Educational Reform

• What were your primary take aways from the learning module? 

  According to Sir Ken Robinson, the current educational system is based on making new cogs to keep the factory wheels turning.  The goal was to standardize instead of individualize learning.  Many jobs currently do not involve manufacture, so this method of teaching does not adequately prepare our children for jobs in our current society.  All of the videos we watched reiterated that we need schools to help students develop a mindset of resilience, confidence, collaboration, communication, innovation, and perseverance.  Digital tools are a part of our society.  The "Portrait of a Graduate"  in Fairfax County Schools and Partnership for 21st Century Learning both emphasize these skills in the classroom by using the digital tools.
 The readings were interesting in their opinions.  The "Role of Technology" article emphasizes the need for teachers to create a community of caring for students to succeed in school.  The high-stakes testing and firing mechanisms don't help students learn better or more, but they do cause stress and competitiveness, instead of cooperation and collaboration.  The "Education Reform in a Digital Era" was very polarized in the opposite direction.  Yes, there are challenges and obstacles in reforming schools, including cultural, financial, and political differences.  

• What are your opinions regarding what you learned? 

 I agree that new fads come into education with apparently little regard for the students who are trying to learn and that they pile up, often without removing older, less effective methods.  I questioned the validity of the "Education Reform in a Digital Era" article when it stated that in the last 50 years student teacher ratio has dropped from 27:1 down to 15:1.  I don't know any school where this has happened, except for a few special education inclusion classes, where there are two teachers.  I do agree that public education needs to find a way for students to get the education they need, at the level they need.  Individualized instruction for each student and time flexibility will help many students succeed.  I think online courses can help with this, but as David Kirp stated, having a caring adult to build bonds of support is important to student success.  I love the video I saw on the Fairfax County Schools website (below) about how they are building 21st century skills in the library. 

  I would like to be able to do this with students and science content.

• Do your experiences support or contradict the materials in this learning module? 

My experiences support and contradict the materials in this module.  Using online tools engages students and increases collaboration and learning.  There are some amazing simulations and videos that help students understand the content in ways I can not replicate in class, either for financial, technical, or safety reasons.  At the same time, some students don't fulfill their obligation to the group during collaborative learning activities.  They let everyone else do all the work and get credit for being part of a group.  Some students hate collaboration for this reason.  Some students just prefer to work alone.  They are shy or unsure of themselves and working with others is a huge stress.   I also had a student last year who came from a school with only project/inquiry-based learning.  He didn't know basic, fundamental arithmetic, how to do research, or how to follow all the directions to complete a project.  He was always looking for someone else to provide the answers.  Looking at the amount of work I am expected to complete in a day is daunting.  My coworker started a list of what we are expected to do.  It was around 40 things, and only 3 of them had anything to do with teaching kids.  There is definitely some bureaucracy involved in education and it will be hard to make sweeping reform to help students learn what they need to know as adults, as well as using the technology that is everywhere.