I enjoyed watching the videos in this week’s module. Watching Rethinking Learning I agree with Dr. Nicole Pinkard in that students today are consumers of media not necessarily producers of media and that the difference is usually that there is a person or program that inspires the student in their development. This is no different than how current adults, when they were younger, have been inspired by a more knowledgeable other. These MKO’s who have taken on the mentoring roll in areas that the learner had an interest typically had a smaller reach. In my own case my uncle was a strong influence on me when it came to creating and learning about TV & film. On birthdays and Christmas, I would get boxes of 8mm film (you know before videotape) 
or books on cinematography, editing and lighting. Although I would only see him on major holidays I would ask him all sorts of thing from who he was working with, who was directing, who’s job is that to how they pay for stuff.
This shared interest illustrates part of what the authors wrote on sociocultural learning theory. In the article on Connected Learning by Mimi Ito et al. uses Clarissa’s example to demonstrate a more modern side of the principle of connected learning. Having “meaningful practices and supportive relationships that recognize diverse pathways and forms of knowledge and expertise…. illustrate how a highly resourceful and interest driven young person can find social and informational supports for a specialized interest.” Clarissa’s ability to have that collective collaboration of her online community demonstrates the power available to many now who have similar interests whereas in my case it was a “community” of just two.
The Video Games, Learning and Literacy video with James Paul Gee on video games learning and literacy didn’t say anything that we didn’t already know… that games are fun and people want to do well in them. I was surprised though in his comparison on assessment in games like Halo vs having assessment for algebra. “you actually trust the design and learning at halo better than you trust the design and learning about the Algebra class and I think that’s where we’re going we’re going to be able to create learning that is so immersive, so deep, so rich in information about the development people in that learning space that the idea that we let some tests made in a different state trump what happens outside of that learning will become primitive.”
Even though I’m not very good, I’d much rather have a test in Halo as compared to algebra…Math? Not a fan. But based on what Gee says in the end of the video the competition between nontraditional 21st century schools and traditional schools may make Algebra fun one day even for me.
The video with Mimi Ito on Connected Learning, Children and Digital Media illustrated the sociocultural learning theory as well as the others and more directly targeted interest driven creative aspects of when students get to the point of more involved “messing around or geeking-out” stage. Much like Clarissa did with her writing the important part of this is… How can educators help students make that connection? Since many of these examples are in informal settings how can established formal environments collaborate with the informal? Not every aspect of a learner’s interest can be solved with technology but those social connections across wide range of ages, locations, skill sets allow for more students who have a specialty area of Interest to explore.
Clarissa was able to develop her interest and develop a skill which enhanced her marketability for future education and employment. I don’t know if they do this currently but what if schools had a 21st century skills class where students explored areas of interest, joined communities and developed that interest? If you were interested in cars, math, medicine, astronomy etc. you would commune with other with similar interests then presented it to the class. The presentation would talk about the subject but would also site 21st century skills areas. This might expand others interest but would reinforce what that student had learned. Each marking period could be a continuation or a new topic of interest. I would think the challenge for schools would be as Mimi Ito pointed out “kids and adults in a shared space that’s safe, that’s sanctioned”.