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People want to be engaged with the work they believe in. Students or adults. Fundamentally, kids that are just trying to pass a class don't see the value in l

People want to be engaged with the work they believe in. Students or adults. Fundamentally, kids that are just trying to pass a class don't see the value in learning and it seems that the contributions towards the "pointless" school work are parts teacher attitudes, parts curriculum design, parts real-life applicability to the student's interests, parts framing. We've been using tests and such for far too long as a proxy for competence, rather than developing the competencies in such a way that engages the kids. I think we need to look at reframing fundamental parts of how education is structured. I don't think there needs to be drastic changes, just some small things that allow the education and curriculum to become more engaging.

skhunted 2y ago
…don't think there needs to be drastic changes, just some small things that allow the education and curriculum to become more engaging. I think the vast majority of people who say and think this haven’t taught in the classroom much.
com2kid 2y ago
> Fundamentally, kids that are just trying to pass a class don't see the value in learning and it seems that the contributions towards the "pointless" school work are parts teacher attitudes, parts curriculum design, parts real-life applicability to the student's interests, parts framing. It is 100% societal. It is because society is focused on "get degree, get job, get money". It is because Western societies have gotten so damn competitive that if you don't succeed at any of the above, there is a non-trivial chance you won't even be able to afford a house to live in. In America, I'll admit that No child left behind made it a lot worse, with tests left and right, which gives students the wrong impression of what learning is about. Every class should be about critical thinking. Every single class. Multiple choice tests are a societal cancer and should be limited to a tiny fraction of tests given. The point of school is to learn how to learn. That is it. What facts are taught are almost irrelevant. The point is to learn HOW to learn. Be that researching the history of fabric dyes in Ancient Egypt or making a scale drawing of one's house. The "WHAT" IS NOT IMPORTANT. The HOW is important. How to write an essay, the topic doesn't matter. How to learn about the culture of a country. How to learn a new field of mathematics. How to learn a new type of art. How to give a presentation. How to learn a hard science. Yes the basics of physics and chemistry and such need to be taught. But the things that are learned should be inline with teaching the all important skill of how to learn.
itronitron 2y ago
Most first year classes for STEM courses at most universities are very large, highly impersonal, and from what I have seen, often taught by very poor communicators. Students want to be engaged in their coursework, but the universities aren't there to encourage or support it.

skhunted 2y ago

…don't think there needs to be drastic changes, just some small things that allow the education and curriculum to become more engaging. I think the vast majority of people who say and think this haven’t taught in the classroom much.

com2kid 2y ago

> Fundamentally, kids that are just trying to pass a class don't see the value in learning and it seems that the contributions towards the "pointless" school work are parts teacher attitudes, parts curriculum design, parts real-life applicability to the student's interests, parts framing. It is 100% societal. It is because society is focused on "get degree, get job, get money". It is because Western societies have gotten so damn competitive that if you don't succeed at any of the above, there is a non-trivial chance you won't even be able to afford a house to live in. In America, I'll admit that No child left behind made it a lot worse, with tests left and right, which gives students the wrong impression of what learning is about. Every class should be about critical thinking. Every single class. Multiple choice tests are a societal cancer and should be limited to a tiny fraction of tests given. The point of school is to learn how to learn. That is it. What facts are taught are almost irrelevant. The point is to learn HOW to learn. Be that researching the history of fabric dyes in Ancient Egypt or making a scale drawing of one's house. The "WHAT" IS NOT IMPORTANT. The HOW is important. How to write an essay, the topic doesn't matter. How to learn about the culture of a country. How to learn a new field of mathematics. How to learn a new type of art. How to give a presentation. How to learn a hard science. Yes the basics of physics and chemistry and such need to be taught. But the things that are learned should be inline with teaching the all important skill of how to learn.

itronitron 2y ago

Most first year classes for STEM courses at most universities are very large, highly impersonal, and from what I have seen, often taught by very poor communicators. Students want to be engaged in their coursework, but the universities aren't there to encourage or support it.