Content-type: text/html Downes.ca ~ Stephen's Web ~ Russ Whitehurst Throws Cold Water on the Grit Craze, But Is the Water Too Cold?

Stephen Downes

Knowledge, Learning, Community

Maybe this can put the whole 'grit' fad permanently to rest. As Russ Whitehurst says, grit can't be 'taught' per se, and even if it could, accounts for virtually no improvement in learning outcomes. Jay P. Greene would like to keep the corpse alive. "There is a growing body of evidence that suggests character skills are malleable and that education plays an important role in shaping and altering character," he writes. Maybe. But is the goal of education really to make all of us conscientious, nice and hard-working people? Or is this just someone's idea of what poor people should be like if they want to better themselves? Instead of, say, being born rich, or living is an equitable social democracy?

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Stephen Downes Stephen Downes, Casselman, Canada
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Last Updated: Apr 23, 2024 6:59 p.m.

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