Thursday, December 23, 2010
Education with SOLE
Our new show is up and running. In it, we discuss Sugata Mitra's TED talk, which focuses on self organized teaching situations. The episode, which is called Education with SOLE, also includes a new segment at the very end called "Mark's Minute"...make sure to stick around for that.
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Maybe it should be Mark's Disjointed Minute! I myself cannot wait. I enjoyed the podcast a lot tonight except of course for the obvious attack launched by another kid that we need not go into. I never thought I would come out as such a strong supporter for a piece brought by Simon. After the video I scrolled down the list of other TED videos that were available. One was entitled something to the effect of Do Schools Stifle Creativity? I think this may fit into our discussion tonight. Whether removing the teacher is the answer or not, I think we would agree that learning environments must support creativity rather than stifle it. Well I am not sure where Pat would actually stand on this but I am going to guess he would fall in with the majority. I think the methods that Sugata Mitra discussed tonight really showed the power that a creative, individualized learning experience can provide.
ReplyDeleteHey Danny, it was originally titled "Do Schools Kill Creativity?" by Sir Ken Robinson but at some point TED.com retitled it to "Ken Robinson says schools kill creativity", perhaps a more direct and marketable title. I've had it on my website as a highlighted video in my resource section since seeing it in 2006 (http://mininggems.org/mininggemsnew/resource2.php). Robinson and Mitra definitely rattle some traditions.
ReplyDeleteDisjointed? Come on... :-) I can't wait to see if Patrick uses the whole audio or rearranged it such that I claim Ringo is the devil.
110% Danny! Your momma is so big...
ReplyDeleteThe SOLE project simply reinforces my own belief that there is so much untapped human potential that is masked by many of our current educational practices. The essential aspect of the project wasn't the technology involved. It was how the human relationships were altered - such as peer and grandmother interactions. The technology, as it was used, allowed for major alterations in human interactions.
A great educator (Dwight Allen) once told me, "...learning involves only three things: getting the brain's attention, feedback, and encouragement." In the SOLE project, Sugata Mitra achieves all three, it seems, in a non-traditional context. As Simon alluded to, when most people think of education four walls and a ceiling are imagined. Perhaps rows of seats and a front desk for the teacher is imagined as well. With this view, innovation comes afterwards in bits and pieces. Sugata Mitra's contribution is to reconsider education from the very first image that comes to mind.
Oh, Patrick --- the blog is the official Mining Gems Blog but it's address is currently...http://marksalata.blogspot.com
The Multi-Tasking posting is at...
http://marksalata.blogspot.com/2010/12/multi-tasking-myth-where-is-balance.html
I wonder if the Kids will spend more than a minute responding while they multi-task.
Are you saying that my post is outdated or you have just been in the know since 2006. Maybe you are just alluding to the timeless discussion of how to foster creativity in schools. Either way I get it...we need a link to your blogs to get some cross-blog mogination. But the name has to be changed. While I would love to promote Mining Gems (where I used to have my picture included at least), I will not promote a marksalata.
ReplyDeleteIn regards to multitasking, sorry I am writing this post while talking to my daughter, tapping my feet, and enjoying some wonderful Christmas music, it is difficult for me to respond when the argument starts with the research says. Easy on quoting, or actually not really quoting at all, research. Research is always a two sided coin and where there is one argument there is always another. But to say that multitasking is not a skill, we first need to define the term. I multitask therefore I am!!! I thought I would include some other research for you to ponder. I am sure you and the other kids who rely so heavily on peer reviewed, expert opinion (blah biddy blue) as their sole source of information might find objection but I post it all the same for those of us who would rely more on the peer review of all those non-published experts - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_multitasking
Since I can effectively multitask (just don't ask my wife), I thought I would bring an additional resource into the discussion. I mentioned in the show that I thought growth over time would be a better way to evaluate student success, and I came across an LA Times article that discusses the kinds of issues involved. Take a look: http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-teachers-value-20100815,0,2695044.story
ReplyDeleteLet me check it out. Even though the thought of following a model from LA is frightening. I think they have had a great deal of teacher protests over this very thing. I am not sure if we will ever be able to equitably tie student growth to teachers. I mean we have a hard enough time in education research just identifying which variables or which programs have had an effect. Just too many variables come into play that affect a child's learning. Not saying we shouldn't try but we shouldn't crucify those on the front lines, those 99% who are giving their all each day because someone decided that our nation's schools are at risk. Maybe we are at risk, but I would challenge anyone to go to a village in Africa and say we are at risk.
ReplyDeleteThis brings me to my true rant here. I returned to the SOLE presentation and I think we overlooked one key point. When he opens the presentation, Mr. Mitra really begins by saying there are places in the world where teachers do not want to teach and these areas are where we have huge problems later in life. These are the areas where we are in most need of skilled "authoritarians". So here is a model that provides a vehicle to educate children who may never be able to attend a school or see a teacher. This is a true attempt to do something and guess what it seems to have an impact.
I can see us all now sitting around saying - Well this is flawed and that is flawed about his study or his experiment. I want to say that this is someone who is at least trying to scale things up. Providing resources where we have none. If anything, this is the type of effort that we need. If we can have one laptop per child, assuredly we can have 3 laptops with a broadband connection in every village. Imagine what could happen.
Hey Kids,
ReplyDeleteGood to see so much posting. Danny, I'll put your photo back on the website once you can get away from the boondocks to do some PD ;-). I don't want to scare my one follower away so easily. As far as the multi-tasking reference in "Mark's Minute", I am not going to reference research (formal or informal) in detail in my minute. My blog has more links and even video about the topic. Check it out and then I'd love to read your thoughts on it.
As far as the marksalata blogspot name, I am working on it ;-) - to transform it to www.mininggemsblog.org. I'll tell you when it's been changed.
Do I get an extra credit for mentioning Dwight on this blog first?
I agree with your thoughts on SOLE and his effort to change the educational opportunities (mostly from very little to something with vast potential) in the villages. Where's the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation when you need it?
Danny (a.k.a. The Intrepid Kid?... who knew!) recently invited me to follow this blog and I just listened to this podcast then viewed the TED talk. Not the best order, but I assumed the TED talk would be summarized in the podcast. Wrong... but I was able to follow the discussion (however not without difficulty). A couple of points came to mind that weren't mentioned in the podcast.
ReplyDeleteThe TED talk started with Dr. Mitra providing the motivation for his work as the lack of qualified teachers in remote/underdeveloped parts of the world, and then the work seemed to got a life of its own as he was intrigued by what children accomplished without supervision or guidance when they have access to the internet and computers. The ingenuity of children (or for that matter any person who does not perceive limitations in what they can do) in using a tool to solve a problem should not be a surprise. In this case, the tool is a computer which as a window to information is without peer, and with interfaces that are intuitive (point-and-click) and search/translate engines this tool can be mastered very quickly (BTW, when I first used computers you had to punch cards, so I don't take this for granted!). So how do I interpret what Dr. Mitra presented? I view it as he provided a very functional tool to children that they did not have access to before, and the novelty and coolness of it kept their interest so that they mastered it and could use it to discover facts. The gratification of getting results (both correct and incorrect through trial and error) almost instantaneously is also a great reinforcement. So what I believe has been "proved" is that this technology can be used in a somewhat guided way to help students learn specific facts (i.e., a traditional school lesson), and to learn how to use computer to find out facts in general.
What is missing?
1) Critical thinking is essential to learning and I don't think this is taucht unless you have feedback from another person. Maybe working in groups as mentioned in the TED talk helps, but I would not like to depend on peers who know as little as I do to replace a good teacher who knows how to develop this quality.
2) Inclination to learning is essential. Starting with young children makes it much easier. My son taught in a HS for a couple of years where the students were not interested in learning (and this is putting it very mildly), and in fact were very disruptive and disrepectful to other students and to the teachers.
3) There are aspects of education which are not immediately rewarding, but are essential building blocks. Things like reading, the times tables, spelling and grammer, and even memorization of prose and poetry. I know it sounds like the schoolmarm of a 1-room schoolhouse, and maybe it reflects my education, but I still see a need for these building blocks. Why? I like to think of them as doing "push ups" for the mind - giving it the strength and discipline necessary to accomplish (hopefully) great things. Can technology be used to teach these building blocks without losing the intrinsic value that learning them "the hard way" brings?
4) Can computers help teach creativity and innovation?... I won't even go into these here!
Enough from me for now... great that you care enough to spend your free time to delve into these issues!
Peace!