computer drone

As I usually do when I initially think the question is simple (it isn’t!), I headed off to Google. I discovered the Greek concept of Paideia. (too many vowels!) I learned that, in this philosophy, the goal of education is not mastery of subject matter, but of one’s person. Subject matter is simply the tool.

I’ve heard “the tool, the tool, the tool” so many times during this course… so of course, the answer HAS to be incorporated into this philosophy, because if it looks like a tool, and it works like a tool, and it sounds like a tool, then it IS a tool.

Paraphrasing from “Rethinking Education”… What is education? is it knowledge in basic skills, academics, technical, discipline, citizenship… or is it something else? “Our society says that academics are important, and that is is defined as collecting knoweldge without understanding its value. How about the processing of knoweldge, using inspiration, visionary ambitions, creativity, risk, ability to bounce back from failure, motivation? Most educational institutions don’t consider these skills. There is a huge disconnected gap. Schools should be a place where one learns alot, and especially learn how better to learn.

From Adler… “As I write this, e-learning is becoming an education model that the present system cannot compete with. It is focusing on what motivates rather than what the system thinks is good for students. It is also leaving out politicians, textbooks, industries, testing companies and unions. These forces are now fighting back, trying to maintain a system that is in their interest, not the students. At this time, they are focusing on standardized test, which seems to be a last ditch effort to maintain the status quo.”

“As I write this…” = 1980’s

Why are we no further along? … a quarter of a century and we’re still stuck in the mud asking the same questions. (rhetorical… I know… I just did some research in JVIB, and 100 years later, we’re still asking the same questions… ).