Sand Castles Go Digital

When I reminisce about the days of sand castle building as a child, technology is the last thing that comes to mind. However, after reading Idet Harel’s “Sand Castles Go Digital” I am now enlightened on the subtle link between the beach and the computer, in that they both deal with Seymour Papert’s theory of constructionism. I strongly agree with this theory, seeing that my past experience as a childcare worker has taught me that kids really do learn best when they take charge of their own learning by becoming a designer or constructor. Examples of online constructivist activities are discussed by Jacqui’s in her blog posting on the same article, where she talks of benefits of programs such as bubbl.us and Kidspiration in allowing “students to create mindmaps” which are “clearer and easier to edit”.

I think one of Idet’s most vital point in her commentary was that it was “not the technologies themselves” that were important, but rather “the ways that we use the technologies and think about them.” I believe that if technology is used in a thought-provoking manner as an alternate to the sand castle building technique, it can help to engage children more strongly by enabling them to continue building experience.

Source: http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/rmhttp/arts/apictureofbritain/images/gallery/wales/human/3/web/112101392423323168243_1_web.jpg