BP2_200910_Anti-Teaching

Our educational system today is not working for this generation or changing with our evolving societies. You hear people say that the government or businesses need to evolve but why not schools? I can only take from my student experiences and how I learn to think if our educational system isn’t working for a majority of students.

When I began at St. Petersburg College online they have you take a test to see what kind of learner you are. I already knew that traditional learning wasn’t my best option, but to have a test tell me I was a visual learner was not a surprise. Since taking the past three months of courses we’ve learned (or already knew) about the multiple learning theories and how to address them. If you look back in classrooms today more schools don’t even come close to addressing all of the types of learners or their needs. When thinking about what would work in classrooms today, I keep going back to the Anti-Teaching article by Michael Wesch, he makes several good points about how schools currently work with “John Dewey’s notion” and how “test’s offer little more than how well they can recite what they have been told”. Welsh’s ideas focus on the quality of learning not teaching.

Course Management System, or CMS, is a good start but I don’t think that all students would feel comfortable with this. We are also going to have that range of students from the traditional mindset to the new age. Can CMS handle both? Or would a hybrid style between the two work best for everyone? Taking Personal Learning Environments (PLE) in combination with the classroom to create a CMS hybrid experience maybe the first step. I found this site that has some very interesting graphics some users have made on what PLE are, you check it out even if for enjoyment. http://edtechpost.wikispaces.com/PLE+Diagrams#mcpheeters

CMS hybrid is something to think about for K-12 but in college level you have the right to choose how you want to learn. You aren’t forced to take an online class, most universities have campus based classes or online versions of the same class. If you choice to go into a online based program, you have to expects that CMS will be the best options for the school. The school can gear their CMS, or a more advanced learning management system (LMS) towards their goals much like Full Sail Online.

After thinking about my high school experiences and my college years I found that I was directing my thoughts at when the best time was for me to do my work. Some might say night owl, but how does ones biological clock play into learning? Could CMS help these students in high school?

Personally I would follow a model that my nephew was able use. My brother is in the military and during my nephew, Ian’s, sophomore year they had to move, this is never an easy task for kids. Ian found it difficult to connect with the teachers, and some of the students. By his junior year they found out that the school offers online classes in conjunction with the public school district. He was able to use a CMS to get his assignments, resources, and turn in homework. There were some times he would have to go to the school to take a test or turn in projects but he was able to focus on his schedule without the added stress of the school atmosphere.

This concept to me would be an ideal model to follow; it’s not required and could work better for some families and students. In Ian’s case he was a straight A student until he moved, he’s grades dropped in the new school until he was able to go online. He graduated with his high school and he received the diploma from that school.

With our evolving world we need to think that our education system also needs to evolve to meet the needs of the new generations. The new age of students is not in an industrial world but an electronic world and we need adjust.

Michael Wesch Article and Blog:

http://savageminds.org/2006/04/02/a-brief-theory-of-anti-teaching/

http://mediatedcultures.net/ksudigg/?p=168

Schools and Society book with great information:

http://books.google.com/books?id=_Bxy2_3lVFoC&lpg=RA4-PA18IA1&ots=fQ0dQrLKt3&dq=current%20educational%20system&lr=&pg=RA4-PA18IA2#v=onepage&q=current%20educational%20system&f=false

Biological clock and learning.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Circadian_rhythm

http://www.preteenagerstoday.com/articles/health/raising-night-owls-1036/

http://www.scientificblogging.com/news_account/learning_by_biological_clock_cockroaches_are_stupid_in_the_morning_genius_at_night

LMS vs. CMS

http://it.cofc.edu/tlt/lms/communication/LMSBrochure.pdf

http://www.articlesbase.com/e-learning-articles/cms-and-lms-a-comparison-107069.html

PLE information.

http://edtechpost.wikispaces.com/PLE+Diagrams#mcpheeters

http://edutechwiki.unige.ch/en/Personal_learning_environment

NO cited materials.

Images are from Getty Images: Royalty free.