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The article resonated with me when it mentioned "(or, because they suspect no one will invest in what they really want to do)." >Many problems have an 80% soft

The article resonated with me when it mentioned "(or, because they suspect no one will invest in what they really want to do)." >Many problems have an 80% software solution attached to a 20% "interface with the real world" mandatory bit. My "Big Problem" is Education. I'd almost flip those numbers -- 20% software, 80% "interface with the real world." Throw in non-trivial entrenched interests including existing teachers who think they know the best way to teach, and a significant fraction of people in this country who went through a public school education and who might be prone to object to teaching kids in a new and different way. But I still want to try. I think that it's a problem that will actually address many of the "unexotic big problems" plaguing the world today. The big fix is for the poor. Get education right and you can make strides against poverty from multiple directions. The educated adults you produce will be more able to be employed, or to create employment opportunities (depending on temperament and opportunity). That would help single mothers and the rest -- eventually.

trevelyan 12y ago
I run an education startup and respectfully disagree -- parent poster is correct that the industry is really not welcoming for entrepreneurs, at least for people who have ambitions for things like home ownership or healthcare or relationships. The major problem is that people who need to learn something are by definition the least able to evaluate what they need. So the dominant incentive is for companies to produce crap and then market the hell out of it, or develop connections and feed off public credit ("you may qualify for state assistance!")... almost anything except for producing stuff people actually need and trying to sell it on its virtues. And then there is the lack of money, because student budgets are often directed elsewhere, such as to their expensive but ineffective accreditation programs and university classes. This transforms meaningful work in the education space into an uphill struggle against funded businesses with predatory business practices, and while word-of-mouth can benefit you over them in the long-run, the viral loop goes slower in education than in other areas and it is very, very difficult to build effective placement in commercial sales channels like search engines. More direct connections between education and employment would help, but the connection is often weaker than one would think from the political rhetoric thrown around, especially considering that education is often a proxy term for "credentials" or "signaling" in public rather than knowledge.
- djc14 12y ago
  It sounds like you actually largely agree with SomeCallMeTim. His point above is that solving Education is a Big Problem that has many non-trivial issues involved (entrenched interests, low budgets, slow purchase cycles, etc.), yet he "still wants to try." You make the point that the "industry is not welcoming for entrepreneurs", but at the same time, you are running an education start-up, which suggests to me that you believe it is possible to make a dent in the problems plaguing education. My Big Problem to solve is education as well, and currently, I'm still trying to figure out the best way to tackle the root cause. I feel we are all inclined to use technology as the path to success, but perhaps more fundamental issues need to be dealt with first. If this is the case, then which issue do we initially target -fighting predatory business practices, creating a culture that values education, establishing employment credibility for non-traditional education, something else?
  - SomeCallMeTim 12y ago
    As I just mentioned in another response, you should look at Sudbury Schools [1] for inspiration on how education should work. The entire current educational system is based on creating interchangeable docile workers for manufacturing jobs. What we need moving forward are creative, intelligent, and self-motivated individuals who will create value in a service/information economy. I just listened to a story on public radio that talked about business-without-employees, and referred to the new "Participation Age" as the future. It's worth a listen. [2] He also brings up Sudbury Schools as an example of this philosophy as it applies to education. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sudbury_school https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sudbury_school [2] http://www.cpr.org/news/story/why-employees-are-bad-idea http://www.cpr.org/news/story/why-employees-are-bad-idea
    - trevelyan 12y ago
      Yes, I agree with both of you about the desired direction of change. Where I disagreed was with the assertion that the problem with edutech companies is one of putting technology ahead of "interface". I also hope that innovative school structures help solve some of these problems.

trevelyan 12y ago

I run an education startup and respectfully disagree -- parent poster is correct that the industry is really not welcoming for entrepreneurs, at least for people who have ambitions for things like home ownership or healthcare or relationships. The major problem is that people who need to learn something are by definition the least able to evaluate what they need. So the dominant incentive is for companies to produce crap and then market the hell out of it, or develop connections and feed off public credit ("you may qualify for state assistance!")... almost anything except for producing stuff people actually need and trying to sell it on its virtues. And then there is the lack of money, because student budgets are often directed elsewhere, such as to their expensive but ineffective accreditation programs and university classes. This transforms meaningful work in the education space into an uphill struggle against funded businesses with predatory business practices, and while word-of-mouth can benefit you over them in the long-run, the viral loop goes slower in education than in other areas and it is very, very difficult to build effective placement in commercial sales channels like search engines. More direct connections between education and employment would help, but the connection is often weaker than one would think from the political rhetoric thrown around, especially considering that education is often a proxy term for "credentials" or "signaling" in public rather than knowledge.

djc14 12y ago
It sounds like you actually largely agree with SomeCallMeTim. His point above is that solving Education is a Big Problem that has many non-trivial issues involved (entrenched interests, low budgets, slow purchase cycles, etc.), yet he "still wants to try." You make the point that the "industry is not welcoming for entrepreneurs", but at the same time, you are running an education start-up, which suggests to me that you believe it is possible to make a dent in the problems plaguing education. My Big Problem to solve is education as well, and currently, I'm still trying to figure out the best way to tackle the root cause. I feel we are all inclined to use technology as the path to success, but perhaps more fundamental issues need to be dealt with first. If this is the case, then which issue do we initially target -fighting predatory business practices, creating a culture that values education, establishing employment credibility for non-traditional education, something else?
- SomeCallMeTim 12y ago
  As I just mentioned in another response, you should look at Sudbury Schools [1] for inspiration on how education should work. The entire current educational system is based on creating interchangeable docile workers for manufacturing jobs. What we need moving forward are creative, intelligent, and self-motivated individuals who will create value in a service/information economy. I just listened to a story on public radio that talked about business-without-employees, and referred to the new "Participation Age" as the future. It's worth a listen. [2] He also brings up Sudbury Schools as an example of this philosophy as it applies to education. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sudbury_school https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sudbury_school [2] http://www.cpr.org/news/story/why-employees-are-bad-idea http://www.cpr.org/news/story/why-employees-are-bad-idea
  - trevelyan 12y ago
    Yes, I agree with both of you about the desired direction of change. Where I disagreed was with the assertion that the problem with edutech companies is one of putting technology ahead of "interface". I also hope that innovative school structures help solve some of these problems.