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Giftedness is a crutch for the recognition of strong performance in educational systems styled from the industrial revolution on a production-line mentality. Wh

Giftedness is a crutch for the recognition of strong performance in educational systems styled from the industrial revolution on a production-line mentality. What is needed is not a continuation of the crutch but an overhaul of the mentality. All students can benefit from more responsive and personalized educational environments, opportunities and support, whether they are struggling, baseline bell-curve, or academically excelling. Technology offers this potential, but we are yet to realise it fully. Alan Kay often discusses the failed potential for technology with respect to education. He has some great quotes like: By far the best way to invent a healthy future is to invent the children who will invent it. - Alan Kay Children need to learn how to use the 21st century, or there's a good chance they will lose the 21st century. - Alan Kay With a good programming language and interface, one - even children - can create from scratch important simulations of complex non-linear systems that can help one's thinking about them. - Alan Kay ... via https://github.com/globalcitizen/taoup https://github.com/globalcitizen/taoup

gowld 4y ago
The mentality isn't the problem, the budget is. Assembly-line is a cost saving strategy, not a pedagogical strategy. Most good ideas in education are ruined upon deployment because they cost more than sociey is willing to spend (on average), except for the few who have wealthy private patrons (parents or "scholarship aid" / "gifted" programs). And most bad-looking ideas are attempts to make the best of the limited budget, or good ideas were ruined by lack of budget. "Individualized instruction" is the current one -- we can't afford good individualized instruction, so everyone hates the bad individualized instruction we get. Gifted kids especially, have complex talents that don't always fit inside a software program in a 2-D screen. Technology can be cost effective, but that's not the same as giving best results.
- contingencies 4y ago
  Well that's a cop-out. Homeschooling is an option for many of us. Furthermore, the global market for an individual, first-world teacher, online is currently about $20/hr. There is a vast array of resources available immediately at no charge. It has never been easier to seek external instruction. Gamification of learning has created kids with sophisticated understanding of space, time, networks, etc. free of human teachers. The trend is clear. We can push further.
  - freemint 4y ago
    That seems very presumptive and very americocentric. Homeschooling is not an option almost everywhere. You would need to make more then the teacher to justify employing one. Even then it is not guaranteed that you end up with a good teacher (or a good student teacher fit) so you have to shop around, yet another thing people can't do easily.
    - contingencies 4y ago
      I'm an Aussie/Kiwi/German in China. I don't think I'm Americocentric, but feel free to make your own reality. Economically, let's say out of 9-3PM typical school hours there are 4 productive hours. If we reduce by 25% due to 1:1 effectiveness vs. classes, 3 hours per day @ $20 = $60/day x 5 days/week x 4 weeks = $1200/month. That's really not so bad for 3 hours of private teaching per day. You could easily share it with another child/friend, so optionally divide by that factor ($600/month for 2 kids, $400/month for 3 kids). It's affordable, now, with no special circumstances, for many people. Look at what private schools charge. Here in China, for example, they start at $300/day.

gowld 4y ago

The mentality isn't the problem, the budget is. Assembly-line is a cost saving strategy, not a pedagogical strategy. Most good ideas in education are ruined upon deployment because they cost more than sociey is willing to spend (on average), except for the few who have wealthy private patrons (parents or "scholarship aid" / "gifted" programs). And most bad-looking ideas are attempts to make the best of the limited budget, or good ideas were ruined by lack of budget. "Individualized instruction" is the current one -- we can't afford good individualized instruction, so everyone hates the bad individualized instruction we get. Gifted kids especially, have complex talents that don't always fit inside a software program in a 2-D screen. Technology can be cost effective, but that's not the same as giving best results.

contingencies 4y ago
Well that's a cop-out. Homeschooling is an option for many of us. Furthermore, the global market for an individual, first-world teacher, online is currently about $20/hr. There is a vast array of resources available immediately at no charge. It has never been easier to seek external instruction. Gamification of learning has created kids with sophisticated understanding of space, time, networks, etc. free of human teachers. The trend is clear. We can push further.
- freemint 4y ago
  That seems very presumptive and very americocentric. Homeschooling is not an option almost everywhere. You would need to make more then the teacher to justify employing one. Even then it is not guaranteed that you end up with a good teacher (or a good student teacher fit) so you have to shop around, yet another thing people can't do easily.
  - contingencies 4y ago
    I'm an Aussie/Kiwi/German in China. I don't think I'm Americocentric, but feel free to make your own reality. Economically, let's say out of 9-3PM typical school hours there are 4 productive hours. If we reduce by 25% due to 1:1 effectiveness vs. classes, 3 hours per day @ $20 = $60/day x 5 days/week x 4 weeks = $1200/month. That's really not so bad for 3 hours of private teaching per day. You could easily share it with another child/friend, so optionally divide by that factor ($600/month for 2 kids, $400/month for 3 kids). It's affordable, now, with no special circumstances, for many people. Look at what private schools charge. Here in China, for example, they start at $300/day.