The Beginning of the End for the Industrial Schooling System?
I agree with Graham Attwell, that this is a significant development. Knowsley Council in Merseyside, which has 21,000 students, will be closing all of its eleven existing secondary schools. The district, which has languished with poort educational results, will be creating hi-tech learning centres. These centres will be open from 7 am, to 10 pm. "Youngsters will not be taught in formal classes, nor will they stick to a rigid timetable; instead they will work online at their own speeds on programmes that are tailor-made to match their interests." This is pretty much the system I and many others have been recommending for years, so this is a program which will be well worth watching. Graham Attwell writes, "I see this as the first big crack in the present model of schooling which dates from the first industrial revolution. And it won't be the last."And Joan Vinall-Cox writes, "this is where education should be going; this is the way learning works (will work) for many (most?) people." Graham Attwell, The Wales Wide Web, June 26, 2007. [Link] [Tags: Schools, Online Learning, Paradigm Shift, Web Logs] [Previous][Next]Comments
Re: The Beginning of the End for the Industrial Schooling System?
Our models of schooling do not date from the beginning of the industrial revolution. They are the result of many other factors.
One of the most important factors was the mass arrival of women on the job markets. With mom and dad both working there was a huge need for long school years and schools that were closely synchronized with mainstream business hours. Someone has to take care of the kids and the school has taken on this role.
For many reasons, including consumerism, people work longer hours than they did in the past. We can therefore reasonably expect schools to adjust by staying open longer hours and we can expect pressures to make the schooling year longer.
Automating the teaching process or creating self serve types of delivery is not a departure from the industrial model. In manufacturing automation is seen as the ultimate product of the industrial revolution.
From the moment you say that there will be centers open from 7am till 10pm you are not significantly departing from the standard model.
The Knowledge revolution will be preceded by an Asynchronous Revolution. The industrial Revolution caused us to live by the clock. The Asynchronous revolution will break this model.
This initiative shows some elements of asynchronicity so it is signs of things to come.
We must stop looking at schools as tools for teaching if that is not what there main social goal is.
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Re: The Beginning of the End for the Industrial Schooling System?
This makes an assumption that current schools are just educational institutions. Their significant social role (of great importance in socially depessed areas) will be taken over by what? the local shopping mall?
Should we pull out some case studies of kids who have grown up without the social interaction of schools? It's not pretty.
At least schools will be removed from the blame cycle. Let's hope the community accepts its responsibility. [Comment]
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