Future Students

After neglecting this blog for a few months, I am back.

Here are a few posts of interest:

Student 2.0

My shameless rewording of Manager 2.0 by Kathy Siera.
One dramatic difference between traditional schools and the Web 2.0 new schools is the way students are taught. Or rather, the fact that they are not "taught." Most School 1.0 (like, say, where I graduated?) are not only too old fashioned, but their teaching practices are just too old school (and not in a retro hip way) to foster a culture that matches the culture of the new citizens growing up in Web 2.0.

School 1.0	School 2.0
Curriculum dictated by a syllabus.	Students decide and negotiate the learning area.
Teachers are the keeper of the knowledge.	Teachers are the facilitator of the learning process.
Information is limited from those in the textbook	Information are sourced from everywhere, including but not limited to online resources.
How effective is the learning is measured by standardised tests.	Effective learning is linked to satisfactory and joy of knowing new knowledge and mastering new skills.
Students sit in rows facing the teacher.	Students sit around tables facing each other.
Emphasis on individual learning.	Emphasis on collaborative and co-operative learning
Students tightly controlled to do right time.	Students free to try new ideas and experiment.
Examination result acts as an external motivation.	Students delve pleasure from making and learning new things.
Knowledge in textbook are "king" and cannot be challenged.	Knowledge is negotiated and learnt in a community of practice.
Learning effectiveness conducted by external "examination authority".	Learning effectiveness is reported as portfolio and demonstrations.
Fixed time table. If a student missed a lesson, she will miss that forever.	Learning occurs all the time and contents are covered in repeating cycles.
Scholarship are based on past examination results.	Scholarship is based on the ability to learn in a group and contribution to the group.
Repetitive homework are assigned.	Projects are negotiated.
Deadline of homework submission in short and frequent interval.	Continuous presentation of current state of project.
Students are forced to learn without explaining why they should learn that material.	Students choose the subject they like based on career advice.

A series of posts from 2 Cents Worth

Flat Classroom

What about an education system that is challenged to prepare children for their future — and it’s not their father’s future. So what about a flat classroom? Traditional education has been an environment of hills. The teacher could rely on gravity to support the flow of curriculum down to the learners. But as much as we might like to pretend, we (teachers) are no longer on top of the hill. The hill is practically gone. [my emphasis]

Flat Classrooms — Curious Students
Flat Classrooms — Intrinsic Communicators & Influencers
Flat Classrooms — Future Oriented Students
Flat Classrooms — Future Oriented Students (contd)
and a wiki associated with the idea.