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posted by CoolHand on Monday August 24 2015, @01:33PM   Printer-friendly
from the who'd-a-thunk-it dept.

Access to a world of infinite information has changed how we communicate, process information, and think. Decentralized systems have proven to be more productive and agile than rigid, top-down ones. Innovation, creativity, and independent thinking are increasingly crucial to the global economy.

And yet the dominant model of public education is still fundamentally rooted in the industrial revolution that spawned it, when workplaces valued punctuality, regularity, attention, and silence above all else. (In 1899, William T. Harris, the US commissioner of education, celebrated the fact that US schools had developed the "appearance of a machine," one that teaches the student "to behave in an orderly manner, to stay in his own place, and not get in the way of others.") We don't openly profess those values nowadays, but our educational system—which routinely tests kids on their ability to recall information and demonstrate mastery of a narrow set of skills—doubles down on the view that students are material to be processed, programmed, and quality-tested. School administrators prepare curriculum standards and "pacing guides" that tell teachers what to teach each day. Legions of managers supervise everything that happens in the classroom; in 2010 only 50 percent of public school staff members in the US were teachers.
...
That's why a new breed of educators, inspired by everything from the Internet to evolutionary psychology, neuroscience, and AI, are inventing radical new ways for children to learn, grow, and thrive. To them, knowledge isn't a commodity that's delivered from teacher to student but something that emerges from the students' own curiosity-fueled exploration. Teachers provide prompts, not answers, and then they step aside so students can teach themselves and one another. They are creating ways for children to discover their passion—and uncovering a generation of geniuses in the process.

Good, long article on how education could be reinvented for the 21st century.


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  • (Score: 1) by jcm on Monday August 24 2015, @04:08PM

    by jcm (4110) on Monday August 24 2015, @04:08PM (#227082)

    As an anonymous said, what is the best system ?

    Perhaps Singapore and Hong Kong are the best places for education, but I doubt they are the best places for students, since there is incredible pressure to succeed.
    Failure is not an option, thus people always try to game the system.

    Your ranking is based only upon mathematics and science.
    This may be useful for nurturing future mathematics and science researchers, but you have to realize the drawbacks of the system:

    1) this encourages people having talent and passion in maths and science.
    This means that all jobs not related to maths and science are shitty. Frankly, we need people to do manual jobs, like plumbers or farmers
    2) only the top elite will be able to live from their talent, since only a few places are available each year in their country (I'm aware of that since I'm in France).
    A lot of programmers I met came from other science branches, because they couldn't get a job.

    What we need is people enough educated. All the talented students should be able to pursue their passion in elite schools, but they are only a few.

    Perhaps you believe that working with computers is the best job in the world, but I can assure you that it's only your own point-of-view.
    If more programmers appear in the computing field, the level will decrease a lot, and the pay too.

  • (Score: 3, Informative) by Runaway1956 on Monday August 24 2015, @04:45PM

    by Runaway1956 (2926) Subscriber Badge on Monday August 24 2015, @04:45PM (#227101) Journal

    Good response - despite the fact that you've pegged me wrong.

    In an earlier post, I made mention of Vo-Tech schools. In 1972, I had the opportunity to attend Vo-Tech. It seemed pretty attractive at the time - learn welding, among other things, and upon graduation, I could walk out the doors, into a nice paying job. Three years of high school, actually preparing for a career in a field that actually existed, right in my home town, just down the road.

    I chose to continue with the more academic studies - chemistry, biology, etc.

    In the years since, I believe that all Vo-Tech schools have disappeared. Or, rather, those that exist are "college" level, or community college. High school students aren't permitted to play with fire, or knives, or screwdrivers, or anything that might conceivably cause an injurty today.

    The funny thing about Vo-Tech students? The majority of them seemed to be near my own level of literacy. They understood geometry, algebra, and most certainly had mastered basic maths. The real failures were those students who shared the same school hallways that I used, in the main public schools. They knew they weren't going to college, and they just gave up. They didn't have any hopes and dreams for the future, so they had no need to study.

    No, I am certainly NOT any better than those kids who study traditional crafts and trades. But, that doesn't change the fact that our schools are failing today. They are failing the less talented, just as much as they are failing the very talented.

    • (Score: 2, Informative) by plogerjb on Tuesday August 25 2015, @12:15AM

      by plogerjb (5744) <plogerjbNO@SPAMgmail.com> on Tuesday August 25 2015, @12:15AM (#227303)

      I attended Vo Tech for Computer Networking, which as a two year program prepared me completely for CCNA testing as well as a lot of other computer related tasks. That said, my teacher tried to skip me a year, but the school wouldn't have it. Gotta go through the rigors like everyone else.

      I did get to see a good bit of what went on in other areas (photography/media design/etc, welding, HVAC, electrical, plumbing, CAD, nursing, dentistry, and much more. I do believe there was practical knowledge learned. All of us got to use equipment and learn hands on. I had a very exceptional teacher, so we got away with as much hands on as Computer Networking allowed, including running new cables in the building and working with outside companies to perform community service weekly to help those in need with computer related issues.

      Do I think everyone had the same opportunity? No. Did I choose the right program? Who knows, I do tons of computer work still but do automotive work by trade because I enjoy it and I'm paid quite handsomely. That said, I think the exposure and even attempting to involve students with more than just "group activities" is a great thing. I loved the program, and think it's a wonderful thing. I'm rather disappointed this isn't a universal experience.

      If you want practical people capable of exercising the knowledge they do possess, you have to let them try practical things (AND mess up!)

      --
      I believe in doing the right thing as well as being fair. Sometimes these don't go hand in hand.
    • (Score: 3, Informative) by urza9814 on Tuesday August 25 2015, @02:48PM

      by urza9814 (3954) on Tuesday August 25 2015, @02:48PM (#227614) Journal

      In the years since, I believe that all Vo-Tech schools have disappeared. Or, rather, those that exist are "college" level, or community college. High school students aren't permitted to play with fire, or knives, or screwdrivers, or anything that might conceivably cause an injurty today.

      Last I heard my old highschool still had them (I only graduated in 2008, so it wasn't *that* long ago); and I certainly don't expect they've eliminated them since. It's always been a fairly popular program. They had welding, networking, cosmetology, culinary, automotive, and a few others I don't remember at the moment. I know my currently girlfriend, who grew up in Vermont (I was in Pennsylvania) attending a similar program in her highschool so quite a few such programs definitely do still exist.

      I went the other route though and took some classes at the local university. Which was pretty worthless to be honest -- how many times can you take introduction to OOP and still learn something? The assembly class was decent, but still easier than my highschool programming classes...the university has a decent reputation for other fields, but they're not much for comp sci. Credits didn't even transfer. It was fun though! :)