Difference between revisions of "Tailored and Alternative Learning Systems"
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<h2>Description</h2> | <h2>Description</h2> | ||
Tailored and Alternative Learning systems and ideologies have a long history. "Tailored learning" systems probably date back to the advent of vocations, and " | Tailored and Alternative Learning systems and ideologies have a long history. "Tailored learning" systems probably date back to the advent of vocations, and "Alternative Education" has probably been with us as long as standard education systems. However, trends in these areas over the past century, and more recently over the past decade are notable in their increasing impact on standard educational systems. These influences have been largely driven by scientists (physicians, psychologists, computer scientists) researching and becoming involved in education. | ||
Swiss researcher Jean Piaget [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean_Piaget#Origins] had large impact on alternative education in the 1970s and 1980s, advocating a more student-centered approach. In his words: "Education, for most people, means trying to lead the child to resemble the typical adult of his society.. but for me and no one else, education means making creators.. You have to make inventors, innovatorsnot conformists", thus questioning the role of education in society. Piaget influenced the fields of computer science and artificial intelligence. Later in the 90's, Alan Kay was inspired by Piaget's theories in developing his Dynabook programming system, which bears a striking resemblance to today's modern tablet computer (and beyond). Italian physician and educator Maria Montessouri [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montessori_method] emphasized the impact of childrens' environment and value of play and natural development in education. Her methods have been adopted widely in modern alternative educational systems today, particularly in the West. | |||
<h2>Enablers</h2> | <h2>Enablers</h2> | ||
1. [http://scenariothinking.org/wiki/index.php/Decrease_of_Students'_Engagement Increased student disengagement]<br> | |||
2. [http://scenariothinking.org/wiki/index.php/Increasing_Rate_of_Technological_Change Increasing rate of technological change] | |||
<h2>Inhibitors</h2> | <h2>Inhibitors</h2> | ||
1. Resistance to change in the educational system <br> | |||
The OECD considers overcoming resistance to change in educational policies among its central challenges [http://www.oecd.org/document/34/0,3343,en_2649_37455_43880354_1_1_1_1,00.html] | |||
<h2>Paradigm</h2> | <h2>Paradigm</h2> | ||
The standard educational systems are inadequate for preparing children for the future. Education should be developed according to our latest thinking about how humans learn and adapt. | The standard educational systems are inadequate for preparing children for the future. Education should be developed according to our latest thinking about how humans learn and adapt. Along with educators, philosophers and researchers in fields as diverse as physiology and computer science have supported alternative ways of thinking about and supporting education. | ||
<h2>Timing</h2> | <h2>Timing</h2> | ||
The origins of many modern century alternative school movements are three European philosopher/educators: Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi, and Friedrich Froebel. In his 1762 book Emile, Rousseau argued that education should follow the child's natural growth rather than the demands of society. During the late 60s/early 70s in the US, educators were experimenting with alternative education in the US. However, over the past 20 years, more traditional educational models have been dominant. The 1983 report by United States President Reagan's Commission on Excellence in Education, A Nation at Risk has brought about a high degree of emphasis on standards a push back to traditional educational models. Interest in alternative education is beginning to re-emerge due to a growing recognition that in today's democratic, information-rich society, learning should take place everywhere, and diverse personal interests and styles of learning should be facilitated [http://www.educationrevolution.org/history.html] | |||
<h2>Experts</h2> | |||
Though the number of experts in this area would be far too innumerable to list, I have chosen a couple of examples. | |||
1. Alan Kay, computer scientist and education theorist: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alan_Kay <br> | |||
2. Arnold Langberg, Alternative School Founder and Education consultant: http://www.langberg.org/background.html <br> | |||
3. Wayan Vota, One Laptop Per Child forum founder and lobbyist for technology in education: http://edutechdebate.org/is-ict-in-schools-wasted/wayan-vota-technology-in-schools-is-not-wasted/ | |||
<h2>Web Resources</h2> | <h2>Web Resources</h2> | ||
Montessouri Method: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montessori_method <br> | 1. Jean Piaget: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean_Piaget#Origins <br> | ||
2. Montessouri Method: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montessori_method <br> | |||
3. Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD): Education for the Future http://www.oecd.org/document/34/0,3343,en_2649_37455_43880354_1_1_1_1,00.html <br> | |||
4. Miller, Ron. A Brief History of Alternative Education. http://www.educationrevolution.org/history.html <br> | |||