So here's my question. Why is this theory shattering research (duplicated hundreds of times) not being incorporated into the current discussion of lagging education in the United States. If anything, talk is made of requiring higher standards for teachers, paying teachers more, stricter regimens, etc. Maybe a better question would be, how does one use this knowledge to improve learning?
Feb 6, 2009
Self Taught
In 1999, Sugata Mitra showed that in the absence of adults, instruction, or any standard pedagogical tool, young children will teach themselves and each other. To learn more details, check out the attached link, but here is the gist. Mitra and his collegues went to the poorest, most remote and backward villages in India and installed a single computer in the wall. Mind you, these people had never in their lives been exposed to anything similar, not even a TV. What happened is mind blowing. The children of the village, within a couple of months could browse the internet with ease, were visiting search engines and downloading media. In addition they began teaching themselves english and assisting older kids who couldn't learn as fast.
I find this experiment unremarkable in relation to education. People naturally want to learn new things (if we didn't, our ancestors would've died out long ago), so the findings do not surprise me in the least. I feel the biggest way our education needs to be revamped is the method in which funding is delivered-- not necessarily the teachers or the way in which education is delivered. (Although, one can't entirely ignore the educators themselves.)
ReplyDeleteI don't really feel like going into the details, but most school districts follow the "rich get richer" and "poor get poorer" model. This leads to bias funding, and as such, some schools get new, updated books this year and some have to use ones from fifteen years ago. Besides that, I believe parents play a more important role than the general populace of teachers. Which, I suppose, are equivalent to the peer leaders in the experiment.
I also believe (broad generalization coming--- strike me down!!) that the American culture is more focused on what comes after a great education or mindset-- money, fame, and power-- not the actual journey to get there. As such, we definitely do not care enough about the education system. Instead, we send our kids to school assuming they will get the education they need but not actually checking to see if they are. THEN we complain because there's very little quality education. Don't get me started on NCLB. Generalization. I know.
As for how one would incorporate the study... I don't think you can necessarily. I think the study simply shows where to place the blame if a school district is failing--- not the children. I think we all know that already.
Disjointedness is another problem altogether.
Interesting study for sure, but I don't find it very helpful in improving the United States education system.
I can't really think of a link between the study and the American Ed system either. Like Jard said, cool study and go Indian kids, but what are we gonna do, let the kids teach themselves and that'll help our ed system cause i don't think that's the way to go...
ReplyDeleteOne interesting point that Jard brought up was the fact that Americans use education as a platform to make money and, what a lot of people believe, live a better life. I'm not stupid enough to think that you don't need some money to be happy but i think too many people in America are all about, lets fake learn this stuff so i can work at a huge corporation and make lots of money so that i can get a hot wife, blah blah blah. I see underprivileged Indian kids as learning more to better themselves rather than to make money, but then again if they can learn something to help them make money in their environment, i guess anyone would. Then again i guess i'm just as guilty at doing that though. I almost never stopped to think man i can't wait to learn about this historical figure tomorrow. Instead i was thinking okay i need to read about this dude so i can do well on the test, get a good grade in the class, then i'll have an okay GPA or whatever, and then i can do xyz rather than really enjoying the journey of learning about these people. Whatever. That was very stream of consciousness, sorry about that.
What's with Indian/African kids running after cars? Also, i wanna know what these kids were downloading.
I agree with everything you said about our educational system Jared and Mark. But I do think the study has a little bit of relevance - open ended education, or more self taught education does have its benefits, such as the programs we went through Jared (optional program and seminar). I think those teaching methods which place more emphasis on educational freedom and creativity are the best. Although a lot still depends upon the individual student and especially their parents. If my parents were not so gung-ho about my education in elementary school, the optional program probably would not have been nearly as awesome of a learning experience for me. And then in Seminar I was not really that into the whole discussion thing so it didn't work that well. In college on the other hand I matured a bit more and really enjoyed class discussions moderated by the professor. But again, if all the students are not on the same page, the discussion sucks (like my bio seminar on sex - who the hell doesn't love that subject!!?? apparently my entire class).
ReplyDeleteI agree that it is most certainly not the kids fault that the education system is failing. We do not do a good job of feeding and harnessing that innate curiosity that young children have and they then bring that disinterest with them into high school and beyond.
I was thinking more in terms of what Dave said. The faults ya'll mention strike me as stemming from top-down approaches - put your kid in the system and then tell that kid to do well to make lots of money. Filling an empty vessel as it were. The enjoyable learning seems to happen when the child and parent has some ownership of the process. They decide what to learn for what purpose. This, I feel, would inspire someone to learn more.
ReplyDeleteOne might argue that some people would opt out of the whole education process. But, I counter we have no right to force someone to learn. Its counterproductive taboot.
Also I think they were downloading music and pictures mostly. It would be funny if they were looking at contraband or explicit materials.
Yah, little Indian kids DLing porn, now that's comedy.
ReplyDeleteYou make a really good point about ownership though. I know for a fact that in high school, my mom would constantly be asking matt and i about our homework and if we were on top of X and Y and it was always WAY WAY better for Matt and I if we initiated doing something before she said something about it. That would always piss me off the most when i was about to do something or had a plan in my head about how i wanted to study or whatever and she came in and was like, hey do this. After she did that i felt like i was just taking direction instead of actually feeling like i had come up with the idea and plan to execute something i needed to do. So in that case i can see the ownership argument from a first hand prospective, in fact i still feel like that today, it's always better at work when you can figure something out without having to ask a higher-up.
Interesting that you bring up the "empty vessel" metaphor. I don't who said it but there's a quote like: "Education is not the filling of a vessel, but rather the lighting of a fire in the mind." So true.
ReplyDeleteMy parents gave me complete control over my education. If I didn't feel like doing homework or studying, I wasn't punished. My punishment was the shame I placed on myself when I failed something. That's self motivation that I think all people do, but sometimes don't feel they have the proper freedom to do so.
Another thing is the inflexibility of the education system. Standards are good and all, but they don't nurture critical thinking. Mark, remember the awesome poster I made sophomore year for "My History as a Reader"? Also, remember how I got a B- on it and you got an A? Bullshit! (Sorry, still bitter) The reasoning was I didn't follow the directions precisely. I didn't because I felt mine was better. Arrogant? Maybe. But more so I wanted to change my education. My grades paid the price.
Those Indian kids have a freedom in education we will probably never comprehend because we are so guided. I don't know which is better. Like most things though, a mixture is probably the best solution.
I like the idea of flexible teaching methods and strategies, but in the end, there should be a standard one has to know. Plus, there should be a variety of ways to assess people's knowledge. Multiple choice, essay, short answer, oral, art, demonstration, etc. The SAT or CAT or MCAT or whatever doesn't tell you if you're smart. Neither do grades. But they can give an indication of capacity to learn facts and figures or fit a directive.
Right on Jard, once again you guys are so good at bringing up ideas that i have in my brain but can't put into words or get out of said brain.
ReplyDeleteAs for that project in the Irwinators class, that's a perfect example. If she was a half decent teacher though, regardless if you strayed a little on the directions, she should have pulled you aside or sat down with you a little and maybe had you explain it a little more and then given you a good grade cause it was so obvious that the effort that you put into it was far and away more than anyone else in the class. I do wanna say though, that while you getting a B- was bullshit, i thought mine deserved a good grade, compared to yours it wasn't as awesome, but i had the little hockey rink with the blue and red lines and then pictures of me as a little kid and then getting older as i went along, all hockey themed, i thought that was pretty good. Then we had that one project that we did something with Yoda, i can't even remember what it was but i remember that being awesome too. So many good times in that class and Carps. Is it shitty English teachers that bring out the best in class room comedy? I think so.
My two reactions from this are:
ReplyDelete1. The mind of a child is truly extraordinary from a psychological standpoint. Most kids are just so curious about stuff, especially something novel and interesting and rich like the internet, that it doesn't really surprise me at all that they learned to do all they learned to do on that computer.
2. While I generally agree that we should give children more autonomy and freedom for what they learn, I have two complaints about that. One, especially with elementary school education, I balue having a common set of knowledge that all or nearly all children share from getting a relatively standarized education. Looking at Japan as an example...yes, their school system is backwards in many ways and discourages creativity and individuality, BUT does it produce results? Absolutely. Japan has one of the highest education levels in the world, there's no disputing that...and it comes from the fact that every school around the country teaches the same things the same ways at the same time. Two, is that you have to consider the effect level that different kids will put in. Never underestimate how lazy and stupid people can be...for every kid who has the internal desire and drive to seek out knowledge and educate themselves, there will be 5 kids who wouldn't want to learn anything and would rather use their brain power to memorize the names, abilities, and cost of every Pokemon card. Having some external motivation--from parents, the school system, peers, grades--I think is vital in pushing everyone to achieve something more.
Actually, now that I think about it, Boardman's post goes along with his Randian objectivism quite well. While I've always like the idea of objectivism, the truth is you unfortunately can't count on the strengths of the individual to achieve greatness in society...too many people are too lazy.
Caught me! Then you'll surely guess my response.
ReplyDeleteHypothetically, what if we let all the kids who want to learn Pokemon do just that? If that gave their lives more Epicurean enjoyment, who are we to stop it? And if it does suck they'll have some sweet horror stories to tell young kids and thereby inspire the next Einstein. Either way, how will it adversely effect another individual?
To Lord j, I don't know how well this would have worked, but had you been allowed to run free with your poster ideas could you have potentially found a new passion? I have to admit I empathize completely with milk's anecdote which could bias me.