I know, most people think "what are you crazy" - but really it does work - and on some level most teachers know this. That is why we always have to work in groups. Even though sometimes I hated group-work classes, and sometimes I really just wanted to sit back and listen (passive "learning") - it really isn't as effective.
This is an example of taking it to even more extremes - basically Sugata Mitra is suggesting here to provide the environment and let the kids take over. VERY LITTLE teaching from adults, or experts, but really letting the kids become the experts. This particular format of learning works with kids that already know how to read, but haven't been indoctrinated yet by society to fall into certain roles - they find their own working group and really step up. It is fantastic to hear about some of the successes that he has had with this model of learning.
What is exciting is to think about how this can be applied in larger and smaller setting and of course different age groups. I can easily see this in a work place environment (and am actually changing some of the courses I am currently working on) but also how to really set the education world on edge to try to change how we facilitate!!!
I think current ed students are taught this as a way of teaching. But i can tell you that from what I (parent) see, in high school science classes, it pretty much sucks.
ReplyDeleteThere is a place for exploring and curiosity, etc. But i think that left on your own, few people would figure out molecular structure (for example), or that gravity is a constant. And/or it would take so long that it would eat up most of your learning time.
And watching a room full of kids who know equally as little as each other try to explain things they know nothing about . . . well, it seems like a pretty big waste of time. And frustrates the students, because they can tell they're not learning the things they want to know
I agree that there is a place for this kind of facilitation - and it is NOT a one size fits all!
ReplyDeleteI think that Sugata Mitra limited the age for his "school in the cloud" to be 6-12 years old - which is a great age for this - as they have most likely already started reading and the curiosity is still very open.
I think when you look at High School or even college kids - this type of learning environment only works with certain topics, and even then it is with motivated kids. I know that when I was in a "let the student learn and teach" type of class in college I pretty much checked out. (but then so had the instructor) - so that is also part of the double edges sword - just because the teacher might not be "right there" doesn't mean that they don't have to do some of the preparation and of course the motivation!