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Fulfilling Dreams: It Takes A Model

4/5/2012

1 Comment

 
I recently read a great online paper by Seth Godin called “Stop Stealing Dreams” at http://www.squidoo.com/stop-stealing-dreams. You should download his manifesto when you get a chance. It is not only one of the better descriptions of the problem with our educational system; it provides links to all of the other key books and resources on this topic as well.

The reason I particularity like this paper is because it starts with a basic question: “what is school for?” He also touches on the needs of the Industrial Age versus where we are now, and strikes at the heart of learning with his insightful view of “doubt and certainty.” Readers of The Explanation Age will recognize this as the foundational element of all reason, which is the balance we make between questions from curiosity versus questions from conviction.

It now seems abundantly clear to all that our institutions are broken at the “model” level. My hope is that we now turn our attention to fulfilling on the mission ahead. We have enough publications that point out the problem, and now have ample awareness that the problem is at the “model” level. It is time to start focusing on the publications that provide alternative models of learning, for education as well as business innovation. I respectfully submit “The Explanation Age.”
1 Comment
Jim Butt link
4/11/2013 06:15:58 am

I'm lucky. I sit on a school board and we talk about these issues with a sense of realism that few get to have. I like technology, but it's mostly good for a relatively narrow area of learning (facts, known tools, and documented processes). It doesn't teach reflection, collaboration, teamwork, critical thinking, interpersonal communication, conflict management (the real in-your-face kind), etc. -- the real human junk we're all made of. Those ideas have to be discussed and an appropriate guide must walk students through the concepts, then let them play with each idea in a safe, structured way. I would argue that we are teaching the wrong things in our schools by focusing ANY effort on stuff that can be learned online. The ONLY stuff we should teach is how to break down and work through problems, do research, analyze, collaborate, and communicate effectively. The basis for that teaching might be around the tacit, fact-based skills, but only tangentially. We will not achieve the next level of intellectual or economic development if we stay rooted in fact-based learning models.

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