Today, we are taught facts, methods, and other information. We, as students, are expected to memorize this information and then apply it. If you’re lucky (private school or a good teacher), there might be a little more hands on approach. Through out our high school careers we are taught to memorize and then apply. This is preparing us for college, when what we are taught is actually important to do our jobs for the rest of our lives.
Lets clear up something. I am not saying that we shouldn’t be taught the subjects that we are taught in school. We need to be taught how to write, do math, etc. And we should be interested in learning anything we can be taught. But, my friends and I fail to see where some of these skills are going to be useful in life, if we do not necessarily become scientists, move to a foreign country, or become an engineer.
So here is what I am proposing. The way classes are taught should be split into three sections: Teaching of Information and Methods, Thinking, Discussing, and Re-working, and then Producing Content and Spreading your Knowledge to others. In more detail below.
Teaching of Information and Methods
This is what you think of when you think of school. Textbooks, sitting behind desks, taking notes, and being sent home to memorize the information, only to come back and take a test. This is necessary for the next two parts.
Thinking, Discussing, and Re-working
Talking about what you learned. Focusing on current events and news. And looking to the future. This part could have a little unconference feel to it.
Producing Content and Spreading your Knowledge to others.
This is the part that the internet enables. Creating videos, podcasts, blog posts is at the heart of this part of the class. Being able to publish books through LuLu. This allows students to spread knowledge that was learned in the first part and the new ideas that were generated in the second part.
I just read A Whole New Mind this week. It says that we are moving into a conceptual revolution that is moving away from the knowledge working and towards a creative mind. That is correct. We are talking about the knowledge worker that our education system is built to create. We need to change how classes work and how our students are taught.
As a result of this blog I will become a different type of learner. I hope my blog will allow me to have a conversation (blog comments) about my ideas and thoughts (blog posts). This type of learning is not based on facts, but rather on improving and growing ideas in a collaborative manner.
(The preceding was a response to a challenge by Christian from think:lab. He has written some amazing things about me and I would like to thank him for everything)
Well, well, well, Ethan…you have have more than met the spirit and letter of the challenge I offered. Best of all, your response works as a coherent path and argument of its own…even without the final caveat/context. In other words, if you have never explained the parenthetical ‘challenge’, it’d have worked very well on its own — that says a lot).
This says much about your instincts, writing tone, and ability to create a sphere of talking points. Glad that you’ve already managed to inhale Pink. While it’s light on hard research, it certainly does provoke some intriguing take-away’s. A good spark for conversation and idea framing.
And I have to say that you offer a fine 3-layered strategy for learning, making use of traditional school while equally embracing the larger social networking (et al) opportunities afoot these days. And left room for interpretation and customization. Very nicely presented.
The only (at first glance, of course) element missing from the aforemetioned list you presented is the ‘original buy-in’ by the learners themselves. While level one is reasonable, it also denotes that the “future of learning” will always require a system, a teacher, an expert to tell you where to start. Potentially, the opportunity for all of us lies not in being told where ’start’ is, but in walking in the door as a student with a driving question of your own (or an ‘essential question’ as Ted Sizer may offer) that then allows the learning mentor to position your foundation research (step one, as you offered).
Imagine if school was premised on the learner arriving with a question, a passion, a compass heading of their own…and then the instructor or guide helped them start at the beginning with skill development to allow them to ‘get there’. Consider martial arts, for instance. A student walks in the door of a dojo with a goal in mind. The instructor or sensei accepts that vision. And he/she then begins to put the student through foundation skill set development until they are able to progress through the various levels. At a certain point — often black belt — the instructor essentially asks the student where they are headed now. The previous skills are suddenly reversed, begun anew, used in ways the student never imagined. But the end goal? The vision? Still within the realm of possibility. But the skills and steps and re-framing of skills requires wisdom and experience and a skilled guide. But the ultimate vision? That is always the students. The teacher/sensei, merely allows them to be in a position to accept the future they are moving towards. But ultimate application and the underlying drive remain the students.
One could argue that this is also true in formal schooling. But what is missing is the student’s initial question, drive, vision…because they learn early on that simply ‘doing school’ is the point.
This is not fact. This is merely a premise. For what it is worth, I offer it up in appreciation for the good work that you did. And the conversation you’ve sparked at “think:lab” and well beyond! (Not bad for a 16 year old kid — he smiles).
Enjoy Thanksgiving. And well done!
Cheers,
Christian
Great response, Ethan. As it turns out I am a high school teacher who is part of a school book club and we are in the midst of reading “A Whole New Mind”. I plan on sharing your thoughts with the group.
Excellent post, Ethan. I’ve been following your story through Christian Long, and been waiting for it to go public before commenting here.
I like the way that you’ve framed the three parts of education, but I disagree with your prerequisite, “Information & Methods”. I would suggest that this could be an integrated part of the other two components, and not separate. This is what Kieran Egan, in “The Educated Mind”, calls grist for the cognitive mill. It doesn’t really matter what subject you take, as long as the gears are working.
Keep up the good work and I hope that you continue to enjoy learning :-)
This is very honest and truthful. If this where to come about, I think the world of eucation would be far easier. However, I still have some questions. How would you bring this type of change about? What can students like you and me do to create change? I look forward to hearing about more great content from you.
Thanks everyone for your comments and for following my story through think:lab.
“Growing ideas in a collaborative manner”, very well said Ethan. That’s exactly the same thing I’m trying to do as a high school principal in a traditionally structured public school. I’m trying to read others ideas, infuse my own thoughts, and figure out a better way. VERY glad to see a high school student entering the ongoing conversations in the edusphere in a thoughtful, provocative way. I’m anxious to see what we can learn.