Knowledge Garage Unleashing knowledge and innovation for the next generation of learning

My grandson, 9, is suddenly wikiing in the real world at his public school. I've written about him in the past, especially how intrigued he is with computer games, especially those his grandparents allow him to play at our house because we're suckers. Anyway, now his school has entered the wiki world. He and another third-grade girl have been assigned to critique each other's writing via a wiki. At first I was suspicious , knowing the schools' habit of doing tech for tech's sake, but this seems to be quite a success, based on what I've seen. Michael, grandson and great-grandson of journalists, observed that this girl buried her lead. She, in turn, observied that some of his logic was faulty. (It was, and he admitted as much.) Both revised their work and resubmitted. I was surprised at the thoughtfulness exhibited by these two 9-year-olds, both working from home computers. The teacher is observing all of this, and I think most of the upper grades at his public elementary school are doing this. At this point I don't know what they're doing about the kids in his grade who don't have home computers, but I'm thinking that this is a real breakthrough in that the school (and presumably others in the system) are moving outward into the new world. Out of the garage, if you will.

Mike Bowler