A colleague of mine recently wrote a blog post about students, teachers, and what their relationship is in school on Principal Reflections. He described, initially, the idea of a student as a gadget and explored the Industrial Model of education. He went on to say that rather than thinking of students as gadgets in an assembly line, we need to think of them as patients in a doctors office, each one receiving individualized care and attention.
While I don't disagree with the premise for either metaphor, I have to say that the idea of a student as a gadget doesn't seem so awful to me. Of course, I think the gadgets we are talking about are a bit different. I am not talking about some mass-produced, what-you-see is what-you-get kind of gadget like an analog TV or an eggbeater. I am talking about a modern, fully customizable, access to information, communication, and the world gadget. The kind that kids carry around in their pockets. Smart phones and iPods. These gadgets are not all the same. They come in multiple shapes, sizes, and skin colors from various parts of the world. They process information in a variety of ways and they can present information in a variety of ways. They can take information in several ways as well. Text, audio, video, and even movement can be recorded.
I completely agree that that change is a necessary part of education. After all, the world is a constantly changing place and if we are to prepare our students for that world, schools must change with it. So rather than thinking of a student as a patient (you only go to the doctor when you're sick or need "fixing"!), I prefer to think of a student as a really cool do-anything-you-need-to in the way that works best for you kind of a gadget. Do you have an app for that?
Nice angle on the gadget! Our students are no less unique than any or all of those gadgets. Can we get an app for their specific needs?
ReplyDeleteOf course gadgets dont understand what app is needed at what time...
ReplyDeleteAgreed - gadgets don't always understand what app is needed at what time. You don't always know what medicine you need before you go to the doctor. That is why the gadgets (students) need to make regular visits to the app store (school) where there are experts (teachers) on hand to help them decide which apps can/should be used at what time and for what purposes.
ReplyDeleteI think the piece that makes education so hard to understand for those not involved is that it is SO HARD to make a good analogy because in my opinion in don't think there is truly anything like it. Again, I would argue that we cant be the experts helping them decide on apps, we need them picking their own apps away from us and creating new apps without consulting us. I understand the analogy and the purpose of discussing school as related to a factory a doctors office or an app store but i think it any analogy leaves out so much because our goal is so different than that of any other profession.
ReplyDeleteCan't argue with that at all. It is very difficult to parallel education to any other industry. The intricacies and variables are innumerable. The "products" produced are all one-of-a-kind and replicable. I concede that talking about a gadget picking it's own app start to get kind of far-fetched and sci-fi. Yet, creating new apps, knowing when to use existing ones, and getting a well researched and logical answers to the problems presented is exactly what we want students to do - first with out help and then without our help. Students and schools certainly don't fit neatly into any analogy we've heard so far - but it's kind of fun trying to find one that fits - perhaps because it is so nearly impossible.
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