Education Rambler

In a recent post on his blog, Rick Weinberg cited an article from 2000 regarding a future vision (ironically it’s seven years later, and the vision has not come to fruition) for education as a result of technology.  Rick’s post focused mainly on empathy as a 21st Century skill.  Something that jumped out to me in the article was in the second introductory paragraph:

The computer will allow the creation of “learn by doing” courses designed by the best and the brightest experts in any given field. Quality universities will put their names on these courses, and companies will create them, guaranteeing employment to those who pass them. This will create tremendous change for everyone involved in the education system.

The notion of a “learn by doing” course struck me as the type of real-world, hands-on learning that I think is so critical for 21st Century students.  It made me think of the cookie cutter lessons that are available in the teacher manuals of so many text book series.  I’ve always felt that the cookie cutter lesson is a quick way for classrooms to become less lively and creative, but what I dislike most about many of them is the lack of hands-on, real-world learning.  This lead me to a new question: If cookie cutter lessons are a comfortable tool for lessons that don’t incorporate real-world learning, could modules be developed for teachers to encourage more real-world learning?

Of course as I write it and think it, I see an immediate flaw in my thinking.  For one, the real world isn’t planned, so trying to script a real-world experience isn’t as easy as being able to write up a scripted lesson for teaching letter-sound correspondance.  My idea comes from the idea that expecting people to jump head first into the strange new land of 21st Century learning may not be as realistic an expection as luring them in slowing with well-crafted, planned out learning experiences.  I know this loses the open-ended beauty of real-world learning, but perhaps it’s a step in the right direction.

What excites me the most about the article is Roger C. Schank’s prediction about the role of teachers:

Not only will teachers act much more as social workers or guidance counselors in the future, they will also lead courses that explicitly focus on developing social and interpersonal skills. In many ways these courses will resemble the kinds of programs provided by Outward Bound. The teacher will be an advisor to the team, or a guide on an expedition. Right now teachers are authority figures. Once teachers move out of that role, they will eliminate a roadblock that prevents them from connecting with the students who need the most guidance.

What’s most exciting about this notion is that I’ve seen it happen, and it seems to be working.  This very idea–along with a foundation of real-world learning–is already in effect at the Met School in Providence, Rhode Island.  In a visit this spring, I (along with about 50 educators from our region) witnessed students engaged in real-world learning that wasn’t dictated, but guided by their teachers and the individual interests and passions of the students.  Students were not taught in traditional classrooms, but while engaged in internships and real-world projects.

Whether real-world learning happens exclusively via online learning (which–come on–would not be real-world), or simply uses technology as a vehicle for communication and efficiency, we need to get away from assembly line education.  The idea that every brain needs to contain the same list of facts and figures when it leaves high school ignores indviduality, diversity, and specialization.

Now, back to cookie cutters…

For me, I know what my “end in mind” is for education.  I just wonder if a complete overhaul is as real-world as rehabilitating a system by providing 21st Century standards and 21st Century standard-aligned lessons for teachers in a system that has been built around content standards.

Remember, I’m just wondering… so I’d love to hear where you think we should start.

This entry was posted on August 22, 2007 at 6:57 pm and is filed under Learning, Technology. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.