Examining the history of schools and education paints a pretty similar (and disappointing) picture into what learning looks like today. But what if we have it all wrong. As Educational researcher, Sugata Mitra expounds in his eye opening Ted Talk on the future of schools, what was designed and necessary for the past, doesn’t support the future of learning or future jobs. The irony lies in the lack of progress that is being made on the educational front, despite the world seemingly moving through the rapidly advancing age of innovation. So, if the world is evolving, growing, and swiftly transforming, why hasn’t the process or delivery of learning? What seems to be the most likely answer, is societies around the globe adapted a system that “worked” and vied not to change it. Living up to the old adage of “if it ain’t broke, why fix it,” sprinkled with the idea that children cannot possibly learn if no one is there to teach them. What’s mind blowing is how far from the truth that appears to be.
Mitra emphasizes this capability of learning, as he explains experiments conducted over the years with children left to their own explorative devices. First, through the experiments with “the computer in the wall,” placed in different areas, most underprivileged, and yet with no formal training and information presented in a different language, learning and mastery still prevailed within the children. His point that a shift in the way the process of learning is approached becomes more apparent when discussing Self Organized Learning Environments (SOLE), where here the teachers' roles are merely to initiate the questions, but rather than facilitate and guide the learning, they sit back and admire the answers.
Okay, so does this mean that educators everywhere have it all wrong? Well of course not. However, if we ask ourselves, whether today’s educational system could use a major face lift, then the answer will likely be YES! As I work towards the creation process of ePortfolios in departments across my campus, I enjoy immersing myself in the learning right along with the students. Rather than just teach them the process, I try to observe more and when assisting them, serve more as their guide, rather than the keeper of all the answers. With my own learning, I’ve found educational articles, blogs, videos and talks to be my source of understanding emerging trends and issues in the field, and each new piece of information opens my eyes a bit more to what is needed for future learners.
One of those concepts that stands out most clearly to me, is the importance of pictures to help capture and achieve goals. In a short Ted Talk with contributor Patti Dobrowolski her visual explanation of how effective a picture can be will blow you away. To really hone in on her point, I practiced the strategy myself and can say that it really did help me gain better clarity into how to turn my dreams into a reality!
References:
Mitra, S. (2013, February). Build a school in the cloud. Sugata Mitra: Build a School in the Cloud | TED Talk. Retrieved January 16, 2022, from https://www.ted.com/talks/sugata_mitra_build_a_school_in_the_cloud/transcript?language=en
ProjectHappyWay. (2015, March 27). Best TED talks 2015 - draw your future - take control of your life. YouTube. Retrieved January 16, 2022, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4vl6wCiUZYc
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