Society/Culture Changing Education

[GreyCrow]

I was given a link to some youtube content by Sir Ken Robinson about Education and the need/hope to make changes. Schools follow an outdated model (industrial) and the gap between what is considered the standard is growing.





'Being British/American/Australian means driving a German car stopping off for a Chinese meal drinking an imported beer sitting on Swedish furniture watching American shows on your Japanese tv - the only thing British/Australian is the suspicion of anything foreign'

There is a feeling of disengagement in the education process which leads to further disengagement in life.

Some comments 'Modern education: Creating people who are smart enough to accurately repeat what they're told and follow orders, and dumb enough to think this makes them smarter than everyone else.'

'I hope that people don't misunderstand this video. It's not that school isn't important. It obviously is. However, creativity is not something you learn through typical education. Art is more about experience than it is about knowledge. That being said, knowledge is still very important.'

Now I havent followed the education system for a little while and I did ok to middling but do admit to being bored at times. This is not about me and its not saying blow the whole system up but maybe we need to question it. Maybe just maybe we might have green flowers and red leaves



tl;dr : the education system should lose the idea of system

 

[ShanDog]

Have you looked into the theories that underpin Australian education? In SA, the curriculum is build on a constructivist approach. If done correctly (and that's a big IF), the outcomes aren't just repeating facts and figures.

 

[GreyCrow]

Have you looked into the theories that underpin Australian education? In SA, the curriculum is build on a constructivist approach. If done correctly (and that's a big IF), the outcomes aren't just repeating facts and figures.

No I haven't and this is what I hope this thread can bring. Different ideas and ways that are done now and could be done better/differently.

 

[undefined]

The Government should push towards a widespread International Baccalaureate rollout in schools.

 

[ShanDog]

No I haven't and this is what I hope this thread can bring. Different ideas and ways that are done now and could be done better/differently.

It's worth looking into if you are interested. A lot of teachers have their own philosophy for teaching which may not be constructivist in nature (though as I said, the curriculum is supposed to be taught in that way AFAIK). I think constructivism has some very valuable ideas while perhaps thinking a little more control is needed. I'll soon find out if I am right when I finish my masters and start teaching.

 

[parsons nose]

How about a collabrorative approach involving all stakeholders?

 

[HairyO]

How about a collabrorative approach involving all stakeholders?

How about everyone but teacher unions.

 

[ShanDog]

How about a collabrorative approach involving all stakeholders?

What would that look like?

 

[Gough]

It's not just what is taught but how it's taught that also interests me. I was taught largely in the same manner as my parents and grandparents, I had a calculator instead of a slide rule and log book, and we had a room with a dozen or so computers but the principles largely remained the same. The internet and even more lately smartphones must have been a total game changer in the way that things are taught these days. Most kids having the sum total of the worlds knowledge, along with an awful lot of misinformation at their fingertips 24/7 must create an interesting challenge for modern teachers as well.

 

[GreyCrow]

''How do we educate our children to take their place in the economies of the 21st century'' is one of the screen shots from the 1st video. When I went to school SA had a strong manufacturing hub ( as did most other states) so a job at Chrysler/Mitsubishi or Holdens or the associated service industries for those businesses ie ROH etc was the path.

So the school model was set up for that process and as noted by Gough This is the same model as 100 years ago

So what changes for the child who will leave school this year and retire in 2065? What industries and how do we manage that to ensure the students of today are ready for tomorrow

 

[RupieDupie]

There was a bit of discussion not too long ago in Australian politics about fee deregulation at University, the US system is very attractive to Australian universities because, Munny! Yet interestingly, education is freely available on the internet (at some levels and at a theoretical level (discounting what is currently possible and will soon be possible in virtual reality)). For example, a person can actually do an MIT maths course online (Youtube videos, exercises etc) with only an internet connection and self motivation, this of course does not lead to a piece of paper, but even without the piece of paper the person could still demonstrate the competencies required at a fraction of the cost.

Which is a segue to get to the point Gough was making.

 

[parsons nose]

What would that look like?

Finland

 

[ShanDog]

Finland

Ok, but in terms of details for those of us too lazy to investigate...

 

[ShanDog]

It's not just what is taught but how it's taught that also interests me. I was taught largely in the same manner as my parents and grandparents, I had a calculator instead of a slide rule and log book, and we had a room with a dozen or so computers but the principles largely remained the same. The internet and even more lately smartphones must have been a total game changer in the way that things are taught these days. Most kids having the sum total of the worlds knowledge, along with an awful lot of misinformation at their fingertips 24/7 must create an interesting challenge for modern teachers as well.

This is exactly what I look forward to in about 18 months when I start teaching - getting kids to learn how to self motivate and discover. Given how horribly bland our history classes were in school, I also can't wait to make use of the vast IT resources available now to make it come alive and give meaning to a subject that can be hard to connect with.

 

[parsons nose]

Ok, but in terms of details for those of us too lazy to investigate...

Some of the features of the Finnish model include;

Shorter classroom hours for students

Minimal homework

Fewer student contact hours for teachers, with more dedicated time to class preparation

Sample based testing as opposed to a national based testing regime

Curriculum focus on critical thinking and project based learning

Learning activities that integrate disciplines

Free education training for teachers, including masters and doctoral studies

Teaching regarded as an esteemed profession, resulting in competitive marketplace for graduate teachers.

Good luck with your studies SD!!

 

[Lethality]

Nothing seems to be getting done about the gap between male and female education outcomes. A good way to improve education would be to close that gap.

 

[ShanDog]

Nothing seems to be getting done about the gap between male and female education outcomes. A good way to improve education would be to close that gap.

That issue might be measurable in education results but it certainly doesn't start there. It's from the home and therefore a social issue.

 

[Roylion]

Nothing seems to be getting done about the gap between male and female education outcomes.

Could you elaborate on nature of that 'gap' and at what level it occurs? In Victoria in 2016, the average outcomes for female students completing secondary education was higher than for male students.

 

[katana]

Nothing seems to be getting done about the gap between male and female education outcomes. A good way to improve education would be to close that gap.

girls go to university at higher percentages, and score better in year 12. i'd agree with you that the education system seems to be skewed towards the female learning style (whatever that is).

 

[Lethality]

Could you elaborate on nature of that 'gap' and at what level it occurs? In Victoria in 2016, the average outcomes for female students completing secondary education was higher than for male students.

Sounds like you assumed the gap I was referring to had to be in favour of males. You just mentioned one of the big gaps.

 

[Roylion]

Sounds like you assumed the gap I was referring to had to be in favour of males. You just mentioned one of the big gaps.

I'll ask again. Could you elaborate on nature of that 'gap' and at what level it occurs?

 

[Lethality]

I'll ask again. Could you elaborate on nature of that 'gap' and at what level it occurs?

You just referred to it.

 

[Roylion]

You just referred to it.

I work in education and have done so for quite a few years.. So perhaps you could elaborate on the nature of that 'big' gap. For example while in Victoria in 2016 the average outcomes for female students completing secondary education was higher than for male students, at the same time more male students were achieving elite results. For example, of the 35 best students in the state at year 12 level in 2016, 24 were boys and 11 were girls.

So I'd like to read your considered opinion and elaboration on the subject. Seeing you raised it after all.

 

[GreyCrow]

I work in education and have done so for quite a few years.. So perhaps you could elaborate on the nature of that 'big' gap. For example while in Victoria in 2016 the average outcomes for female students completing secondary education was higher than for male students, at the same time more male students were achieving elite results. For example, of the 35 best students in the state at year 12 level in 2016, 24 were boys and 11 were girls.

So I'd like to read your considered opinion and elaboration on the subject. Seeing you raised it after all.

Are there still gender gaps in certain subjects for Tertiary Education? ie Engineering against females and Nursing against males . I recall seeing studies along the lines of gender bias (some overt and some inadvertant) when females get to year 10 and the pathways being changed. Or at least they are made to feel that other subjects are better choices

Link 1 Males graded better at maths

New research has found some teachers mark boys’ primary (elementary) school maths tests more favourably than girls, impacting girls’ uptake of advanced mathematics and science subjects in high school. Entrance rates into maths and science degrees at university level can also be traced back to the impacts of teachers’ gender bias in primary school.

US study 2010

Women have made tremendous progress in education and the workplace during the past 50 years. Even in historically male fields such as business, law, and medicine, women have made impressive gains. In scientific areas, however, women’s educational gains have been less dramatic, and their progress in the workplace still slower. In an era when women are increasingly prominent in medicine, law, and business, why are so few women becoming scientists and engineers? This study tackles this puzzling question and presents a picture of what we know—and what is still to be understood—about girls and women in scientific fields. The report focuses on practical ways that families, schools, and communities can create an environment of encouragement that can disrupt negative stereotypes about women’s capacity in these demanding fields.

 

[Lethality]

I work in education and have done so for quite a few years.. So perhaps you could elaborate on the nature of that 'big' gap. For example while in Victoria in 2016 the average outcomes for female students completing secondary education was higher than for male students, at the same time more male students were achieving elite results. For example, of the 35 best students in the state at year 12 level in 2016, 24 were boys and 11 were girls.

So I'd like to read your considered opinion and elaboration on the subject. Seeing you raised it after all.

The elite results gap is closing, as the top 10% gap has been doing, both being gaps where females are or were behind. The biggest gaps would be in completion rates, or average grades, and this continues into university with higher female completion rates and grades.

It would be nice if there was some awareness and recognition of it as a problem.

There have also been attempts to address the gap in female employment seniority in science for example, despite the fact that the education gap will eventually address it when the relevant generation comes of age. So this potentially exacerbates the ramifications of the existing education gap down the track, probably due to lack of awareness or recognition.