Subject: Bored Students

Posted by Chad Green on 12/29/2010
In Reply To:Bored Students Posted by Scott Guthrie on 12/29/2010

Message:

Scott,

Could Barry's map serve as the foundation for the next renaissance in public education? Is there anything better out there?

For starters, I can use his model to explain the critical importance of inputs in the learning process:

Do you see the selection process with the three converging arrows? That is the universal user interface, if you will, that enables the learner to filter the intensity of sensory input from his/her noisy surroundings. This process, I assert, is the highest leverage point in the system. The other processes merely serve to amplify the desired input signal through positive feedback loops. The use of this critical filtering process is how experts differ from novices according to How People Learn (NRC, 1999): http://www.nap.edu/openbook.php?record_id=6160&page=19#p200064829970019001 .

Another way I can use Barry's map is to plug in the torus-shaped mental model that John Raven (http://www.johnraven.co.uk/index.html) believes is driving down the quality of education (see slide 6): http://www.eyeonsociety.co.uk/resources/strathSysSem.pdf . For example, Jay Forrester's repeated calls for change is found in the top-right corner of the model, whereas the basis for Aaron O'Connell's career decision making represents the belief that wealth/quality of life comes from the market (in the center). Heck, we all have a role to play in this model! But does it align with Barry's roadmap?

If you were to shrink John Raven's mental model into a single fundamental proposition, what would it be? Could it be the mistaken belief that it "is more or less OK to cater for diversity in the private ('market') sector, but taboo in the public sector where everyone should be treated 'equally' (Raven, 2008)? Can you think of a better one?

What's the next step? We've got a useful STELLA roadmap from Barry Richmond, a comprehensive mental model of the current situation from John Raven, the concept of emotional intelligence from Daniel Goleman/Gallup and related research from the Canadian Education Association (CEA), etc. What's the missing puzzle piece?

How about a compelling vision statement or manifesto for the 21st century that competes with John's outdated mental model? Or perhaps could we attempt to design a universal user interface, a situation sense-maker a la Elena Kagan's that we can all use to size up the environment and "figure out what truly matters": http://www.thenewstribune.com/2010/06/27/1243239/kagans-situation-sense-guides.html .

Best,
Chad

Follow Ups:

Bored Students - Pedro D. Almaguer Prado 12/29/2010