Hey Forum, I have pondered about this for many years I feel like sharing some of my thoughts! There's 3 core focuses: -digital curricula -safe school level social networking (groups) -no grades Digital Curricula: -kill less trees -dynamic; it can personalize the course material on the fly -cheaper and more easier to distribute -an interactive multimedia medium will be way more more effective then a static textbook and potentially provide an enjoyable learning experience -automated insightful analytics to make the teachers management of their students progress much more easier and efficient school level networking: -moderated & audited frequently -focus on communication with a little but of identity but not a carbon copy of facebook tho just a lightweight social networking platform -which essentially lowers the barrier of communication makes it easier for students to ask questions and discuss topics or subjects that interest them -teachers can easily communicate with all their students, send out alerts, words of encouragement ect to their students no grades: -the idea is to drop the need for grading students via tests and what not which is incredibly flawed and inefficient. -with a digital curricula grading will no longer be needed especially with all the analytics that you could run in the background which will be much more insightful and accurate -the idea is to also provide these analytics to students in a way that they can easily understand so they are informed and aware of what they need to focus on and study for at any given moment not just at the end of a week or at the end of a month or at the end of a semester -this will GREATLY improve the learning experience i guarantee it! -there will be a progress chat/bar approach and recommended studies a user friendly visual representation of the analytics so students will be able to see what they are good and not good at just by checking out their progress chart. -although the ideal behind the digital curricula is that course material will automatically change anyways focusing & dialing in the learning experience in real time. which means if a student is excelling it can ramp up the difficulty a bit, or if they are not performing that well the course can dial it back a bit and focus on specific points to work on from a business perspective: -public schools operate on low budgets (that need to be raised) but as is your not looking at very high margins -the curricula companies monopolize the market i doubt they will take this idea lightly -public schools are like a bureaucratic nightmare they are set in their ways, and dont take to well to change although every teach or parent, or student i have told this idea to absolutely loves it marekting & promotion: -the public will LOVE this you dont even need to run creative ad campaigns just showcase the product, the experience and the benefits and i assure you the people will take notice. -but i doubt the schools will be soo enthusiastic, so you will have to appeal to the parents and students who will demand for it for their district additional thoughts: -schools typically dont have a very bright IT guy or staff on hand so its wise to offer affordable services: installation, set up, and 24 hour and on site tech support during school hours to make sure the network (wifi and devices) are locked down tight from inappropriate content, yet open enough to facilitate extended learning -might also have to subsidize electronic devices for the schools so they can get the material in the hands of their students shoot for high quality multi media production in an interactive medium this means: -studios & filming -dedicated writers -gui designers -software engineers -the works off set the expenses/low margins by not depending on one revenue stream as you can easily scope the idea to the masses by providing a credited college level online course as well at no more then $9.99 a month to hit critical mass (millions of users daily) plus the over all platform will be more appealing better quality and more enjoyable for anyone of any age. it doesn't NEED to be accredited but that would certainly go a long way i wouldn't start a whole private college campus until way later on down the road at least until the product has reached at a high penetration rate in public schools all around the world. the idea is to revolutionize public education first and foremost! then expand the idea to college level and extended learning essentially scaling the idea to additional markets such as niche vocational course material and/or employee training material/platforms for corporations and such.
You have all these ideas and thoughts. Why dont you take them somewhere other than TA? Honestly, you'll find much greater responses in other places. Take these ideas and run with them!
haha. I like your ideas. unforunatly, you will ahve a hard time getting them to catch on. I would go to your school if you where the superaddendant
Agreed. I think it's people like THAT that would need extra time spent on grammar... SJP, are you a native English speaker? I don't want to make too much fun of your English if you're not a native speaker, since I'm sure if I tried to say the same thing in Spanish I'd sound like an idiot. But if you are a native speaker... Go learn some grammar.
1. im a native speaker 2.i was typing on my itouch. 3. i was riding my bike. ivz thisxt goudz nought forg youg
Wouldn't your system prevent all student-to-student interaction? I agree that making everything digital would seem to be a logical move, especially because it conserves paper, but students should interact so they have something to enjoy about school. As for the tests, why do away with them? I agree that they are flawed - but that is based on the Multiple Intelligence Theory. Why do you think they are flawed?
As far as social interaction: It depends on how it's implemented. I don't want classrooms turning into cubicle mazes littered with desktop computers. I would prefer mobile devices in a traditional classroom setting, with group and social activities, rich teacher presentations... the works. *the challenge is to lock it down so that students don't play games, watch movies, listen to music, or browse facebook ect... while in class. Grades: I think grades are flawed in general because of how they are implemented. the students are either told straight up whats going to be on the test, given access to cheat sheets & study guides and are encouraged to use them for studying (which cover what exactly is going to be on a test), or the course material itself revolves around whats going to be on the test. This is a great idea for the schools who want to get good grade averages and more funding but not the students. Honestly doesn't knowing whats going to be on a test before hand kind of nullify its results? I mean are we testing for what students really know? or just testing how well they pay attention, and/or prepare for a specific test? IMO the tests are just a technicality, the only way you can accurately measure a students "education/learning progress" is by employing real time analytics on a daily and ongoing basis each and everyday not just at the end of the week, end of the month, end of the semester, or end of the year. Also you don't need to test for it either, you can pretty much get an accurate assessment just by injecting a few questions and problems here and there right into the course material and monitor the results in real time. of course teachers will still have to grade: -written essays, -presentations, -projects, -and group activities.... i wouldn't want a computer doing that
hahaha thx for the advice J theres still a lot of loose ends that need to be tied up with this idea tho.... Like: -will it be a mobile device; a tablet (iPad?android? or MS?) a laptop/notebook? -a table top multi touchscreen device built right into the students desk? -if mobile device; should there be an app for each subject optimized specifically for it or should there be one app that lumps all subjects together? honestly im leaning more towards subsidizing mobile devices (preferably tablets) to schools who can then sell them to parents/students at a very low cost, because the 1500-2000 (possibly more for larger school districts) mini microsoft surface classroom desk route would be extremely expensive even tho it would be ideal for the classroom and theres also a web app platform aspect as well to handle remote access, and the social network/communication...
But how do you root the gas station attendants from the doctors? How do you know to pass someone or fail them? Besides, what are analytics?
there will still be requirements/expectations to meet the analytics I would prefer are real time ongoing measurements acquired in the background while students do course work or solve problems via an appilcation. These measurements will reveal on a finite level what a student is good at and what they need to improve upon.
Ok, I think I get the purpose of the analytics over tests: it's better for the student to understand the topic than for them to just memorize something for a test. Have you read Fahrenheit 451? I'm afraid that the school system under you would eventually turn into something like the one in that. In fact, I'm already afraid of that happening, without your system. But how would you perform the analytics? Oh, and good thread, by the way. It's really interesting, and most importantly: we're taking on a serious topic without a flame war. You Touchy Arcadians are growing up so fast! *sniff*
In the future, all students will have a sort of iPad-like device in which all their books, learning materials, videos, papers, lessons and all that are wrapped up in one convenient, personalized and interactive experience. Students will type up their work on this "slate" and then send it wirelessly to the teacher. Books will be infused with videos, demonstrations, etc. to provide a smooth, natural and fluid learning experience for students. Such is the way of the future. Many people think each person in America (and other "rich" countries) will own a type of slate/PDA device which will store medical data, have internet access and much more that will revolutionize the way we do things today, virtually eliminating paper in the process.
Evergreen State College in Washington State would like to have a word with you. Not only have they abolished grades, their graduates are accepted at all major universities in the USA, including Harvard. A friend of mine has been accepted to Harvard based on his performance at Evergreen.
I'm all for switching to digital and computers, but think of all the jobs being cut. Sure maybe there will be some more jobs open in Foxconn...but that's Foxconn...Sure the system has flaws, but it lacks money. Our country would be great if we had this thing called money, but it's literally in the Ocean. Technology is advancing to fast for us. Sure you always want the latest and greatest, but there is a point were we will only rely on computers, and factories like Foxconn will proivide the technology, but we won't be able to buy i. Because our jobs will be replace my robots... Unless of course, we try an fix the economy, THEN move forward.
thx for the comment/feedback!! I'll have to get that book and read it it's not that the analytics will be "performed" it's more that they will always be running processes in the background while the student engages in the interactive learning experience, while they do their homework via the application, and when they take their tests assuming there still will be tests which I don't think will be neccesary simply because everything would be a test all of the homework and assignments. I'm pushing to monitor the student's progress overtime and across all subjects so that you can pretty much get a more accurate assesment of what a student comprehends, understands, ect that would be more granular/insightful then just a number.
bolded a key point that's one of the many benefits applications can provide over paper but remeber it's an interactive experience not just videos/demonstrations but also activities and problems to solve within the experience. Plus you can add in additional reading sections aka contextual information like "did you knows", reccomended projects, reading material, and additional content that you can access like the ipad optmized periodic table app or another one created for animals, or insects aggregating photos and videos sound clips ect It's really exciting!!
