Seymour Papert (born February 29, 1928 in Pretoria, South Africa) is an
MITThe Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. MIT has five schools and one college, containing a total of 32 academic departments, with a strong emphasis on scientific and technological research...
mathematicianA mathematician is a person whose primary area of study and/or research is the field of mathematics. Mathematicians are concerned with particular problems related to logic, space, transformations, numbers and more general ideas which encompass these concepts...
,
computer scientistComputer science is the study of the theoretical foundations of information and computation, and of practical techniques for their implementation and application in computer systems. It is frequently described as the systematic study of algorithmic processes that create, describe and transform...
, and
educatorEducation in its broadest sense is any act or experience that has a formative effect on the mind, character or physical ability of an individual...
. He is one of the pioneers of
artificial intelligenceArtificial intelligence is the intelligence of machines and the branch of computer science which aims to create it. Textbooks define the field as "the study and design of intelligent agents,"...
, as well as an inventor of the
Logo programming languageLOGO is a computer programming language used for functional programming. It is an adaptation and dialect of the Lisp language; some have called it Lisp without the parentheses...
.
Papert attended the University of Witwatersrand, receiving a B.A. in 1949 and a PhD in
mathematicsMathematics is the science and study of quantity, structure, space, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns, formulate new conjectures, and establish truth by rigorous deduction from appropriately chosen axioms and definitions....
in 1952. He then went on to receive another PhD, also in mathematics, at Cambridge University in 1959. He was a leading figure in the revolutionary socialist circle around
Socialist ReviewThe Socialist Review is the monthly magazine of the Socialist Workers Party . As well as being printed it is also published online.-Original publication: 1950-1962:...
while living in London in the 1950s.
Papert worked as a researcher in a variety of places, including St.
Seymour Papert (born February 29, 1928 in Pretoria, South Africa) is an
MITThe Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. MIT has five schools and one college, containing a total of 32 academic departments, with a strong emphasis on scientific and technological research...
mathematicianA mathematician is a person whose primary area of study and/or research is the field of mathematics. Mathematicians are concerned with particular problems related to logic, space, transformations, numbers and more general ideas which encompass these concepts...
,
computer scientistComputer science is the study of the theoretical foundations of information and computation, and of practical techniques for their implementation and application in computer systems. It is frequently described as the systematic study of algorithmic processes that create, describe and transform...
, and
educatorEducation in its broadest sense is any act or experience that has a formative effect on the mind, character or physical ability of an individual...
. He is one of the pioneers of
artificial intelligenceArtificial intelligence is the intelligence of machines and the branch of computer science which aims to create it. Textbooks define the field as "the study and design of intelligent agents,"...
, as well as an inventor of the
Logo programming languageLOGO is a computer programming language used for functional programming. It is an adaptation and dialect of the Lisp language; some have called it Lisp without the parentheses...
.
Early years and education
Papert attended the University of Witwatersrand, receiving a B.A. in 1949 and a PhD in
mathematicsMathematics is the science and study of quantity, structure, space, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns, formulate new conjectures, and establish truth by rigorous deduction from appropriately chosen axioms and definitions....
in 1952. He then went on to receive another PhD, also in mathematics, at Cambridge University in 1959. He was a leading figure in the revolutionary socialist circle around
Socialist ReviewThe Socialist Review is the monthly magazine of the Socialist Workers Party . As well as being printed it is also published online.-Original publication: 1950-1962:...
while living in London in the 1950s.
Career
Papert worked as a researcher in a variety of places, including St. John's College, Cambridge, the Henri Poincare Institute at the
University of ParisThe historic University of Paris was founded in the mid 12th century, likely between 1160 and 1170 , In 1970 it was reorganized as 13 autonomous universities...
, the
University of GenevaThe University of Geneva is a university in Geneva, Switzerland.Founded by John Calvin in 1559 as a theological seminary that also taught law, it remained focused on theology until the 17th century, when it became a center for Enlightenment scholarship. In 1873 it dropped its religious...
and the
National Physical LaboratoryThe National Physical Laboratory is the national measurement standards laboratory for the United Kingdom, based at Bushy Park in Teddington, London, England. It is the largest applied physics organisation in the UK....
in London before becoming a research associate at MIT in 1963. He held this position until 1967, when he became professor of applied math and director of the
MIT Artificial Intelligence LaboratoryMIT Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory is a research laboratory at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology formed by the 2003 merger of the Laboratory for Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory...
, until 1981; he also served as Cecil & Ida Green professor of
educationEducation in its broadest sense is any act or experience that has a formative effect on the mind, character or physical ability of an individual...
at MIT from 1974-1981.
Research and theories
Papert worked on learning theories, and is known for focusing on the impact of new technologies on learning in general and in schools as learning organizations in particular.
Constructionism
At MIT, Papert went on to create the
EpistemologyGenetic epistemology is a study of the origins of knowledge , which was established by Jean Piaget.The goal of genetic epistemology is to link the validity of knowledge to the model of its construction. In other words, it shows that the method in which the knowledge was obtained/created affects...
and Learning Research Group at the
MIT Media LabThe MIT Media Lab is a department within the School of Architecture and Planning at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology...
. Here, he was the developer of an original and highly influential theory on learning called
constructionismConstructionist learning is inspired by the constructivist theory that individual learners construct mental models to understand the world around them. However, constructionism holds that learning can happen most effectively when people are also active in making tangible objects in the real world...
, built upon the work of
Jean PiagetJean Piaget was a Swiss psychologist and philosopher, well known for his pedagogical studies...
in
Constructivism learning theoriesConstructivism is a psychological theory of knowledge which argues that humans generate knowledge and meaning from their experiences. Constructivism is not a specific pedagogy, although it is often confused with constructionism, an educational theory developed by Seymour Papert...
. Papert worked with Jean Piaget during the 1960s and is widely considered the most brilliant and successful of Piaget's proteges; Piaget once said that "no one understands my ideas as well as Papert." Papert has rethought how schools should work based on these theories of learning.
Logo
Papert used
PiagetJean Piaget was a Swiss psychologist and philosopher, well known for his pedagogical studies...
's work in his development of the
Logo programming languageLOGO is a computer programming language used for functional programming. It is an adaptation and dialect of the Lisp language; some have called it Lisp without the parentheses...
whilst at MIT. He created Logo as a
toolA broad definition of a tool is an entity used to interface between two or more domains that facilitates more effective action of one domain upon the other. The most basic tools are simple machines. For example, a crowbar simply functions as a lever. The further out from the pivot point, the more...
to improve the way that children think and solve the problems. A small
robotA robot is a virtual or mechanical artificial agent. In practice, it is usually an electro-mechanical machine which is guided by computer or electronic programming, and is thus able to do tasks on its own...
called the "Logo Turtle" was developed and children used it to solve problems. A main purpose of the
Logo Foundation research group is to strengthen the ability to
learnLearning is acquiring new knowledge, behaviors, skills, values, preferences or understanding, and may involve synthesizing different types of information. The ability to learn is possessed by humans, animals and some machines. Progress over time tends to follow learning curves.Human learning may...
knowledgeKnowledge is defined by the Oxford English Dictionary as expertise, and skills acquired by a person through experience or education; the theoretical or practical understanding of a subject, what is known in a particular field or in total; facts and information or awareness or familiarity gained...
. Papert insists a simple
languageA programming language is an artificial language designed to express computations that can be performed by a machine, particularly a computer. Programming languages can be used to create programs that control the behavior of a machine, to express algorithms precisely, or as a mode of human...
or
programComputer programs are instructions for a computer. A computer requires programs to function, typically executing the program's instructions in a central processor. The program has an executable form that the computer can use directly to execute the instructions...
that children can learn—like Logo—can also have advanced functionality for expert users.
Other work
As part of his work with technology, Papert has been a proponent of the
Knowledge MachineThe Knowledge Machine is a concept of Seymour Papert, which is intended to enable children to explore any situation and engage them completely. Although Papert never clearly defined the Knowledge Machine, one interpretation is a virtual reality device that allows the user to slip into any situation...
. He is also currently one of the principals for the One Laptop Per Child initiative to manufacture and distribute
The Children's MachineThe One Laptop Per Child Association, Inc. is a U.S. non-profit organization set up to oversee the creation of an affordable educational device for use in the developing world...
in developing nations.
Papert has also collaborated with
LegoLego is a line of construction toys manufactured by the Lego Group, a privately held company based in Billund, Denmark. The company's flagship product, Lego, consists of colorful interlocking plastic bricks and an accompanying array of gears, minifigures and various other parts...
on their Logo-programmable
Lego MindstormsLego Mindstorms is a line of Lego sets combining programmable bricks with electric motors, sensors, Lego bricks, and Lego Technic pieces ....
robotics kits.
Influence and awards
Papert's work has been highly influential to other researchers in the fields of education and computer science. He influenced the work of Uri Wilensky in the design of
NetLogoNetLogo is a multi-agent programming language and integrated modeling environment.- About :NetLogo was designed in the spirit of the Logo programming language to be "low threshold and no ceiling," that is to enable easy entry by novices and yet meet the needs of high powered users. The NetLogo...
and collaborated with him on the study of knowledge restructurations, as well as the work of
Andrea diSessaAndrea diSessa is an education researcher who was one of the developers of the Logo programming language and coauthored the book Turtle Geometry about Logo...
and the development of dynaturtles. In 1981, Papert along with several others in the Logo group at MIT, started Logo Computer Systems Inc., of which he was Board Chair for over 20 years. Working with LCSI, Papert designed a number of award-winning programs, including LogoWriter and Lego/Logo (marketed as
Lego MindstormsLego Mindstorms is a line of Lego sets combining programmable bricks with electric motors, sensors, Lego bricks, and Lego Technic pieces ....
). He also influenced the research of
Idit Harel CapertonIdit Harel Caperton, Ph.D. is an educational psychologist and epistemologist specializing in the study of the impact of computer-based new media technology on the social and academic development of children...
, coauthoring articles and the book
Constructionism and chairing the advisory board of the company
MaMaMediaMaMaMedia is an educational consulting firm run by Idit Harel Caperton that specializes in applications of constructionist learning theory.MaMaMedia.com is designed to foster digital literacy skills for children using contructionist theory principles....
. He also influenced
Alan KayAlan Curtis Kay is an American computer scientist, known for his early pioneering work on object-oriented programming and windowing graphical user interface design....
and the
DynabookThe Dynabook concept was created by Alan Kay in 1968, two years before the founding of Xerox PARC. Kay wanted to make “A Personal Computer For Children Of All Ages.” The ideas led to the development of the Xerox Alto prototype, which was originally called “the interim Dynabook”. It embodied all the...
concept, and worked with Kay on various projects.
Papert won a
Guggenheim fellowshipGuggenheim Fellowships are American grants that have been awarded annually since 1925 by the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation to those "who have demonstrated exceptional capacity for productive scholarship or exceptional creative ability in the arts." Each year, the foundation makes...
in 1980, a Marconi International fellowship in 1981, the Software Publishers Association Lifetime Achievement Award in 1994, and the Smithsonian Award from
Computerworld in 1997. Papert has been called by
Marvin MinskyMarvin Lee Minsky is an American cognitive scientist in the field of artificial intelligence , co-founder of Massachusetts Institute of Technology's AI laboratory, and author of several texts on AI and philosophy.-Biography:...
"the greatest living mathematics educator."
Personal life
Papert's third wife was
Sherry TurkleSherry Turkle is Abby Rockefeller Mauze Professor of the Social Studies of Science and Technology at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a sociologist...
, and together they wrote the influential paper "Epistemological Pluralism and the Revaluation of the Concrete."
Papert is married to Suzanne Massie Papert, who is a Russian scholar and author of
Pavlovsk, Life of a Russian Palace and
Land of the Firebird.
Accident in Hanoi
While attending the
17th ICMI Study conference in
HanoiHanoi , estimated population 6.232.940 , is the capital and second-largest city of Vietnam. From 1010 until 1802, with a few brief interruptions, it was the political centre of an independent Vietnam. It was eclipsed by Huế during the Nguyen Dynasty as the capital of Vietnam, but Hanoi served as...
, Papert was struck by a
motorcycleA motorcycle is a single-track, two-wheeled motor vehicle. Motorcycles vary considerably depending on the task for which they are designed, such as long distance travel, navigating congested urban traffic, cruising, sport and racing, or off-road conditions.Motorcycles are the most affordable form of...
while crossing a road near his hotel on Tuesday December 5, 2006. He underwent brain surgery at the
French Hospital of HanoiThe French Hospital of Hanoi , formerly the Viet Nam International Hospital, is a privatised hospital in Hanoi, Vietnam, sold to a French company in September 2000. It is located at 1 Phuong Mai, Dong Da, Hanoi...
on Wednesday December 6 to remove the blood clot that had formed. By the evening of Tuesday December 12, he was in stable but critical condition.
On December 16 2006 he was transferred by air ambulance to Boston, Massachusetts, and on January 23 2007 he was transferred to a hospital in his home state of
MaineThe State of Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordering the Atlantic Ocean to the southeast, New Hampshire to the southwest, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is the northernmost portion of...
. In March 2007, he suffered an attack of septicemia, which required treatment in the hospital until May. Another problem occurred in April, when he had to have a heart valve replaced due to the septicemia. , he has fully recovered from the septicemia and heart operation, and can think clearly, walk "almost unaided", and communicate. However, he still has "some complicated speech problems", and is still undergoing extensive rehab, although he is at home.
His rehabilitation team is using some of the very principles of experiential, hands-on learning which he pioneered to aid him in recovery.
Selected bibliography
Books
- Counter-free automata, 1971, ISBN 0-262-13076-9
- Perceptrons, (with Marvin Minsky), MIT Press, 1969 (Enlarged edition, 1988), ISBN 0-262-63111-3
- Mindstorms: Children, Computers, and Powerful Ideas
Mindstorms: Children, Computers, and Powerful Ideas , published by Basic Books, is a book by Seymour Papert. He proposes a unique computer-based learning environment called the Microworld. His primary belief about the Microworld's design is that it compliments the natural knowledge building...
, 1980, ISBN 0-465-04674-6
- Papert, S. & Harel, I. (eds). (1991) Constructionism: research reports and essays 1985 - 1990 by the Epistemology and Learning Research Group, the Media Lab, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Ablex Pub. Corp, Norwood, NJ.
- The Children's Machine: Rethinking School in the Age of the Computer, 1992, ISBN 0-465-01063-6
- The Connected Family: Bridging the Digital Generation Gap, 1996, ISBN 1-56352-335-3
See also
- Papert's principle
In child psychology, Papert's principle is often used to explain the results of Jean Piaget's experiments. It is named for Seymour Papert and states that:-See also:*Association*Dissociation*Attention*Child development*Developmental psychology...
- Constructivism (learning theory)
Constructivism is a psychological theory of knowledge which argues that humans generate knowledge and meaning from their experiences. Constructivism is not a specific pedagogy, although it is often confused with constructionism, an educational theory developed by Seymour Papert...
- Constructionism (learning theory)
External links
Biographical
Work:
Interviews:
- Interview from 11 July 2004, on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly referred to as "the ABC", is Australia's national public broadcaster. With a total budget of AUD$1.13 Billion annually, the corporation provides television, radio, online and mobile services throughout metropolitan and regional Australia, as well as...
network
- Video Interview with Seymour Papert from the Association for Computing Machinery
The Association for Computing Machinery, or ACM, is a learned society for computing. It was founded in 1947 as the world's first scientific and educational computing society. Its membership is more than 92,000 as of 2009...
- Conférence vidéo, ‘’colloque EIAH 2003http://w3appli.u-strasbg.fr/canalc2/video.asp?idvideo=1868