As Jim Klein points out on his post “A Vision for Education in the 21st Century” the question David Jakes asked on the discussion panel this year at NECC on social networking in education, is the first question to be asked when you want to install 2.0 philosophy between students. We agree with Klein on thinking the tools around 21st century are not the center of discussion, but how to use them and in order to reach what goals. We certainly think social learning is a great way to achieving that goals but, what are we reaching for?

Let’s approach the subject from the connectivism theory and the needs to prepare new generations for tomorrow’s thinking. It’s easy: time has changed, no need to be a genius to find out that, and education should evolve as well. Young people should be prepared for working on tomorrow’s society, in which they will probably need more information than the one they can receive from a teacher. As we get more and faster connections, we need to learn day after day from different experiences, people and cultures.

The pipe is more important than the content within the pipe. With that in mind the design of the learning process should get easier. Teachers are no longer the source of knowledge but the providers of the tools students need to get the knowledge by theirselves.

Following that path is that we give strongly advice on using 2.0 technologies with students of every age, helping them to identify the possibilities they give to their studies and their life. Nevertheless this change should always be encouraged with an aligned strategy from the institution, so apprentices understand the importance of taking 2.0 tools not as games but as what they really are: part of the tube. It’s important to be aware that knowing how to use them will bring students an important benefit in the future.

Lucila.Campos@condiminds.com