How Could New Ideas Change Education

November 27, 2009 · Comments

Kenny Miller from MTV The other day, I went to MTV Networks to hang out with Kenny Miller and I dragged along my friend Faith Legendre from Webex/Cisco. I had no idea what Kenny would share with me. A visit with him is serendipitous as Kenny is MTVN’s “cool hunter” guy. He fixes weird things. He finds new models. So, what was on Kenny’s mind?

Education.

Kenny, or rather MTV, has partnered up with some folks to work on GetSchooled.com. Essentially, the site hopes to work on the problem of the school dropout rate, and secondarily, the college admissions rate. The stats that Kenny gave me were staggering (and as I immediately forget numbers, they were something like 30% of all kids who enter high school don’t finish or some similar – you can correct me). They made my head fog up as I thought about what it’d mean to try and solve those problems.

Evidently, our education problems cost us something like 350 Billion US Dollars a year in lost revenue (or similar – again, I don’t remember such things well). That’s crazy. So essentially, just fixing a few bits of education, just improving a few parts, would change the way this country works.

Faith, it turns out, has all kinds of knowledge about the education system and she and Kenny started riffing on all the cool projects. She told me about GetIdeas.org and TeacherTube, and how Cisco is working on 21st Century Schools iniatives. Kenny and Faith told me about Big Picture Schools and Green Dot SChools and Marc Ecko’s Sweat Equity enterprises, and several other great projects.

The question remains:

How Could New Ideas Change Education?

In a way, I’m already noodling with this. With Whitney Hoffman and Christopher S. Penn, I started PodCamp as a way to teach about media making with alternative methods. This is the unconference model, but it’s started me down a path to learn more about the DNA of Disruption, and what I could do by applying alternative education models to other situations.

I’m not interested in becoming a teacher. In fact, I’m not much interested in the existing systems. I’ll let others figure out how to fix those from within. However, I am more than interested about what else can be done outside of the boxes. I’m curious what we could do to change the laws, change the rules, make new games, and create success from cradle to grave.

Think about this: my 3-year-old boy knows more about navigating the web than most school computer programs. My 7-year-old daughter’s fascination with the Titanic would give her a great springboard for learning engineering, forensics, and many other sciences, though the original assignment was simply to read a few books for the sake of reading. Neither of my kids are being taught leadership (directly), nor are they being taught entrepreneurial studies (directly). The old system, make factory workers, is still firmly in place, and we’re trying to patch that. I don’t think that’s how I want to roll.

I was talking with Dr. Lynn Dorman tonight on twitter, and as she nears 70, she’s facing the same fate that lots of people fall into: younger generations don’t understand how to learn from the body of work of their successors, even if their only learning is in which systems have failed in the past. How can we marry up all the great resources of people who know something great to those of us who could stand to learn more?

I’m also interested in educational models for business workers. We’re in a society where HR is less and less about career development and more and more about benefits management. Companies are no longer the stewards of your development and career. How can I help those of us who lived in the cubicle farms, and what can I do to share that information in a way that will empower others?

I’ve no idea where I will go with this in the larger context. I just wanted to put the thoughts out there. I’m curious as to what you’re thinking about it.

How can we build new learning models? How can we equip our youth and/or our students and/or our business professionals? How do we share what we’ve learned with these new tools? How do we equip our kids to do something with all we’ve learned from social media?

What’s your take on all these kinds of projects? If Kenny Miller’s working on it, I know it’s important. I’m also wondering what else would could do with our combined knowledge. We’re the smartest people around supposedly, right? How can we help?

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  • charlesbrooks
    Often we forget the little guy, the SMB, in our discussions of the comings and goings of the Internet marketing industry. Sure there are times like this when a report surfaces talking about their issues and concerns but, for the most part, we like to talk about big brands and how they do the Internet marketing thing well or not so well.


    www.onlineuniversalwork.com
  • Thank you for the thought provoking post. As I was watching Sports Illustrated's new tablet demo the other day, it got me thinking about the inherent educational capabilities of this new information delivery platform.

    I've seen children shy of 2 years old entertain themselves with the photo slider and paint shop app on the iPhone. Children can easily embrace the direct relationship between the fingertip and object movement that the iPhone offers. With a similar tactile interface, the tablet would be able to offer multimedia educational applications that are customized to a child's aptitude for learning.

    There's also a range of applications for the tablet in a classroom environment--which may help shift the classroom away from industrial worker preparedness towards independent, innovative thinkers!

    Any thoughts?
  • TAG
    Chris,

    Brilliant questions...thanks for igniting the conversation.

    I have been championing a new model for education. I've written about it in depth here (and for the sake of brevity, will just offer you and your readers the link):

    http://blog.theascendancegroup.org/post/how-cou...

    I'd love to get your thoughts and continue the conversation.
  • leemikles
    Chris,
    Your reference to your daughter's love of Titanic reminded me of something Nolan Bushnell (Founder of Atari and Chuckie Cheese, amongst other stuff) said in a talk a few years ago. Mr. Bushnell said that we need to stop thinking of the teacher as the actor and instead as the producer.

    In other words, historically, it has been up to the teacher to create and deliver what was learned. Now with technology, teachers can instead focus on assembling the right content to connect with each student.

    Extend this to social-imagine if teachers could learn from the successes of other teachers on how best to organize the content modules based upon students. Teachers should be able to focus on 'finding the switch' in each student.
  • Here's another interesting thing - With the technology that we have today, why is it that Oprah's peeps all know how to Skype. Yet, when H1N1 was closing schools in rapid succession, no one thought to send everyone home, yet keep everyone working by utilizing the technology.
  • Chris here is a link you might want to pass on to your MTV friend...
    http://www.sirkenrobinson.com and another site called http://www.wearethepeoplemovie.com
    Creativity needs to be inspired. Education is one thing, but inspiring creativity is what floats the boat.
    I hope that you will do a post about this after you read it. I would love to hear how this plays into what you are already experiencing.
  • camilladowns
    Hey Chris! Thanks so much for this post. This parallels my thinking & passion in regards to the "old school" thinking & teaching of kids with special needs (chromosome abnormalities, autism, down syndrome, etc). It would be awesome to integrate this line of thinking in regards to them as well.

    With a combination of technology & social media, it is my belief that there has been a fundamental shift to include these children & adults in way in which has never been possible.

    When we met briefly at Blog World & New Media Expo in October I mentioned by passion of the speech impaired using Social Media to communicate, get a job, be an entrepreneur & improve quality of life. I am taking my own small little steps here in Reno, but these steps would turn into gigantic steps if it were a part of a larger movement. I am leaning more towards the thinking of letting others or those already in "the system" work on what's there & come at this outside of the box!

    My 8 year old daughter has a chromosome abnormality (18p-) and for her 6th birthday I got her a laptop computer. She is speech impaired and I have since taught her to email, use IM on Skype, blog, she knows about Facebook, Twitter. And most recently & most exciting news is that I got her an iPhone and installed an AAC App (Proloquo2Go) on it. Talk about life changing for the speech impaired! (Spoke to the code developer for the App last Wednesday & we'll see where that leads.)

    Anyway, slightly off topic ~ Sorry! Just that I believe whatever "out of the box" thinking, projects & movements occur with this should include our special children also. I truly believe & feel that what is happening with technology & social media is absolutely life changing for them & they should not continue to be "taught" in the old school manner.

    As Always ~ Thanks Chris!

    Camilla
  • This is the question that I would like to answer. "How do we equip our kids to do something with all we’ve learned from social media?" Thank you for asking it.

    I also agree with you about the current system... it is difficult to imagine how to fix it... but if we don't I fear that our country will be "road kill" - see Nussbaum's Business Week short = Asia vs. America (other countries are doing it) http://ow.ly/HdBg
  • briangryth
    Chris,

    Thanks for the post. My daughter is only 16 months, but her birth already has me thinking about education. One of the things missing from your post is key.

    Teachers!!!! I think an important question is how do we empower teachers to advance the ball? I'm not sure of what the answer is, but we have to figure out some way of helping.

    I guess I think of this topic in this way. When kids win, we all win!

    Thanks, Brian
  • Hi,
    I'm really glad to see issues like this raised outside a specific educational forum. It is also heartening to know that many people outside education are so concerned about these issues. Just a few things I would like to add:

    1. I think we are all in agreement that some type of paradigm shift is required if education is going to be truly effective at addressing the needs of today (and the future). What seems to be lacking is the development of critical thinking skills as the core of the curriculum. Access to information is easier, and the student's ability to use the tools needed to access it are more advanced, than ever before so the need to memorize reams of data is no longer a priority. What is needed is the ability to analyze this information, sort it and use it as a launching pad for generating new ideas. Gardner said as much (and much more eloquently) in his book "The Disciplined Mind".

    2. The introduction of new technology as a delivery platform for learning is not the issue. How that platform can be used effectively is. I have seen a lot of schools proud of the fact that every classroom has a computer with internet, but I have seldom seen a computer put to good use as a teaching tool. More often than not it's used to run Power Point to enhance a lecture. Looking at our varied delivery platform as resources, each with its own strengths and weaknesses, is one way to start. Viewed this way, every resource at the student's disposal, from the instructor to the blackboard, to the textbook to Twitter has a place in the learning environment. The questions is less about, "Should I use facebook?" and more about "What content should I use facebook to deliver?" When teachers are able to adapt to this environment, we will be ready for almost any new technology that comes our way (augmented reality, cheap 3D modelling systems, etc).

    3. Last, buy-in from the teachers themselves is of paramount importance. The problem I have often witnessed is that many teachers do not view new teaching methodologies or technologies as benefits. Rather, they view them as simply "another thing I have do fit in to my already overloaded schedule". Very few current pre-packaged teaching programs (you know, the ones in which the textbook, teacher's book, workbooks, CDs, etc all come in a big box) address how to integrate new technology into the existing program in a meaningful way. So it falls to the teacher to figure out how to shoehorn it in so they can look "advanced".

    In the end, we need teachers to understand that new technologies can be a blessing, and then pressure from all stakeholders on the government to change the curriculum and the textbook companies to start producing material that truly integrates tech, rather than layering a thin veneer of "modern learning" on top of out of date classroom resources.
  • kkreft
    If you're interested in education and how some new premises are making a difference, I recommend you look up and support STEM education in your community.

    STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) is based on the premise that kids need to be taught how to think - how to look at empirical data and then draw conclusions - before they're simply taught a bunch of facts. STEM education believes that the silos we've been applying (e.g., physics and biology are two different classes, taught independently of each other) doesn't make sense, that all education is linked, that what you learn in one area integrates with what you learn in another. It also believes that textbook learning doesn't stay with you like practical application in the real world. STEM schools partner with local tech businesses and allow the students to apply their learning in the real world.

    I visited several of these schools in 2007, and was greatly impressed by the excitement the students had about learning. I visited over a holiday weekend, and students and teachers were in class working on projects - just because it was more fun than anything else they could be doing! They were also passionate about graduating, going on to college, and making a difference in the real world.

    And what is really amazing is that STEM schools purposely don't seek out the brightest and best for their students. They take a true cross-section of society. Many of the students were failing until they joined the STEM school. But the engagement of the activities made the learning exciting.

    Most people haven't even heard of STEM, so when I saw this article, I had to chime in. I think people need to know about and support STEM in their communities.
  • Maria Montessori is the queen of serendipitous learning. She understood that children are very individual in the way they learn, process information and approach problem-solving. Her model allows the "student" to direct their own learning according to their interests and curiosities. Home schooling is a great platform that can mirror the Montessori method to varying degrees.

    As the busy mother of five curious and gifted children, I was always looking for ways to challenge my children's thinking. One of my favorite education/parenting books was The Way They Learn, by Cynthia Tobias. In her book, she explains the multiple learning styles and gives suggestions for how to accommodate them.

    Unfortunately, the current "education model" that you find in most schools best suits only one style of learner--the language-based learner. I have a theory that one reason so many are engaged by video games is that it allows the visual learners to finally have a space where they have an edge!

    BTW--your children are learning quite a bit about leadership (and many other things), very directly, from both you and your wife. Our behavior, good and bad, leaves indelible impressions on our children's young minds as they seek to make sense of the world around them.
  • Chris, this is such a hot button topic for me. As someone who works with kids labeled as "special needs" (many autistic) I am always thinking outside the box in terms of how to creatively educate them. The truth is as human beings we are hard wired to learn in "real time," as things happen and evolve around us. This is how we learn to walk, talk, socialize, etc. Kids learn by observing, experimenting, critiquing each others work. It is all innate.

    But our current education system beats the hell out of the joy of innate learning by 1st or 2nd grade. We are training kids to take tests, fill in bubbles and work on assembly lines (which don't really exist in the US anymore).

    So how do we tap into the innate learning for kids, adults, everyone?
    Build education around curiosity, questions, interests.
    Think "unEducation" in same way as an "unconference."

    Ask kids what they are interested in and build curriculums around that. Integrate science, math, reading, art, music, community service.

    My goal for all of the kids I help with unique learning styles is they come to know themselves as competent learners because to be successful we need to be life long learners. The content will come in time, but feeling excited about the process, engaged in the idea that learning is fun and never stops. Going forward I think the MOST important skill we need to teach is how to be a life long learner. How to access information, how to assess what is accurate and useful. In a world of web 2.0, Google and smart phones the next generation will not need to ever memorize a fact, but they will need to know how to find accurate information and sort out fact from fiction (or just wishful thinking).
  • ChristianaStergiou
    I've just read Edward de Bono's Think: Before It's Too Late. A lot there about the need to teach thinking. It would make a huge difference to our world, and to the potential of our kids.

    Although, thankfully, it's never too late to teach yourself to think.
  • katherinebolman
    How Could New Ideas Change Education
    It seems to me that your children, by way of your observations will lead the way.
    My concern is the loss of art and architecture in the school system so I am doing something to address the issue and need help in the process. I am creating a course in the history of art and architecture around the world ahaafoundation.org is the place to go.
    I have been researching other sites to see where I fit in. If you know any please pass the information on after you have looked at my web site.

    The Applied History of Art and Architecture is content rich and question based. It is a course and not a lesson plan. In the best of all learning worlds students will work together to use the information and build on it. Students will create paintings inspired by the work they see in one of the micro lessons. Students will apply the information they learn in their history and perhaps to a novel they are reading.

    The site is in its beginning phase and open to collaboration with teachers, students and graduate students who might want to use this idea as a dissertation.
  • hendrixhargrove
    As an incoming freshman at Colby College, I attended orientation with the then school President. He described learning as a series of serendipitous moments, like when you're in the library stacks looking for a book, spy another book, take it from the shelf, and open a whole new world previously unknown.

    More than any technology since the Dewey Decimal System, Twitter delivers those serendipitous moments. It has dramatically changed how I interact with the universe. No longer satisfied with merely visiting the library stacks of the internet and searching for something specific, I actively - and excitedly - find and follow people on Twitter who offer me bit.ly serendipitous moments. I learn what they know and embark on another learning adventure.

    I believe the lean back learning model has been disrupted and a new model, driven by organized serendipity, is ready to be harnessed.

    How do we learn from our predecessors and successors? First, we have to find them. Twitter does that for us with lists and hashtags. How do we learn what they know? Tweets hook us and bit.ly links lead us to web sites, the library stacks where the serendipitous cycle magically renews itself....deja vu all over again.

    Instead of classes focused on textbooks - many of which suffer flawed editing and dubious political bias - and rigidly defined class subject definitions - we build learning that starts with the tools and processes that support organized serendipity.

    Like you, I'm not quite sure where this is going...innovative educators not afraid of being disrupted need to figure out a new teacher-student relationship, learning paths/specialization, majors/minors, prerequisites, electives, testing, verification.....the meat and potatoes of learning and preparing students for the world.

    My $0.02.

    @hendrixhargrove
  • I'm a big fan of serendipity. : ) This is a great comment. I'm thinking up more ideas based on this, so thank you, Hendrix.
  • hendrixhargrove
    Cool. Let me know if I can help.
  • Guest
    Cool. Will look forward to hearing more about your ideas.
  • hendrixhargrove
    Keep me posted, let me know if I can help. Would be a most worthy project.

    H.
  • I think the really sad thing is that for many kids, the damage is done before they even set foot in school. Poverty, chaotic home lives, poor nutrition, lack of positive role models (and plenty of negative role models), no exposure to reading or other enriching activities, etc. dramatically lower the odds of being a successful student, before a child even starts kindergarten.

    You can talk all you want about being innovative in education, but it's window dressing, unless a child's basic needs are met.
  • hendrixhargrove
    I could not agree more.
  • kylemcguffin
    Chris we are on the same page. I just blogged about this yesterday. Our system is not matching our capabilities and our children will be at a disadvantage. As leaders we must take matters into our own hands. Lets make change happen for the sake of our children.

    Make it a great day!
  • Great point about HR Chris. In essence it's about what you can get (benefits) before what you can give (development).

    I don't know much about how the educational system works. I do know that there is little if any emphasis put on personal development.

    The irony of education is that the world changers we learn about rejected much of what they learned in books and did it their own way. Education is important, but learning what to do with the education is what makes a difference in the world. This is where personal development / motivational skills come in.

    How to work self-improvement courses into a curriculum, I don't know. I do know that many successful people swear by Napoleon Hill's "Think and Grow Rich." It's easy to read so it could be taught from elementary school upward.

    I'm convinced that if kids could receive a copy and devote 50 minutes of class time to it daily the world would change for the better dramatically. What everyone ultimate desires to be is successful and this book is developed from over 25 years of interviews with the most successful people in history.
  • I think to fix education for our children two things need to happen.

    1. FIX THE PARENTS. I would put up a parent spending quality time with their child on the 3 R's, character building and ethics vs. an unlimited budget any day. (Wow - talk about a Utopian notion)

    2. Develop technologies to inspire interest. Whether it be through serendipity or a direct experience, if a child can learn by choice rather than by force it seems to reason there will be a greater chance for recall and a future application of what was learned. Augmented reality is one area I feel may inspire interest through immersing a child into an area of initial interest then leading them to other areas of discovery.

    Another would be to match learning opportunities based on an evolving profile of the child. Collect their interests over time then find related pathways to information that may spark their interest.

    If you want them to learn math and they have at one point expressed an interest in the latest boy band. Is there a boy in the band who has an avid interest in math. If so - introduce them to his path of learning. If he had a profile - they would have access to this.

    If we want to use social networking to its fullest, let's use it properly. I find the best information off of what other people discover or know. Why can't this work for education as well.

    This will probably be a hell of alot easier than fixing the parents:)
  • Chris,

    As you consider the topic of education and how to influence and change--please consider looking into the field of social marketing. Not social media, but social marketing. It's a field of study started in the 1970s that lays out a framework on how to influence and change behavior for social good. Thus--I bring it up as it seems you are mulling and brainstorming on how to affect others, systems and processes, and you may find social marketing a friend in the journey.

    Thanks,

    Alex (@socialbttrfly)
  • You'd enjoy something I wrote nine months ago featuring Kaplan University: http://ariwriter.com/rewrite-the-rules/
  • duh
    Take some fucking notes when people tell you numbers, huh? BTW, love the contempt for "factory workers" and "cubicle farms".
  • Chris,

    Our use of "education" is pretty broad in the sense that your post discusses it both in terms of younger people, as well as training in the corporate world. There are the approaches of "pedagogy" (teaching younger people) and "andragogy" (teaching adults) that learning theorists like to throw around. It may pay to dissect the issue into those two branches.

    I work in the thick of the corporate HR training world and you're right that it's going further and further away from developing people, and increasingly focused on what will bring in more money.

    My preoccupation is getting people to take charge of their own learning and development, as you'll see if you visit my fledgling site. How do you think leaders – in academia, in business, etc. – can get both youth and adults to WANT to learn instead of feeling they HAVE to learn?

    Thanks for your work and information!

    s.c.
  • katherineburks
    Thank you, Chris, for your post and this conversation. It's great to hear about MTV's focus on education and I appreciate the passion in the comments.

    I've been teaching visioning as a life skill - mostly 6th to 9th graders so far. My experience has been that many students are seeking meaning and purpose. A lot of them are deeply concerned about our environment and other local and global problems...and some feel called to make a difference.

    When you ask the question "how can we help?" one answer is mentoring. There are lots of motivated children with awesome dreams that would totally blossom with the right mentor...especially if it's in alignment with their vision.
  • Education challenges are fun projects to tackle. There's been quite a lot of success using the Master Class model. Having been a business literacy advocate for several years now, and having used thsi model almost exclusively to support this agenda with well above average results, I can highly recommend it.
  • A critical topic. I agree with many commenters that the future is already here, it's just not evenly distributed yet. For those interested in additional resources:

    There's been an explosion of experimentation in education, especially online and hybrid models. Some examples not already mentioned include Rocketship Schools in San Jose, CA and the School of One trial and Quest to Learn school, both in New York. High Tech High in San Diego takes a highly experiential, project-based approach where the students produce original works, like a published series of books on the ecology of San Diego bay (most recent with a preface by Jane Goodall). Florida Virtual School is in one of the few states leading the way in K-12 online learning. Of course, most of these experiments are taking place in charter schools or small virtual academies and the vast, vast majority of students are still stuck in traditional classrooms.

    There are several for-profit companies in this space (e.g. K12, Kaplan, Pearson, APEX Learning) as well as a growing number of free open courseware sites beyond MIT's (see ocwconsortium.org) and distribution mechanisms like iTunes U.

    A couple of additional organizations promoting a 21st century learning system that is focused on the skills, interests and learning styles of the individual "digital native" student include iNACOL and Innosight Institute.
  • elizabethkanna
    Chris,

    Wanted to send you a PDF, so emailed you directly too.

    A big idea to change education?
    I believe the true "Big Idea" that has the power to really change education is that parents must take charge of their child's education. My husband and I decided early on that our three daughters’ education was ultimately our responsibility. And just as you aptly described the "springboard" that your 7-year-old daughter’s fascination with the Titanic would give her to learn other subjects, over 12 years ago, our 7- year-old daughter's passion for Cheetahs was a springboard we optimized to help her learn about endangered species, cloning, and geography.
    That was the start of a wildly successful journey for our family.
    We've used available technology to supplement their education, from learning-to-read "old school" computer software programs to virtual college classes offered today. On any given day in our home, our daughters, now ages 19,16 and 13, take a class offered by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), listen to a Nobel Laureate’s lecture or study a second language—all from programs that are either free or have nominal costs. Has our hands-on journey been successful? Our eldest is on the President’s list at college, our sixteen year-old is in an accelerated college program at our local university and the thirteen year-old attends a hybrid school (the public school model of the future, I believe) with an emphasis on math, science and engineering. With the explosive growth of online learning opportunities, at the click of mouse or the use of an iPod, parents now have access to help their child learn anything, anywhere and at any time. Also as you aptly pointed in your blog, our children “speak” and think digital. Having grown up in a digital world, they are digital natives, while we parents are digital immigrants. Yet, we send our kids to schools not unlike the ones we attended. Factory schools created to educate factory works over one hundred and fifty years ago. Schools created when most parents were illiterate. Schools that also don't teach innovation, leadership or critical thinking skills.
    You are already doing it!
    I respect that at the beginning of your daughter's school career, you already see that you can't "roll" with this broken system. So, what can parents like you do? Take charge of your child's education. And taking charge doesn't have to be overwhelming.
    A guide
    Here is what I did to inspire more parents to see what you have: I created and co-authored the first book ever written on virtual schooling for parents. Even though I'm not involved in the K-12 industry professionally, I felt passionate about sharing my personal journey of our daughters' alternative education approach.
    I also felt compelled to write this book to help define virtual schooling not where it is today (or the current emerging perception of it), but where it will be in the future. The term “virtual schooling” must encompass all existing methods available today for parents to optimize their child's education. All children today are virtual schoolers, including yours. In the book, we define virtual schooling by the potential it holds: a personalized learning approach accomplished by leveraging the best of virtual and classroom-based schools or programs tailored to a child’s needs and interests.
  • We need to teach kids how to lead their own lives. When they feel they are ones making the choices, they will have an easier time enjoying life.

    I think it all starts with parents. We need to give parents the tools to help improve their child's leadership skills and analytical skills, so if they want to start their own business they are one step ahead of their peers.

    I think a blog program for kids is a great idea. We can start a foundation that supports kids making their own blog. Just think if they start a blog at 9 years old, by the time they get out of college they will have a network 10 times larger than most of their classmates. They can use it to leverage a better career or launch it into their own business.
  • http://edufire.com (@edufire) is doing a great job changing the game, empowering online classrooms. Would also love to see more attn to experiential+outdoor education [I'm definitely a different/better person for it]. http://yesmagazine.com (@yesmagazine) recently did a great article on the subject: http://j.mp/5NTnHe
  • Hi Kristy, like your point -- it is important. The crux is getting kids involved in their environment, which doesn't only equate with technology, it can also be outdoor ed or a hands-on art project. Tech is a vital tool, not a mission in itself. I used to teach outdoor science to K-8 kids, and I've met them years later and heard how the experience impacted them -- we definitely have a nature deficit as a culture so those experiences can be a treasure.
  • I agree that there is most certainly a huge problem with our current educational system. Edufire.com is a great site that has taken steps to create a new form of education. It's cheap (some classes are free), and it runs live through web cam. Anyone can be a teacher. It's proven to be an incredible resource for learning and I believe it's just the first step towards an education revolution. Check it out.
  • socialsea
    I replied last night, then stopped because my post seemed too long....now it appears we all have a lot to say about this topic. Your question is noble and timely.

    Our education model places a strong emphasis on areas of improvement rather than complimenting and expanding a child's learning experience in studies/subjects where they excel. This holds true as college students turn into new hires and begin a professional work life. Once in the corporate world, the never ending cycle of yearly performance evaluations end with this section: "List skills to be improved". A majority of US employers have yet to harness the power and profit of allowing/encouraging employees to migrate to jobs within the company that compliment their unique individual strengths. Corporate managers have no time to think about how to improve an employees performance.

    My wish for the future of education in the US? Find learning models with a focus on a child's interest, strengths and learning style early instead of over emphasizing areas of weakness. I believe the focus on weakness contributes to lack of motivation. A child's weakness should not become the main focus and overshadow the total learning experience. A child may be average in some areas and never greatly improve a perceived academic weakness. Developing a model to build upon strengths has proven to increase a child's growth in confidence which contributes to their ability to improve and balance out a weakness. Develop tools with choice in levels of interests and learning at the rate a child's ability progresses. No matter what grade level or age of the child. While this is a challenge in the classroom and for the teacher, it is not impossible.

    Forcing a child to be 100% in each subject is not realistic, yet that is how the grade system works. We force students to be well-rounded over encouraging excellence in their unique areas of talent. No wonder the student drop out rate is so high. While other factors in society contribute to the drop out rate, who wants to feel like they are on probation everyday for what they are not good at instead of being mentally stimulated and motivated by strengths?

    Academic versus non-academic is another story. Some European learning models allow children to take different paths very early instead of waiting until high school. With all the new an unique learning tools and creative minds in this county, the US should be leading the world with ground breaking learning tools and models. It's amazing to me that parents from around the world send their college bound children to be educated by US colleges. The US is educating the world's college age kids and future foreign leaders (if I can believe everything I read). Why is it that we do not have an elementary, middle and high school system that is turning out the level of student produced by other countries?

    Two subjects that should be required at all levels: financial responsibility and ethics
    Good luck.
  • I am fascinated by ways that our education system could be improved by the incorporation of new media and new systems, but without losing the rich value of what has been offered for decades. So many schools are cutting out arts programs, devaluing classic literature, and focusing solely on mathematics and business programs. It's really quite sad.

    This is not to say that having knowledge of math and business isn't important, it just isn't the ONLY thing.

    I think that if electronic learning can be used to spark kids' interest in things to which they wouldn't otherwise be exposed, like the case with Violette, I think that is a "win" all around. Even video gaming, which is often blamed (erroneously, I think) for dissolving kids' focus, is great for problem-solving and could be an interesting learning tool.

    My real concern is that with the advent of things like texting, etc., important skills might be lost. We're already in a society where little value is placed on the ability to write well, the ability to spell correctly, or use proper grammar and/or punctuation. It's crucial that these skills not get lost, as they play a major role in how we communicate and how we are perceived by others. Many people use the argument that language evolves, but I submit that evolution shouldn't be an excuse for sloppiness or doing something in any way that is less than the best way it can be done.

    Great topic today, Chris. Thanks!
  • I happened upon a message someone had left for a friend earlier today & it immediately made me think of this post. I am all for new innovations, such as web-based learning, etc., that will lessen costs for schools, while giving kids the tools they need to learn. REALLY learn. What frightens me, though, is this:

    "Cant wate 2 b done with this weak. And 2 ryan and his family u have my simpithy and my prayers go out 2 u"

    This was written by a high school graduate. Someone whose writing/spelling skills are poor, even by texting standards. Innovations are in order, even necessary, but we cannot lose sight of fundamentals, else we become a nation of dullards who can't spell their way out of a paper bag.
  • charlottel
    As someone who is going into the education system (in quebec) I can say that things are starting to change... slightly. As teachers we are being taught about other methods of teaching, including web 2.0 methods (ie using the internet, computers, technology) to reach the kids. It's really all about communication.
    In Quebec, only about %50 of young men will graduate from highschool. This is absolutely ridiculous. BUT I have SO much hope in the other opportunities available to them. They are getting out of highschool because it doesn't provide them with an adequate learning environment. As a result the quebecois government has put other programs in place. Adult education, apprenticeship programs, etc. It's not that these young men aren't interested in learning. My boyfriends two brothers are both in this situation. They aren't dumb kids. They're brilliant. But the system doesn't work for them. We have to work really hard to try to convince them that a highschool diploma is what they need. But getting a highschool diploma and LEARNING don't seem to be the same thing anymore. If you get a highschool diploma it means that you are capable of tolerating the system we have in place. It doesn't necessarily mean you are smarter than someone who doesn't have that diploma.
    I would probably go into a rant about how it's the same at university, but I think I'll spare you all that. ;)
    I think that smart people will always find the opportunities they need to learn. The problem is that our system is broken and we aren't providing those opportunities anymore. Up here in Quebec there is a lot of pressure to change the system, but it's gonna take a major rehaul and a lot of people aren't ready for that. Too much work, too much money... politics. But I think as long as TEACHERS are aware of the other opportunites available to these kids, we're on a good path.
  • iizLiz
    The commenters that precede me are far more thoughtful and educated about this topic but I wanted to add - one of my sons goes to a preschool that follows the Reggio Emilia approach to learning... your Titantic example is a bit how they approach learning. They let the children's interests guide them in how they teach lessons. So far I'm really impressed by the philosophy!
  • Peter
    There is a similar discussion of the nature of education and work in the book "Shop Class as Soulcraft." The author discusses the history of education and why rise of factories in the US led to an educational system designed to prepare people for factory jobs - jobs that have all but disappeared in this country.

    The author suggests that people should still learn from mentors - people with direct experience and expertise. He also brings up the radical idea that we should understand the world around us and how the things in our life work (cars, appliances, electronics, etc). It's not that everyone should know how to fix these things but that we should at least understand how they work.

    The book is largely about the nature of work and the misconception that working with one's hands is a "non-thinking" activity. Especially when so many company's "office" jobs value workers who can get along in a mechanized system of repetitive work that rarely requires the challenge of thought, reflection or problem solving.

    Here's the link for the book:
    http://www.amazon.com/Shop-Class-Soulcraft-Inqu...

    It's a shame that our current system of education prepares people for a world that values memorization, consistency, and obedience. We really need people who can think, solve novel problems, innovate, and take risks. We would be better off if our children could be educated for the world they will encounter instead of the world of 50 years ago.
  • "How can we marry up all the great resources of people who know something great to those of us who could stand to learn more? "

    We need to show 50+ year olds how much FUN and how SATISFYING and how HELPFUL it can be to share "our" knowledge on the Internet -- and blogging is a great platform . . . So we've got to be teaching "new knowledge" to those with "mature knowledge."
  • Loved this! As an educator, I'm with you on the ineffectiveness of "top down" solutions. John Taylor Gatto lays out the problems in "Weapons of Mass Instruction." I eagerly await your efforts in this arena.
  • Chris,

    The dropout rates really are staggering - I had no idea until I got involved with a group that I do volunteer work for - Network For Teaching Entrepreneurship (www.nfte.com).

    NFTE focuses on providing entrepreneurial education to low-income secondary school students (an idea near and dear to my own heart). Interestingly, the core of the idea is not to create a whole cadre of entrepreneurs (though that is certainly a potential by-product) but rather that the skills and education needed to create and grow a business showcase how the elements of a high school education are applicable to the "real world." Thus, the process helps keeps at risk kids in school.

    NFTE has a number of initiatives - after school E-clubs is one I'm heavily involved in - but the centerpiece is a national business plan competition. Mary Mazzio released a fantastic and inspiring documentary about this process Ten9Eight (www.ten9eight.com).

    Given that the lifeblood of America is entrepreneurial formation and activity (100% of the net job growth over the last 3 decades came from firms that were less than 5 years old!), I believe programs of these types can be the model for a breakout in how we deploy education and tie it to real world opportunities.

    Of course, if you (or anyone in the community) has further interest, please don't hesitate to contact me.
  • Kathy Sierra
    Chris, you probably already know this, but the very first issue of Wired magazine had school reform as the cover story:
    http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/1.01/hyperle...

    I bought that magazine for that article, and though I didn't agree with all of his implementation ideas, I finished that article with a great sense of hope. I bought Perelman's book and thought, "Here we go... it's starting!"

    Sadly, I can find almost nobody who even remembers that Wired 1.01 cover story, even among the Wired/Tech "elite". Yet Wired had no trouble launching successful cover story books like "Free" and "Long Tail". Seems we care much more about cool new webby business model ideas than educating the people who control the future of the world.
  • I don't remember the article, but if you think about it, what a much more interesting use for that magazine, instead of writing about Twitter and gear.

    You're right that what sells magazines isn't necessarily what inspires the world to change. But I won't ding Wired for that. That's "we the people" hard at work seeking consumer feedback loops.

    Interesting. I think a magazine devoted to education reform and the new ideas probably wouldn't go far. In fact, I think Lucas has a magazine like that.
  • I remember that story, Kathy! That's why I bought that issue too.
  • butwait
    There are some great thinkers out there on the future of learning... on Twitter you might want to follow @willrich45 (former HS English teacher turned blogvangelist) and / or @chrislehmann (Principal of Science Learning Academy in Philly) and/ or @fredwilson (venture capitalist looking for interesting new ideas vis a vis learning), and and and...

    To get a feeling for what educators are doing right now to leverage the tools now available to them, check out the work of November Learning's Building Learning Communities Conference (http://novemberlearning.com/blc/). See also the upcoming & ongoing http://k12onlineconference.org/ and/or watch the tweets coming out of #Educon at the end of January. Or follow up #edchat any Tuesday night at 7pm Eastern.

    Learning changes when it becomes transparent, on-demand, and searchable. Learning changes when we demand better. We are not yet seeing a mass uprising of parents who "get it" and insist that their children be given opportunities to "get it" as well... but you're a parent, right? It's coming.
  • Take time to attend the K-12 Online Conference mentioned in this reply. Also,if you could attend the Educon conference in January you would see that there are many of us trying to make a difference in education.
    Also, when you are SXSW, please come see our school in Manor, Texas. We are a New Technology School, part of the Newtech Foundation Network and we are an Apple Distinguised School as well as a STEM Academy. We are teaming Project Based Instruction with the Milken Foundation's Teacher Advancement Program (TAP) and it is working. We have a long way to go but more and more schools and educators, across the country, are coming to see how we do it.
    We welcome any and all who want to see a possible future for education.
  • Well now Chris you are in my niche!! Most definitely the education need to make changes. I have so many opinions on this subject but what your source people are doing is a great start. I know their is some differences between US and Canada education system.
    One, the sad part about any education system it is the oldest tradition. If someone from the 18 century would come back to life today, they would be lost and overwhelm with our society and buildings. They would feel like home only in one place, this makes me really sad and frustrated at the same time, a classroom!!

    Why do we have dropouts? Very good question and so many angles of possible solutions or causes, maybe. For one, that really makes a huge differences is the fact that student can't no longer fail a grade. Meaning that if they fail grade 5 they are push to grade 6 no matter what! So, what happens to that child? Hes' set up to fail for the rest of his school education. Think about it, he doesn't understand grade 5 level. How in the world is he suppose to understand grade 6. So principals and boards put the responsibilities on the grade 6 teacher to re-teach that child grade 5 and bring the knowledge to grade 6 level, at the same time keep those who understand challenge! Oh, yeah, no offense intended but psychologist research say that if you keep a child back, that is the most devastating self-esteem you can do to that child! Really? I had some of my friends who repeated a grade and now are Doctors, Lawyers, Engineers, Software programmers... So, you may say and your point is? Well, lets look at that child understanding! He goes with his friends to the next level, with his friends! What is the most frustrating for a learner? UNDERSTANDING!! Don't you feel stupid when you see everyone around you capable of figuring the problem and you don't have a clue where to start. So, the student realize that and as a human, he or she tries to protect themselves no matter what. Become a discipline matter, depression, constant sickness(invented!), isolation, feeling stupid or not normal... How would you like to feel like that way and what would you do? One, get away from that feeling! So, dropping out solves the problem! Ah, Chris you have it a personal cord with this one!!

    Every education system needs to realize that technology knowledge is as important as Math, English, French, Social Studies and Sciences these days. It needs to be inter-graded from elementary to high school. Also, entrepreneur characteristic needs to be part of a student life. In the old days, we needed more factory workers and that is why we teach to the mold! But now, we still need those workers but we need more entrepreneur, business studies. And most of all, we need to figure a way to inter-grade technology.

    Check this Prof videos and he's on to something that education needs to get their head around. Here is one of them about r/evolution of information but check the others:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-4CV05HyAbM

    and this one, the view of University students = Powerful message for educators. When I saw this one, still today, I'm trying to figure a way to tap in this so students get more engage: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dGCJ46vyR9o&feat...

    Enough, I have to leave now! I could write so much more but, yeah enough!

    Cheers,
    GT
  • janicecartier
    Inquiry based learning will always trump "programmed" learning for stickiness. Try to keep a kid from learning something they really want to learn. Try. The required things are necessary, desired, good, but the way they are distributed....there's the thing that is changing.
  • etbwrites
    Chris,

    Thank you for using your considerable platform to spark a conversation about education. Like another commenter, there's so much to say here that one can barely scratch the surface.

    There are lots of folks out there working to improve the existing system, and thank goodness for them. My husband worked for years at a project-based middle school that did just as you said, teaching content through practical experience. Kids built flying machines and learned engineering, trigonometry, physics, history and - yes - even literature and art in the process.

    And even though these kids weren't "taught the test," their standardized test scores were among the top two or three schools in the district every year.

    Unfortunately, the school faculty and administration spent as much time trying to save the school from its conservative, traditionalist district as it did working to educate the children. That's just sad.

    And it's dangerous. The old system of churning out obedient factory workers (and, I would add, soldiers) puts the US at a serious disadvantage in the creative economy.

    I think that the thing everyone can do to improve the system is to participate in some level of education. Look at Dave Eggers' 826 model of community creative writing education. (And watch his TED Talk!) Communities all over the country have programs for artists to share their talent in the schools - if you're a designer or a writer, see how you can help.

    When we started our little agency, my partner and I knew that our financial support would come from our client work, but we also wanted to offer opportunities for creative expression in our community. We have run regular creative workshops in writing, design and other arts. There are certainly times when the workshops are the most fulfilling part of our week.

    We also offer a venue for other creative people to share their talents with the community. It costs us nothing and we get a continuous reminder of the beauty and adventure of raw creativity.
  • A little late getting to this, but great post, Chris. Online education is my thing and there are ways in which it doesn't stifle creativity as does a classroom setting (see @jtrigsby's post re Sir Ken Robinson). A good post on that subject: http://www.educationguideonline.net/role-of-edu...
  • Thank you for sharing this Chris. In the past I've always considered the M in MTV for mind numbing trash. Your post has shed new light.

    Having worked in Higher Education, it's inspiring to hear the initiatives that MTV has set out. Many of my friends and relatives are in education, Some work for Detroit's challenged communities. The story I hear the most is the system and the administration get in the way of teachers who are truly trying to help the students. Let's be honest, I'm sure teachers aren't in it for the paycheck alone.

    The education system does need a face lift, and it's great to hear the initiatives taken by MTV to help find solutions to the problem.

    Recently I've taken up an interest in World War II, and I think I've learned more utilizing the internet and the social web than I did when I was in school. To be fair, I probably didn't pay much attention in class.
  • I asked this question of Steven Heller 3 years ago. His response was simple and has stuck with me. He said, "Get kids to love to read." Cheers!
  • Hi Chris!

    I've been studying educational methods since my oldest (now 6) was born. I don't think that we need to completely reinvent the wheel with education; a model that works is already available, but not in a completely accessible form. I'm speaking of the methods of Maria Montessori -- her actual methods, not the typical American, "flower child" interpretation of them. The Montessori method involves the integrated approach to learning that so many of your other readers have pointed to as necessary to improving education. It teaches children to think, problem-solve, lead, collaborate, etc. And the kids LOVE it; they cry when school is out. I asked my son the other day to name someone he knows at school who likes to read. He looked at me and said "everyone likes to read!" Imagine what the drop-out rate would be if every child loved school like that?
  • Kathy Sierra
    Yes! My daughter went to a Montessori school until 7th grade and when she then switched to a public school it was as though she'd been dropped onto a different planet. One of the core differences was summed up by a question she asked me after the first few days at public school, "So, you're not really supposed to question the teacher?"

    From what I can gather, the amount I paid to that school each month was roughly equal to the amount allocated per child to the public school system. Yet the difference in quality and result was staggering. Kids leaving her school and entering public school were--on average--testing two grade levels ahead of their public school peers. Oh, and this was without ever having homework OR grades OR tests, with the exception of annual standardized tests given primarily so the parents would "chill".

    And of course this is just one version of all the wonderful school models that DO work. We know so many different ways to improve learning... and school... but I, too, lack the faith that we'll ever get there with incremental improvements to the U.S. public school system as a whole. I've been stressing about this and having this discussion since before my daughter entered preschool. She's now in her 20's, and it's only gotten worse.
  • "Teachers begin using cell phones for class lessons" is an interesting article featured on Yahoo!'s main page this morning. Perhaps we need more apps for THAT.
    http://tech.yahoo.com/news/ap/20091127/ap_on_hi...
  • shersteve
    Chris, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is devoting time and money to education, so this topic is timely. I'll second some of the earlier commenters in that we don't need a new plan, there is no silver bullet, there are plans already amongst us that are working .

    One aspect of the plan that should be addressed in the home environment. Even with the best teachers, if the learning is not reinforced at home, it is being wasted. Geoffrey Canada and the Harlem Kids Zone takes this holistic approach and has a proven track record. http://www.hcz.org/what-is-hcz/about-geoffrey-c...

    My own two cents says that we need to shift from content based learning to learning how to learn, learning how to collaborate. This was the key factor that my team wanted to address by holding LaidOffCamp Attleboro/Providence; bringing the unconference learning process (peer to peer learning, sharing, collaborating, etc.) to the unemployed. They, of all groups, need this learning skill right now. The team is re-grouping and will start planning for an event in New England sometime in Feb/March.
  • alisoncreamer
    Awsome post Chris, Its amazing how the School system is just FAILING on all levels. I think it needs a huge overhaul. I read a lot of financial books such as Rich Dad Poor Dad and Learn systems like Financial Peace by Dave Ramsey. Our education is still set up to teach kids to be robots. Get a good job with great benefits and everything will be just fine. I for one BROKE that mold 8 years ago when I took my future in my own hands and became a Realtor. Only 3 years later I handed my hubby a checkbook and he to quit his job to be a Self employed contractor. Our Schools don't inspire kids they don't get them engaged and motivated to think past the employee role and I still believe our government systems are only looking to create people who rely on them for the future. I wanted to tell you it was an EXCELLENT post to ponder and I hope someone in the schools take notice. WE NEED AN OVERHAUL . Im teaching my daughter @dechat to be self motivated reach for more than being an employee. New Media needs to be introduced to keep the kids engaged and excited. It would be great to have reputation classes awareness for online activity. Human behavior classes for online activity. Understanding of past present and future behavior of online activity.
  • Hi Chris,

    You should have a conversation with my Uncle, Jonathan Burdick, who is the Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid at the University of Rochester in NY. He's done some brilliant things there and has a fascinating (and perhaps surprisingly non-traditional) view on what children need to succeed. (He raised my brothers who are now top computer programmers and systems engineers.) I can put you in touch or you could contact him ddirectly and say...Sam commented on my blog.....
  • Chris, check out Powerful Learning Practice: http://plpnetwork.com/ Spending a year with these folks was, indeed, powerful. Other groups you should take note of: http://k12onlineconference.org/, http://www.edutopia.org/, and http://stager.org/
  • Great post!

    One thing I've noticed is the universal desire of educators and lay people alike to find the silver bullet of education reform, whether Green Dot, Rick DuFour's professional learning communities, high school career academies, or any other excellent strategy. But the reality is, no single program or organization answers all needs. That's kind of like saying every company should just have a Facebook fan page in their marketing mix and all will be well.

    The research is pretty much already there - teacher effectiveness is the main driver of student learning, but schools should have some combo of high academic expectations for all students, student-centered learning based on student interests and addressing higher order skills, involved parents, school-wide systems of immediate support for academic and behavioral challenges, students known well and cared for in personalized learning environments, and staff members working as collaborative teams to address individual student needs.

    We can best help education by supporting the teachers and administrators who work in our schools. We can and should hold high expectations for them, but we should also empower them to make change, trust their professional expertise, and provide enough school funding so they can receive ongoing professional training and collaboratively plan with colleagues. Teaching and leading a school are two of the hardest jobs there are -- try shadowing your child's teacher or participating in a principal for a day program sometime.

    There are thousands of dedicated, curious, learner-centered teachers who combine student-directed learning and technology -- check out my nonprofit org's sessions for our ed tech conference next weekend -- we have held this conference for over a dozen years, but it is really only the last three or so that has seen an explosion of new curriculum and ideas as educators discover free and simple Web 2.0 tools:
    http://www.clms.net/conferences/techsessions.htm

    Or check out the Ning community Classroom 2.0 (http://www.classroom20.com) to get a sense of how regular teachers and administrators are exploring new territory every day.

    Good stuff is happening -- we just have to look!
  • exactly what we should be doing.

    the digital project - via the macarthurs, clay christensen- disrupting class, carl wieman's individual expert tutor.

    use the ways kids learn outside of the classroom already - there is so much potential there.

    i've got kids seeking expert individual tutors now.. would love to have you experiment with us.
  • Chris... yet another topic near and dear to my heart!

    The fundamental problem with our current educational system is that it was designed to produce good factory workers. We teach rote memorization and conformity. What we don't teach well, if at all, is problem solving. We're so worried about getting all our kids to be like everyone else, that we completely ignore the areas in which they are naturally gifted.

    This is a link to a TED Talk video on YouTube by Sir Ken Robinson. Its 20 minutes but a funny and AWESOME analysis of where we are. Please watch it!

    TED Talk - Sir Ken Robinson.

    jtrigsby
  • I tried leaving a link to the book so that others could read about the alternative teaching methods that exist in this Colorado school... here it is again for anyone interested.

    http://rickposner.com/?cat=4
  • Awesome post! I too think about ways that schools can increase their success rates and in fact just recently read a really cool book titled, "Lives of Passion, School of Hope" by Rick Posner which is about a school in Colorado that for the past 30 years has implemented awesome <a href="http://rickposner.com/?cat=4
    "> alternative teaching styles that have proven to be very successful. It is about what happens to children and adults when they are encouraged to follow their bliss. It is also about personal empowerment and the development of confidence, curiosity, and compassion in our public schools. I think that these personal life skills is what is currently lacking in most schools and that by teaching children these important skills, they [like the alumni who have attending this school in Colorado] will get completely through school and grow up to be successful, respectable life learners.
  • Until we replace our national vision for education, "Fill in the damn bubbles or lose your funding!" [AKA NCLB and Race to the Top] with something more compelling, there won't be room for the great alternatives described in the comments above.

    Imagine President Obama, Education Secretary Duncan, and other world and educational leaders streaming a live event on YouTube: "By the year 2020, in a symbol of humanity's solidarity, the human race will collaborate to send pioneers to Mars. The U.S., China, India, and Russia will be leaders in this collaboration."
  • Chris
    Engaging wider stakeholders in (real) educational reform debate is critical. Thank you for joining.

    Firstly, what exactly is the educational problem we are trying to redress, if any?
    Are graduates not well prepared for further study or employment?
    Are they disengaged? Is learning delivery relevant?
    Why is blunt mitotic high stakes testing allowed to dominate places of education?

    Answers and fundamental reform will not come from within education deparments as current control is self serving and perpetuating. They ultimately want what we already have. Incremental tinkering, such as pilots, also delay the needed learning reform further.

    If I had young children, I'd ask what does it mean for them to be well educated in, and for, the 21st century? I do not see the education/school we presently call leading, providing that.

    By answering this question we may also develop a clearer expectation of the learning opportunities required.

    Parental class actions may force the required fundamental shifts upon administrations content to retain the status quo as (rapidly) developing nations bypass the stymie of unlearning, developed nations are struggling with.

    Connectivism and learners as co-administrators is a future. To acknowledge self obsolecence is naturally difficult for education gatekeepers. Factory boxes, one size fits all places of education are in decline. Anywhere, anytime, but not all the time, self directed, social, informal and highly public accountable learning by sharing is a future.

    I hope our 2028 high school graduates, born next year, are provided learning options far removed from those born since 2005. How quickly learning reform should be moving......but sadly isn't, yet.

















  • There are so many questions in your post that I don't know where to start... :-)

    1. Keeping students in school requires an understanding of why they leave school:
    - Safety concerns
    - Economic reasons
    - Boredom
    - Lack of motivation
    - Pregnancy
    - Health issues / physical and mental
    - Substance abuse
    - Lack of support structures (parental, community, school)

    What to do? Address these issues at a number of levels.

    2. Is there really a problem with our educational system? Are students not learning the basic skills? There certainly seem to be a number of very successful, bright young people who are coming out of the high schools and colleges today - starting entrepreneurial ventures at young ages and turning those ventures into important, socially conscious businesses that "do good". Don't get me wrong - we must continue to innovate and improve our educational system, taking full advantage of the latest technologies, research, and practices - but I'm not sure that we're worse off today than we were 10, 20, 30 or more years ago.

    3. Teaching our children the skills necessary to do well in the world today
    - Educators teach the foundation skills
    - Reading, writing, arithmetic, science, logic, critical thinking
    - Parents, schools, communities, etc. must provide opportunities to apply these skills in order for students to recognize the value - Practical experience in areas chosen by the students should provide a solid feedback loop. Provide the opportunity to succeed and to fail - and to know that both are necessary.
    - Allow our children to teach us the best ways to teach them. Every student is different - their motivations run the gamut; just like ours. If we help each student find their talents - and then help to nurture that talent, it won't be difficult to keep them interested.

    I'm excited to read others' comments.
  • hshawjr
    Chris - The statistics you refer are unfortunately pretty on target if my memory serves me correctly too. Part of the issue is that too many non-educators or those too far removed from the classroom are attempting to determine how students will be taught, assessed and evaluated in those classrooms. After all we have all been to school and know what works and what doesn't in the classroom, even if many have not been in today's classrooms or actually taught a K-12 class.

    We need to look at the goals of education for our students in today's world versus what worked yesterday or do we continue to need to prepare our students to work in a factory that does not exist anymore. We need to change how and what we teach and what our expectations of learning are. It certainly is more than filling in bubbles on a test answer sheet which is a relatively low level skill in today's world of hyper-interconnectivity.

    Simply we need a complete overhaul of yesterday's educational system to meet today's and tomorrow's needs. At the same time I do not believe that we have the political or collective to make the hard choices necessary to affect these changes and then be able to fund it adequately to actually make them work for the students they are affecting.

    I am a bit of pessimist when it comes to educational reform, as much as I want it to come and come soon to improve our students ability to compete in their future world.

    I guess my pessimision might be because I am too close to the issue - I am a teacher.

    Harold Shaw
  • adamsscott
    Education is the most important thing that we should have first.
  • I think more people getting involved with kids would make a difference. I love to program computers and feel blessed to have a job doing something I love. I decided to start a computer programming club at my kids school. The first meeting is next week. Wish me luck!
  • The K-8 Charter School my boys attend (Paragon Charter Academy in Jackson, MI run by National Heritage Academies) already recognizes that they are preparing students for jobs that don't yet exist. They have made major changes in both how they teach and how they evaluate the students.

    How they Teach: More and more they try to include multiple disciplines on the same topic at the same time. For instance, if they are studying Thanksgiving, they study it not only in social studies but also in language arts, creative arts, foreign language, science and even math at the same time. It brings both the topic and the disciplines to life as they learn how each subject can be applied to one topic.

    How they Evaluate: They blew up the old percentage-based grading system. Now a 3.0 means that the child has complete understanding of a concept at the grade level expectations for that particular topic. To get a 4.0 they have to learn to 'apply' that learning to higher level concepts. In other words, they have to go above and beyond just learning a concept. They have to know how to apply it. This puts more emphasis on not just simple regurgitation but understanding concepts and seeing relationships between this learning and the next level.

    Some parents are having a hard time adjusting. They are concerned that their 4.0 child will now be a 3.0 child. I don't buy that. The kids that excelled before will continue to excel. But now they are being asked not just to learn it well but also apply their learning.

    I am thrilled with what I am already seeing in my own boys. They are enjoying school more than ever because there is more applicable learning taking place. The "Aha Moments" are even greater as they see how what they just learned applies to so much more. It opens their eyes to a wider world much easier and also helps them recognize the patterns of this new world.

    New models for education are already emerging, being implemented and showing that they work.

    I think the bigger issue is not in coming up with new models - they're already here.

    The issue is in coming up with ways to get rid of the old models and the rigid institutions that implement them. That's where the money and conversations need to be applied.
  • Older people need to get out there and connect. At 48, I find I'm able to help substantially younger people (20s-30s) succeed - even if only by avoiding mistakes I've made in the past. But I make the effort to meet everyone on their own terms. And I don't try to pull rank. That won't work, too many social forces against aging. You have to demonstrate your relevance and value.

    Too many people my age still listening to Foghat and Abba. If you don't understand why that's a problem, that lack of understanding is itself a problem.
  • maryeulrich
    There are a couple "new ideas" you might be interested in. In terms of theory, check out "Project based" "Problem based" and/or "Inquiry based" learning. Also I love the theories of "constructivism," and "multiple intelligences." All of these theories could incorporate any technology you could imagine.

    In terms of practical advice, Check out "webquest.org", then go to the Quest Garden Search Page. When I typed in "Titanic" there were 64 webquests on many age and subject areas. Your daughter could have a great time on this. Think of it as "Choose your own adventure."

    I like the idea of webquests a lot and always recommend them when I am working with teachers or pre-service teachers. I worked with kids with disabilities who often needed assignments outside the box. I've recommended them to students who are home schooled and just everyone.

    I would also recommend you, and your friend who is interested in High School alternatives, check out Knowledgeworks which is the Bill and Melissa Gates Foundation to reinvent the High School.

    Best wishes.
  • Thanks for writing about the subject of education! I think we are just beginning to tap into the benefits of social media and technology for educational purposes. Currently, I'm interested in the 'Digital Media & Learning' projects (funded by the MacArthur Foundation) being conducted at various universities that explore how classroom resources can be expanded through social media, how kids can learn real skills from video games, the creation of digital libraries and new visions of public school education. Sites like GetSchooled.com are a good step but we need to do more than encourage kids to stay in school, we need to fix the education system so they want to stay in school and the education they receive actually prepares them for the jobs of the future.
  • Education is the most important thing that we should invest in, but not old school - an education system that was developed 100 years ago, but a new one, which drive innovation, creativity, thinking outside the box and ART, lots of it.

    today if a person is thinking outside the box he is not good, and education try to fit him in the box, killing the creativity.

    When talking about education i cannot help but listen again to the amazing ted session by sir ken robinson of schools kill creativity http://www.ted.com/talks/ken_robinson_says_scho...

    Faith you are my hope for a better world :)
  • Our community just decided to close another grade school and cut many sports and fine arts programs (sometimes the only activities that hold any interest for kids in the school system.) Just like our economy, our school systems may be in need of a fundamental paradigm shift.

    Please post more as your thoughts develop.
  • Chris -

    our education models are definitely based on education for a lifestyle and workstyle that is quickly changing. The challenge is to adopt some new or forward-thinking ideas (think of the model of the venture capitalist, trying to find the ideas that will make back 10x his money) while retaining the aspects of current education and pedagogy that work (and have worked for decades.)

    I think three items are critical to the success of this future venture:
    1) writing skills -- children (and adults) need to be able to express themselves for their radical and non-radical ideas to be heard;
    2) resiliency -- people need to be taught how to fail and rebound, so that they place less emotion in their failures and place more effort into succeeding 80% of the time;
    3) critical thinking, esp. with regards to "new" media -- it's getting harder and harder to determine what's authentic out there -- we need to teach people to triangulate their sources and use new tools to confirm that you're seeing what you think you're seeing.

    Kids can start building these skills today by building personal networks, using these trusted networks as sources of information and innovation, and learning how to separate information wheat from chaff.

    Thanks,

    Greg
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