Comments on: Learning By Accident http://davetroy.com/posts/learning-by-accident Design, Entrepreneurship, Economics and Software Thu, 26 Aug 2010 14:56:03 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: betaphi http://davetroy.com/posts/learning-by-accident#comment-756 betaphi Sat, 06 Mar 2010 01:32:41 +0000 http://davetroy.com/?p=943#comment-756 Hi Dave<br><br>Have you seen the Frontline video titled How Google Saved a School? <br>Every child is issued a laptop and given *some* liberties with its use. Every child's test scores begin to rise dramatically. Behavior problems decrease.<br><br>This is close to the kind of thing I was referring to in my comment on your last ed post. However, unlimited internet access via laptops is not the answer. Excellent educational software + young technologically savvy teachers + satellite schools equipped with computers is what's urgently needed. <br><br>These changes will have to come from the private sector with or without government funding. Groups similar to your Beehive could be the genesis for this sort of change -- bring in educational specialists, bring in venture capitalists, use your combined design and programming skills to create the classroom of the future, one that makes money instead of wasting it. <br><br>The big publishers have little interest in creating educational software because they make too much money on textbooks. Textbook adoption takes place on an annual basis in nearly every school district, with billions being wasted nationwide to purchase the latest products. I know this because I've had to sit on adoption committees and listen to the sales pitches of these big publishing companies who stand to lose billions if their textbook isn't adopted.<br><br>It's all so wasteful and inefficient. I'm so glad to see you focusing on education. Somebody has got to get the ball rolling in a new direction, and soon. Hi Dave

Have you seen the Frontline video titled How Google Saved a School?
Every child is issued a laptop and given *some* liberties with its use. Every child's test scores begin to rise dramatically. Behavior problems decrease.

This is close to the kind of thing I was referring to in my comment on your last ed post. However, unlimited internet access via laptops is not the answer. Excellent educational software + young technologically savvy teachers + satellite schools equipped with computers is what's urgently needed.

These changes will have to come from the private sector with or without government funding. Groups similar to your Beehive could be the genesis for this sort of change — bring in educational specialists, bring in venture capitalists, use your combined design and programming skills to create the classroom of the future, one that makes money instead of wasting it.

The big publishers have little interest in creating educational software because they make too much money on textbooks. Textbook adoption takes place on an annual basis in nearly every school district, with billions being wasted nationwide to purchase the latest products. I know this because I've had to sit on adoption committees and listen to the sales pitches of these big publishing companies who stand to lose billions if their textbook isn't adopted.

It's all so wasteful and inefficient. I'm so glad to see you focusing on education. Somebody has got to get the ball rolling in a new direction, and soon.

]]> By: Adam Meister http://davetroy.com/posts/learning-by-accident#comment-755 Adam Meister Fri, 05 Mar 2010 23:59:29 +0000 http://davetroy.com/?p=943#comment-755 "Our school system is a kind of indoctrination" You hit the nail on the head right there. If we can fix this problem (and it is a huge challenge) then we will be on the right track. Down with the machine! “Our school system is a kind of indoctrination” You hit the nail on the head right there. If we can fix this problem (and it is a huge challenge) then we will be on the right track. Down with the machine!

]]> By: abachman http://davetroy.com/posts/learning-by-accident#comment-754 abachman Fri, 05 Mar 2010 22:34:21 +0000 http://davetroy.com/?p=943#comment-754 I've always been interested in our country's approach to religion and how it conflicts with our approach to education. I think it's possible that 50 years from now, we'll see massive, state-run education in the same light that we see massive, state-run religion today.<br><br>The right to education is recognized as a human right (by the UN), but in the same breath they state that they mean "entitlement to free, compulsory primary education for all children", which sounds scary and not free-as-in-speech. <br><br>I'm clearly too far into an ideological mindset to completely divorce myself from the "why" of education. The "how" is hard, but will be interesting to ponder.<br><br><blockquote>"If it would be wrong for the government to adopt an official religion, then, for the same reasons, it would be wrong for the government to adopt official education policies. The moral case for freedom of religion stands or falls with that for freedom of education. A society that champions freedom of religion but at the same time countenances state regulation of education has a great deal of explaining to do."</blockquote><br>James R. Otteson - Freedom of Religion and Public Schooling <a href="http://www.freedomofeducation.net/" rel="nofollow">http://www.freedomofeducation.net/</a> I've always been interested in our country's approach to religion and how it conflicts with our approach to education. I think it's possible that 50 years from now, we'll see massive, state-run education in the same light that we see massive, state-run religion today.

The right to education is recognized as a human right (by the UN), but in the same breath they state that they mean “entitlement to free, compulsory primary education for all children”, which sounds scary and not free-as-in-speech.

I'm clearly too far into an ideological mindset to completely divorce myself from the “why” of education. The “how” is hard, but will be interesting to ponder.

“If it would be wrong for the government to adopt an official religion, then, for the same reasons, it would be wrong for the government to adopt official education policies. The moral case for freedom of religion stands or falls with that for freedom of education. A society that champions freedom of religion but at the same time countenances state regulation of education has a great deal of explaining to do.”

James R. Otteson – Freedom of Religion and Public Schooling http://www.freedomofeducation.net/

]]> By: D. S. Clark http://davetroy.com/posts/learning-by-accident#comment-753 D. S. Clark Fri, 05 Mar 2010 22:23:30 +0000 http://davetroy.com/?p=943#comment-753 I agree. I think inspiration and motivation are the keys myself. Some teachers in the current system are just dead fish that mull along, themselves burned out and uninspired. Each and every class (even if the method doesn't change) should be taught with passion. If someone isn't inspired to see how what they are learning is useful or fun, they simply won't retain what they are tested on. I agree. I think inspiration and motivation are the keys myself. Some teachers in the current system are just dead fish that mull along, themselves burned out and uninspired. Each and every class (even if the method doesn't change) should be taught with passion. If someone isn't inspired to see how what they are learning is useful or fun, they simply won't retain what they are tested on.

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