Education 3.0. How can we get there?

Innovation in education is a topic much talked about recently. Here are some
ideas of how I would like to see education in schools (and to some extent
colleges) progress.
Teach abilities rather than subjects
Rather than simply teaching subject knowledge there should be a clear emphasis
on learning problem solving, analytical, creative abilities as well as teamwork,
leadership and proficient verbal and written communication. When I say clear
emphasis I mean that the students themselves ideally should realise that they
are learning these abilities in the same way that a student knows that they are
learning a subject like maths. In that way, a young person can realise that what
they are learning is more important than the subject knowledge itself and
therefore be more motivated to learn. The skill can also be honed through
practice.
Practical application of any subject knowledge is the only true way to complete
the learning process. Writing an essay showing the teacher that they have
remembered what has been taught to them is not practical real world enough.
Real world tasks as simulations should be given. Practical application can come
through participating in extracurricular activities. These have a vital and often
unrealised role to play in the learning of these abilities. Scouts, music groups,
and sports teams all set up a scenario that naturally nurtures teamwork, team
building, leadership, problem solving and creativity.
Teach communication
To be able to learn advanced communication skills, there should be ample
opportunity for a student to practice a full range of real communication areas.
Listening and writing are the only skills to be given priority up to high school
level; listening to the teacher and then writing an essay is and has been the
status quo for many a year. Speaking is often overlooked and the first chance a
person has to deliver a presentation on a topic or to debate something may be at
university or in the workplace.
Teach grammar
Grammar should also be taught to all students. By this I mean, the grammar of
ones native language. Grammar allows you to understand the nuances of your
own language and allows you to communicate more accurately. Once you
understand concepts like tenses you can then learn a second or third language
more easily. Grammar could be taught in similar way to the way it is taught as a
foreign language.
Reorder subject priority
There should also be a reordering of the priorities of subjects that are taught,
Business as a subject is often undervalued at school. In todays world, if you
have a job at management level, be it an engineer, a writer, or factory
supervisor, it is difficult to not be involved in business side of it. If one is a
freelancer like a tradesman or has a talent or is an expert in something, this isnt
enough.. you still have to sell yourself. Marketing, sales, and basic finance are
the most important parts of business that everyone should learn.
Subjects that develop more advanced thought processes could also be
introduced. Philosophy for example is taught in the Spanish educational system
but not in the UK system.

Stream according to talent and interest

Instead of streaming according to intelligence, school performance or general
ability, why not stream according to talent and interest? In other words, if a
student is able to show a particular aptitude for a certain subject, they should be
given the chance to develop that to its full potential rather than spending time
on learning something they may be less interested in or capable at. Example: A
student who shows an aptitude for drawing and painting could be allowed to
spend more hours learning Art in greater detail and less time on say maths. Once
taking Art they could be given the chance to develop their talent to a vocational
level earlier. Instead of learning painting or sculpture, they should learn graphic
design, architecture, or technical drawing.
Personalisation
Personalisation of education is important as one size rarely fits all.
Personalisation can be implemented by giving students a choice of what to study.
There could also be optional hours per week where students can learn any
academic or practical subject that they want via a MOOC.
New learning models
Long term experimentation should be conducted using non-traditional teaching
methods. The teacher-centred approach where the teacher talks and the
students listen may have to be partially or completely replaced by other more
student-centred approaches.
Constructivism, e-learning, P2P learning, 1to1 mentoring, infographics, problem
based learning (PBL), flipped classrooms, and collaborative learning could be
used and potentially combined to achieve faster learning that is retained longer.
Students could even be allowed to decide their preferred methodology and
learning style.
In other blogs I hope to go into greater detail about some of these ideas.