“The Illiterate of the 21rst century will not be those who can not read, or write but those who cannot learn, unlearn and relearn”

Alvin Toffler



Hardware vs. Mindware!!!



Mindware is the concept of Information Technology Communication learning moving away from the focus on hardware, desktop infrastructure to a fully mobile wireless interface…, bringing the tool and open flexibility of the internet/wireless technology into the learning space…. moving the focus away from the actual learning of the tools functions and focusing on strategies and processes for the learning, unlearning and relearning (as quoted by Alvin Toffler) of information communication technology in the context of the information age. Developing a philosophy of learning, unlearning and relearning with technologies not yet invented for jobs not yet created.

Many international schools have continued to go with a desktop interface and often require kids to physically go to a specific location to interact with ICT tools often disconnected to the actually learning space they spend most of their day…. much of the learning with ICT tends to be process based. The mindware switch is more of an opened ended style with a contructivist model.

The reality is we are moving to a broadband wireless world, and already one can see with the profusion of cell phones, PDA’s and a variety of small mobile computing tools that the walls between home, work, travel and entertainment are very quickly blending into one interface accessible 24 hours a day and anywhere. There will come a time when not having a connection to the internet in the different moments of your day will become a disadvantage in communicating, interacting and working successfully.

As educators we need to be able to simulate such an environment in our own physical learning space, and with this move our learning outcomes and objectives to a concept were we know kids will be to be able to learn then unlearn and relearn knowledge to interact a world of wireless connectivity with a multitasking set of skills experienced all in one day.

This will require a shift in the way schools create learning environments…. A focus on the Mindware of the Digital Age, which actually is over and as some are already calling it the Information Age!!



John at ISETS