In his brilliant TED Talk, Jonathan Drori presents questions to the audience that most people know the answer to, but then explains why that answer is wrong. Through this ingenious interactive speaking style he explains how what we think we know may not be true.
Although it was not presented as so, I think at its core his talk was about the failures of education. When we grow up, we learn through common sense and experiences, but these can often lead to false conclusions. As soon as people get these ideas, they often fit all other evidence to fit this model. Education’s job should be to eliminate these misconceptions, but in order to do so it must convince students to give up their “models”. I think the best way for students to do this is through hands-on activity. Unless you see something with your own eyes, it is impossible to completely understand it. Textbooks, diagrams, and lectures not only have trouble eliminating misconceptions, but they can cause them. As Drori explains in his talk, people believe planets’ orbits are elongated ellipses, not near perfect circles that they are, because textbook diagrams always show the solar system from the side. If students build an accurate model of the solar system or are shown a three-dimensional one, people would not have this misconception. Through his talk I think Drori redefines what a good teacher is: not someone who tells facts to kids, but rather someone that shows students the evidence and facts so that the student can use his common sense to come to the correct conclusion.
Drori’s talk was very eye-opening to me as it makes me question teaching methods today and what I think I know.
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
AHS TED Talk Blogging: Conrad Wolfram
In Conrad Wolfram’s TED talk he considers a whole new way to teach math – use computers. He explains that outside of education almost all computing is done with computers, not by hand like it is in schools.
Wolfram has some very valid points in his TED Talk. At its most central theme, the talk is about modernizing education. Education is supposed to prepare students for the outside world and to teach skills and concepts that people actually use. In many grade-schools these days however, subjects and content based upon what is traditionally taught is the only thing that is taught. There are precedents for what should be taught in school, especially in math, such as manual calculation, which are not important skills in the real world. I agree with Wolfram that many schools need to reconsider their purpose – to teach practical and conceptual skills to students that help them succeed, not computational math that is only done on computers in the real-world workplace. Grade-school education is about giving baseline, practical knowledge to students, not computational, paper-and-pencil math that is no longer used.
I disagree, however, on how this new style of teaching math should be implemented. It is impossible to leap to a computer style class all of the sudden because computational math is tested on collage entrance exams such as the SAT and ACT. Computers and practical, conceptual math should be implemented slowly into the class room: maybe starting with a portion of a lesson being “computer math”. No one can accept radically new ideas quickly. It is important to implement these concepts that Conrad Wolfram considers, but doing it slowly is the only way it will be accepted.
Wolfram has some very valid points in his TED Talk. At its most central theme, the talk is about modernizing education. Education is supposed to prepare students for the outside world and to teach skills and concepts that people actually use. In many grade-schools these days however, subjects and content based upon what is traditionally taught is the only thing that is taught. There are precedents for what should be taught in school, especially in math, such as manual calculation, which are not important skills in the real world. I agree with Wolfram that many schools need to reconsider their purpose – to teach practical and conceptual skills to students that help them succeed, not computational math that is only done on computers in the real-world workplace. Grade-school education is about giving baseline, practical knowledge to students, not computational, paper-and-pencil math that is no longer used.
I disagree, however, on how this new style of teaching math should be implemented. It is impossible to leap to a computer style class all of the sudden because computational math is tested on collage entrance exams such as the SAT and ACT. Computers and practical, conceptual math should be implemented slowly into the class room: maybe starting with a portion of a lesson being “computer math”. No one can accept radically new ideas quickly. It is important to implement these concepts that Conrad Wolfram considers, but doing it slowly is the only way it will be accepted.
Monday, May 2, 2011
AHS TED Talk Blogging: Dave Eggers
In Dave Egger’s TED Talk, he inspires other to get involved in education. He begins by telling the intriguing story of his tutoring center 826 Valencia -- a pirate supply store that is also an English tutoring center for local students. This center has encouraged others to build similar locations. He sums his whole talk up with the encouragement to get involved in education.
After watching his TED talk I was struck by the brilliance of 826 Valencia. Its environment greatly increases intrinsic motivation. Students want to be there and look forward to coming. The idea of it being a pirate supply store is so exciting for many kids that going there and getting one-on-one attention with a tutor would be a fun experience unlike school. Schools should take after the 826 Valencia. If schools made their design and decor more fun and interesting it could make kids excited about learning. In addition a fun design can inspire creativity and adds a welcoming atmosphere as opposed to the typical stark, white-walled classrooms. I know at least for me I learn and enjoy learning more in environments with aesthetically pleasing or engaging designs. Schools should also put a larger emphasis on one-on-one attention and welcome volunteers to help achieve this one-on-one time.
I think the message that Egger conveys is important and worthwhile. People need to be interested and engaged in education at all its levels. Education is the backbone of society and the more educated youth are, the brighter and more intellectual the future. Also by volunteering in education one can excite students about learning -- learning that will help them succeed in the future.
After watching his TED talk I was struck by the brilliance of 826 Valencia. Its environment greatly increases intrinsic motivation. Students want to be there and look forward to coming. The idea of it being a pirate supply store is so exciting for many kids that going there and getting one-on-one attention with a tutor would be a fun experience unlike school. Schools should take after the 826 Valencia. If schools made their design and decor more fun and interesting it could make kids excited about learning. In addition a fun design can inspire creativity and adds a welcoming atmosphere as opposed to the typical stark, white-walled classrooms. I know at least for me I learn and enjoy learning more in environments with aesthetically pleasing or engaging designs. Schools should also put a larger emphasis on one-on-one attention and welcome volunteers to help achieve this one-on-one time.
I think the message that Egger conveys is important and worthwhile. People need to be interested and engaged in education at all its levels. Education is the backbone of society and the more educated youth are, the brighter and more intellectual the future. Also by volunteering in education one can excite students about learning -- learning that will help them succeed in the future.
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