The Children's Machine: Rethinking School In The Age Of The Computer (Paperback)

by Seymour Papert (Author) "MAGINE a party of time travelers from an earlier century, among them one group of surgeons and another of school-teachers..." (more)
Key Phrases: emergent programming, kitchen math, computer culture, Knowledge Machine, Jean Piaget, United States (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Kirkus Reviews
The genially unorthodox author of Mindstorms (1983) again makes a stimulating case for computers as a primary route to knowledge, revising and expanding earlier observations in view of disappointing school policies of the past dozen years. Rejecting most schools as ``sluggish and timid'' in assuring access to learning, Papert (Mathematics and Education/MIT) divides the conservative education world into ``Schoolers'' (who acknowledge underlying problems but focus on short-term urgent ones) and ``Yearners'' (who create their own small-scale alternatives) as he considers why technology hasn't revolutionized school learning. Championing computers for offering forms of learning that can be ``quick, immensely compelling, and rewarding,'' Papert contends that Logo (the computer language he conceived) is a superior mode of learning for young children, closer to their informal learning style than traditional classroom approaches and invaluable as a medium for most areas of study. But schools have ignored computers' broad capacities, he finds, isolating these tools from the learning process instead of integrating them into all areas of instruction. Papert offers a steady supply of examples--from his own extensive experience as well as from assorted classrooms--providing evidence of computers as powerful learning allies. He also understands the nature of learning--the importance of the personal element in any classroom exchange; the need to adapt a learning-environment design to its social and cultural milieu; the ``internal censors'' that students bring to required work; and the way that ordered ideas can emerge from an imprecise, undirected process. Even those who resist Papert's belief that the foundation of modern schooling is faulty will agree with his central theme that the ability to learn new skills is the most critical skill of all- -and that computers have a unique, accelerating role to play in developing that ability. -- Copyright ©1993, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Description
In this sequel to his classic Mindstorms, Papert, the inventor of the programming language LOGO, explains how computers have the potential to revolutionize education.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Basic Books (April 28, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0465010636
• ISBN-13: 978-0465010639
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 5.1 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #181,976 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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  #87 in	Books > Nonfiction > Education > Education Theory > Contemporary Methods > Experimental
  #92 in	Books > Nonfiction > Education > Technology & Distance Learning > Computers & Technology

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Thought Provoking, November 13, 2000

By	James Thomson (Mission Viejo, CA) - See all my reviews

This was an interesting book that did a good job of bringing up controversial and thought-provoking subjects relating to education and technology. Although Papert makes some good points about how technology could be better utilized in the classroom, he takes the extreme point of view that it could and should totally revolutionize the way that kids learn and that schools operate. Whether or not you as the reader agree with him or not, it is a good read for anyone interested in either education or technology that is sure to make you at least analyze your own points of view on both topics.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must have for teachers, parents, educators and professionals of TI, April 21, 2009

By	Eduardo Bellani "The B man" (Brazil) - See all my reviews

This is a classic from the point of view of pedagogy. But let me first give some context. Papert (www.papert.org) is the father of constructionism, LOGO and a lot of powerful ideas. His beliefs on the power of technology, if used to enhance human capabilities as a support for creativity, to produce mega change in School (with a capital S to mean our current educational system) are developing since the 60's. In my opinion his works are paramount if one wants to understand the technology world as it is, because they influenced directly Alan Kay at his time at Xerox, and lead to the personal computing revolution.

The children's machine was written in 1993, before the web and when the PC revolution was in full motion. In it we encounter a very friendly and close dialog with one of the greatest genius of the computer age. We encounter several insights about epistemology, some of them dating from the time Papert spent with Piaget in the 60's, but updated to the current times.

Papert also makes explicit something that was more hidden in his other book Mindstorms, the concept of demanding permissiveness. Basically that means that a more libertarian and open education does not mean less work and responsibility. Much to the opposite, even though the results are more fun and efficient. One analogy that I found useful is that even though a system can have many successful outcomes, that does not mean that it has no unsuccessful ones.

His concept of mathetic is also La borated more profoundly. He argues that there is a word for the art and science of teaching (pedagogy) but not one for learning. [...] The purpose is not to establish mathetic in itself, but to get some term to mean it, to make thinking and having a point of view about it more easy and feasible. (As Alan Kay says, a point of view is worth 80 IQ points)

Concluding, let the learner take control of his own lerning experience. Let the computer realize his revolutionary potential.

5.0 out of 5 stars Good Book , July 7, 2008

By	Damon Hoffman "Damon" (Meadowview, Va) - See all my reviews

This is a good book to read. This was recommended by my academic advisor and Amazon had it for an excellent price. Basically, trying not to tell everything in the book, or spoil the story, but you should not let children run or operate machines or heavy equipment. I recommend this book. I think I will read some more.