"Real revolution is not only in schooling. It is in learning how to learn, in learning how to think, in learning new techniques that you can apply to any problem, any challenge, at any age."
Rethink the role of electronic communications in education
We live in the first era of human history where it is possible for everyone to communicate with everyone else (as long as they have a computer and phone line). It is also the first era in which children know more about the dominant technology than teachers or adults. The combination of Internet and computers is reshaping the world, even more than the printing press, radio, the car and TV have reshaped previous ones.
Countries are working towards connecting their citizens with an interactive electronic communications network. Singapore has plans to do this and has plans to provide a computer for every two children in school. Similarly, the UK government has its 'National Grid For Learning' policies which aim to connect every school to the Internet and to improve the access speeds to broadband (2Mbit +) levels. The UK government has also provided funding for training, for PCs for teachers and for the development of educational software and on-line teaching resources.
"But the first nation to fully capitalise on the explosion in digital communications, and link it with new learning techniques, could lead the world in education." (G. Dryden & J.Vos, The Learning Revolution, p93)
Learn computers and the Internet
"Technology is only 'technology' for those who were born before it was invented." (Alan Kay, in The Digital Economy by Don Tapscott)
Everyone should know how to operate a computer and use the Internet.
A dramatic improvement in parent education, especially for new parents
50% of a person's ability to learn is developed in the first 4 years of a person's life, another 30% by age 8. Home, not school, is most important institution for education.
A major overhaul of early childhood health services to avoid learning difficulties
Quality early childhood development programs for all
Since so much of learning ability is developed in the early years then early childhood development programmes should be the top priority. In the UK the drive in recent years has been to expand the numbers going to higher education (university) to 50% of the 18-30 age group; it may be that this drive is misplaced, the money misdirected.
Catch-up programs at every school
Define individual learning styles and intelligences and cater to each one
People learn in different ways, their personalities lead them to choose from various sources: print, pictures, sounds, touch and movement. Schools cater well for academic abilities such as linguistic and logico-mathematical intelligence (academic intelligences) but they may ignore the other types.
Learning how to learn, and how to think
Learning how brain works, information storage, memory, links to other concepts and how to seek out new knowledge when needed.
Redefine what should be taught at school
We learn: 10% of what we read, 20% of what we hear, 30% of what we see, 40% of what we see and hear, 70% of what we say and 90% of what we do.
"The world our kids are going to live in is changing four times faster than our schools." (Dr. W.Daggett, Address to Colorado school administrators, 1992)
There are four major curriculum camps:
Essentialism: pass on knowledge of an essential core of subjects (Plato' Republic, seven subjects for philosopher-kings, 4 for a sound education (music, astronomy, geometry and arithmetic), and 3 to provide methods for studying knowledge itself (grammar, rhetoric and philosophy/logic). This theory dominated Europe in Middle Ages and still dominates much of high-level British education today (the so-called 'liberal' education). This is linked with British class society and streaming of education.
Encyclopaedism: Much broader base and available to all. John Comenius introduced modern textbook in 1658, providing easier access to knowledge. Most European states still follow its principles.
Sensory-based Early Start: Aristotle: there is nothing in the intellect that doesn't exist first in the senses. Link sensory and childhood learning.
Pragmatic Child-Centred Movement: Starting in America and spreading to Britain and European countries: counter-trend of pragmatic or child-centred education. Herbert Spencer asked: What knowledge is of most worth?" Answer: "Knowledge which enables young people to tackle problems and prepares them to solve the problems they are likely to meet as adults in a democratic society". Progressive version: child-centred, curriculum to be planned to build on needs of individual child; alternative (radical?), e.g. Paulo Freire: main purpose of schools is to reconstruct society.
Common-sense Approach: Backlash against appalling results achieved in many American schools a new Cultural Literacy movement has emerged, sparked by Professor H.D.Hirsch Jr. (The Dictionary of Cultural Literacy or What Every American Needs to Know by H.D.Hirsch, J.F.Kett and J.Trefil)
Forget dogma, find out what works and combine it in an open-minded way. Everyone should leave school able to spell, do maths, music, etc. Also to be self-acting, self-learning, self-managers of their own future.
A 4-part curriculum with self-esteem and life-skills training as key components
Self-esteem and personal development ranks ahead of course-content.
Lifeskills training
Learning how to learn and how to think.
Specific academic, physical and artistic abilities
A three-fold purpose for most study
To learn skills and knowledge about specific subjects, and how to do that better, faster and easier
To develop general conceptual skills - learn to apply the same or related concepts in other areas
Develop personal skills and attitudes that can also easily be used in everything you do
Redefine the best teaching venues
Is school the best, let alone the only place to learn? If people learn by doing, should they not do it outside of school? Also, schools are underused, they stand empty for much of the time.
Keep minds open, keep communications clear
Be aware of research and new methods of teaching and communicate clearly (Fog Index: take 0.4 x (average sentence length in 100 words + number of words with 3 syllables or more in same hundred words))
Adapted from Dryden & Vos