What's broken with (western) education?
I've been rolling around two questions: what is the real purpose of education, or the education system? And then, what is broken with it?
--- The above is the question I posed in Reddit earlier tonight, generating an interesting conversation IMO (linked below). I have been pondering how we can _really_ take what we have seen with MOOCs and transform education.
I'm going to keep my views to myself for the moment. There's a big opportunity to fix the system, but I was very privileged, having participated in experimental education programs that fostered STEM progressive and independent thinking. So I'll be bias.
What's HN's views on education? Can SV transform education really?
http://www.reddit.com/r/startups/comments/3734mh/serious_whats_broken_with_western_education/
10 comments
[ 3.3 ms ] story [ 34.8 ms ] threadYou're focusing on a solution, but you haven't said what problem that solution solves, or whether that problem is what should be focused on.
If we could all come to an agreement on its objectives, then a service / system / product / whatever could be shaped towards this.
"If we could all come to an agreement ..."
For something that touches everyone, and that people have widely different views and motivations, starting from that goal will likely fail. The trick is to come to some way of working that allows most people to benefit, or not be overly harmed, and be able to move forward productively. Like marriage and politics.
Some objectives that I've seen for education:
- So that citizens can read and understand propaganda.
- To prepare people for the 21st Century.
- To prepare people to understand "the news," so that they can make sensible choices in their days and in elections.
- To give them marketable skills, for jobs.
- To promote the state religion.
- To promote a particular religion.
- To promote "values." These values can be anything: tolerance, intolerance, discrimination, inclusiveness, being on the "right" side of gay marriage, etc.
This is why education is so important at an early age, we can get to people and shape their world view to the "right" way, so that they use Apple computers, smoke cigarettes, view gay marriage the "correct" way (which way is that again?), etc etc.
You will never get an agreement on objectives, we all hate each other too much. (If you don't believe that last, consider that insulting politically opposite people is about the last acceptable openly expressed prejudice, among all sides.)
Better to figure out how to move forward with a huge difference of opinions, and a huge variety of people. One way to do that is to ensure that there are plenty of options in education, so that one powerful group is not overly motivated to make education the same for everyone.
In serving up options in education (to overt concentration of power) - how would you consider a division? By subject matter? political ideals, all of the above?
Which brings us back to your original comment on MOOCs. (Disclosure: I have purposely still not read your linked Reddit thread.)
It looks like you believe MOOCs provide something worthwhile. Without asking why, I tend to agree with you. But rather than try to convince everyone that MOOCs are an essential part of some large strategy, work at a lower level, trying to ensure that MOOCs remain viable and that they grow in maturity. Just having MOOCs available to anyone who thinks that MOOCs will solve their particular issue is great.
You might work on MOOC infrastructure, or from the educational side, or you might just be a non-annoying advocate. :) Just making people aware of the existence and utility of MOOCs would be a very positive thing.
I used to want to change the world, but I've come to see that the world is already changing, constantly. Once in awhile someone comes along and tries to determine the direction of the world for everyone. That always ends in disaster.
Best if you try to make your little geographical or intellectual or moral patch of the world a better place. Lots of better patches are likely to result in a good world direction, whatever that is.
MOOC on, dude. :)
In my attempt to remain impartial in my opening I think I've come across too skeptical of the existing MOOCs (and by extension other tools). I really appreciate what MOOCs have done for us, and become (so far). They're awesome - and I'll always be an advocate. It's the first evolution in something special. I'm just impatient and want to see something more profound come from it :P
Other then that, I think you're right. We do have a chance to create a bit of a space aimed at bringing people together (for whatever they want to pursue). And looking at keeping the barrier to entry low. Your views have been invaluable! Thanks.
It's not surprising that now education is outrageously expensive and not of as high a quality as it previously was.
No, SV won't "solve" education. At most it will come up with some revolutionary degree mill concept.
This is dead wrong.
Learning is hard. Banging your head in desperation against a wall - repeatedly - without hope for relief - hard. You cry in despair, doing one exercise after the other. Until forever and ever - until - you get it.
And then you have achieved mastering the lesson. But only by working through exercises, thinking, reasoning about possible solutions, talking to your peers, taking a break, sweat and tears, failing, falling, getting yourself up and going again - going the hard way.
There is no easy way - Think Bruce Lee training kind of hard way.
Easy is for dumb computers - you know the type. simple instruction set. Execution of given command path - without thinking, no personality, no ingenuity, no soul required.
The way they teach math in schools, art, history, humanities and STEM. You just need to pass tests. Given command paths. To be executed flawlessly.
Understanding is not required, just obedience.
And that is what our education system is made for - obedient executors of society - sheeple.
Depriving a child of the opportunity of tackling a hard problem is the worst abuse you can do to a developing mind. By dumbing down the goals to achieve - nobody uses math in their real life, you are not gonna need it. History is gone - why bother. The meaning of a poem ? What would that be for ?
Another form of abuse is to abandon a failing student - certifying the failure as if it were the students fault, taking all the chances from a young life just because a test was not passed. Throwing away the hopes and opportunities which might have been realized if only there had been someone to help along the difficult path.
And that is something "turning education around" is not going to achieve - if the only thing that is going to change is that we do no longer employ a teacher per 30 students per hour but one recording of one teacher for all mankind once for all eternity.
The chance of online education, of transforming the way we learn is about community. Remember programming before stack overflow and google ? I do. I made a living from solving problems which are just one google away nowadays. (just glad that still nobody noticed yet... <eg>)
Learning should be fun, not easy - in a way like going on a raid with your clan- kind of fun and hard. There should be pride and recognition by your peers and families for achieving a goal - and the support to struggle with learning.
Like the MMORG players do. Actually, the point in developing a successful game is about balancing frustration and joy. That is what is needed for education.
But in most cases the failing of students is just due to the basics.
Having a meal when hungry basic.
Having security and safety in your life basic.
Having someone to confide in basic.
Having the opportunity to be allowed to sleep basic.
Having the feeling of being accepted, wanted, loved basic.
So how to transform education ?
Get the basics right.
Education is a basic human right and duty, not a personal investment into your future which is only for the rich.
challenge the students.
Make them work together.
Support and accompany them on their journey.
Be proud of the students achievements.
It takes an entire village to raise kids. (said to be an african proverb...)
(1) The children
(2) The parents
(3) The teachers
(4) The system
Supportive (and pushing) parents are HUGE in the educational development of a child. Ever wonder why asian-american and asian kids in general usually have a higher education? Because of their parents (and environment they grew up in).
It's just such a tricky system which is 'sick' at the root ..