Response to Our Brains Extended

In the article Our Brains Extended by Marc Prensky he proposes a radically different method of teaching than the way we teach today.  He poses the question “how could we rethink our K-12 curriculum for the 21st century, symbiotically combining human strengths with the most powerful technology strengths?”  Prensky answers his own question with a radically different approach than how we currently approach curriculum today.  He suggests that we need to get rid of the individual subjects like math, English, science and social studies and focus on three areas: effective thinking, effective action and effective relationships.  

Today in schools things are changing.  We are implementing the Common Core Standards (CCS) and many schools are going to standard based report cards.  With CCS and standard based report cards teachers are having to teach and assess in a different way.  There is more of an emphasis on deeper level thinking and learning why.  The way Prensky explains his approach to curriculum it sounds to me like he is writing the curriculum for a business school.  He doesn’t feel that teaching science and the world around us, or learning about our history so we can learn from our mistakes, or even basic mathematics skills.  This approach is missing a foundation, without a strong foundation students can’t be successful.  

I agree with Prensky, to the degree, that we need to focus on effective thinking.  With technology the way it is today, I feel that students are not thinking very deep at all.  It is a skill that we need to teach in the schools.  The districts are addressing this with CCS and standard based report cards.  Prensky has an interesting approach to education.  I hope in the future, he isn’t saying “I told you so” to his critics.