In Defence of Introverts

I attended a workshop today on the use of IT in the classroom. I was interested in the potential of a couple of new Web 2.0 tools that were shared in the workshop.

I am no Luddite, but I wonder if students taught in such technology-rich learning environments really learn more effectively as the IT evangelists claim. There seems to be widespread agreement that today's students are plugged in 24/7. They are called "digital natives" and it is true that I have seen a 3 year old swipe her fingers across an iPad. 

But are we creating a new pigeon-hole without realising it? Even as we claim IT allows students to be self-directed learners learning at their own speed, are we in reality ignoring the needs of students who really do learn better on their own, reading a book and writing down their thoughts?

I fear if I were in school today, I would be extremely unhappy because, no, I don't write collaboratively. I think on my own, I write in solitude. Group discussions tire me unless I'm in a group where everyone speaks their mind. I dislike pair work unless I have had time to think on my own first. Does that make me a selfish learner? I don't think so. I am happy to share my work and thoughts; but I need time on my own first to think my own thoughts.

I particularly like this talk that a friend pointed me to. I think the speaker makes excellent points. If we didn't have space and time to think, then deep, creative thoughts will be buried in chatter. Looking at my shelves of books, I challenge the proponents of IT to name me one author who wrote his poems or novels collaboratively on Mixedink! 

Jumping on the Web 2.0 bandwagon, I fear we will lose young people who could be capable of something deep, thought-provoking, meaningful and novel. I wish more people would listen to Susan Cain...