Changing the Mechanics of Education to Focus on Learning
There is education and then there is learning. The former should lead to the other, but it doesn’t always. Yet the latter does not need the former to exist.
Let’s say the goal is to learn (actually, there are higher order goals than that, but let’s start there). There are different ways to approach this and how it can be governed.
Earlier this year I finished my masters in Instructional & Performance Technologies. One of the classes I took was on motivation. I came out and told the professor and the class what most people feel. “My motivation behind studying is to get a good grade and get a diploma, it is not to learn. If learning was the main part, I would start the class and go in a totally opposite direction – or I might stop and study something much more in depth because it strikes a cord with me. But I can’t. So in a way, this formal education is hampering my learning and passion. I understand that there must me metrics to show I have learned so I can obtain the degree. But I pay for education with money, I pay for learning with time, effort and excitement.” The professor fully understood and agreed (thankfully).
Ever since then, and after reading Macro Wikinomics I have some up with the beginnings of a new higher educational system – one that mentors and helps fan the flame of discovery and at the same time rewards those who apply themselves and learn. Soon I will go into the details, but not in this post.
This infographic from OnlineEducation.net shows this sway. How we learn and teach is broadening. Will formal education be able to keep up? From the experiences I have had, if they intend to keep up, they better get going because they have a long way to go. But I really hope they do.
(Click to see higher res version.)