And the answer is...?

In my earlier blogs about Michael Wesch, I reported that he was voted  the "coolest-guy-on-earth" for 2008 and  wondered who was the coolest guy for 2009, and 2010? 

And the answer is...

Mike Wesch's title as "coolest-guy-on-earth" was  taken from a blog  in which the author concludes by saying,

"At just 33 years old, he's just been named National Professor of the Year by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of teaching. Until further notice, Michael Wesch is the coolest man on the planet." 

So, as a Michael Wesch groupie, that means he is still the coolest guy on the planet!

(BTW: My Google searches for the answer to this nail biter (Who was named the coolest....) revealed that there many men identified as "coolest"  and apparently numerous ways in which a man can earn that title.)  

 

Mike Wesch:I love this guy! Take 3!

The Digital Ethnography Research Team -a group of students working with Dr. Mike Wesch- recently released the video collage, Visions of Students. It is a video collage created by students about student life.  The main video is about 5 minutes long; embedded within that video are more videos.

I suggest you put aside some time and watch them all.  It took me a while before I could quiet my own inner words of wisdom and really listen.    

Mike Wesch always helps me to look at things through a different lens.  

Here are links to 2 earlier posts about Mike; Michael Wesch:I love this guy! and Take 2.

Mike was voted the "coolest guy on earth" in 2008.  Tune in tomorrow to find out who took that title in 2009 & 2010.

Mike Wesch-I love this guy!

Michael Wesch was voted the coolest guy of 2008.  He's a Cultural Anthropologist who has been studying the implications of the new media and technology on our culture.
While living and studying with  a remote indigenous tribe in New Guinea,  he witnessed how the introduction of a new media caused fundamental changes in the tribe's cultural norms and in the very nature of interpersonal relationships.  Once it was introduced, there was no going back.  Shift happened-all because this culture was introduced to the written word!
This phenomenon of change is happening right here, right now; there is no opting out.
Digital media and technology are changing basic assumptions about knowledge and relationships.
So how can we help our students as they negotiate their way through this changing landscape?
Wesch suggest that we move forward with open eyes; revisit our educational practices so that our students are  “open, caring, daring, voracious learners,” who are "knowledge-able as opposed to knowledgeable."  Anything about that familiar to Montessori?  How will this impact Montessori classroom environments?