding.

Welcome to my Blog!

Welcome to my educational blog!

I am a special education teacher for math 6 (middle school),  I co-teach in an inclusion classroom along with three different general education teachers. Not only do I get to work with the students that have disabilities, I work with all students (most times, it's general education students that require the extra help!). I'm passionate about working with students with disabilities and teaching math, so I love my job (except for the paperwork...I don't love the paperwork).

I am a student myself in George Manson University's Designing Digital Learning (DDLS or DooDLeS 😊) master's degree program. I'm in a cohort, so like I will be talking about in my blog, I participate in a community of practice. Which is perfect because for my online summer course, I am learning about Designing for Community Participation. In my blog, I will be sharing what I have learned about how participating in communities, both online and in person, can enhance student learning in grades K-12.

Also in my blog, I will also be sharing what I have learned about coding and robotics through Samuel Papert's book, Mindstorms: Children, Computers, and Powerful Ideas. I have had some experience during my last semester class with both coding and robotics; I'm excited to explore them both further, so stay turned....

S. A. Papert's book