Learning in New Media Environments

Dr. Michael Wesch presents an engaging and all too often true talk about the state of classroom learning today. The unspoken constrictions of a “typical” class or lecture run counter to the exciting and evolving presence of technology in contemporary society. Wesch stated that when media changes it can lead to the change of the whole structure of a society. He uses his experience in New Guinea and how the simple addition of maps and books drastically altered the make up of their community. This proves his points that you cannot opt out of new media.

Gleaning on my personal experience as a student and educational leader, it is clear that there is a level of resistance in changing the culture of education to adapt to a different student in a radically different environment. Why are college lecture halls usually so drab and daunting in the same glance? Why don’t teachers typically involve students in determining the goals of a given course? While Wesch shows us his way of collaborating and breaking across physical and conceptual barriers, there are still several classes that hang onto antiquated ideals of college lectures. In my own undergraduate experience I can attest to a range of classrooms and teaching styles, with only a couple teachers who embraced technology in a similar manner to Wesch.  I think that relearning how to teach requires an instructor to be vulnerable and give up a level of power. If we are in accordance that students should not simply sit and absorb information then Wesch’s push for co-constructing knowledge and embracing new technology is a way to meaningfully engage students.