Comments on: The School Without Walls

By: dskmag

dskmag — Tue, 05 May 2009 11:18:32 +0000

thanks for the reply! – the idea is that there are teachers to advise you, help you understand etc., but not by standing in the front of the class, giving you work then checking the answers. The global financial crisis is changing employment as you say. If a text is hard to understand, perhaps there is a better way of doing it using all sorts of media. As a student – you are the expert in your daily experience, what could having an online teacher-advisor do that would help you out? Great to get your input.

By: student

student — Tue, 05 May 2009 05:56:58 +0000

although u havent explained the idea thorouly. im not sure how the actual teaching part works because it is a lot harder to understand a text then have some1 xplain it to you and show you how things are done.. the other problm is the loss of educational jobs especially the non teacher staff, suspecting the teachers are included in this idea.

if a major clearer idea was shown i could understand better.. but apart from these prblems it is a far cheaper, easier and more efficient way of learning =]

student (sutherland shire)

By: Troy

Troy — Mon, 04 May 2009 10:22:59 +0000

YES! And that would be the beautiful thing, it is not restricted by borders or governments, it can go beyond traditional forms of control of subject matter.

‘I think we need space(s) where one can take formal options (IB/HSC etc.) as well as less formal paths.’ I think we should take a less formal path in middle school.

The DET’s ideal of life long learning fits exactly into the void missing: learning doesn’t just occur with a teacher out the front within the walls of a school or from within a text book or according to standardised tests across the country…

By: TaNuj^

TaNuj^ — Mon, 04 May 2009 08:35:59 +0000

Wow! This an amazing idea which you are proposing, for a student like me (trust me when I say this)- It will be like a dream come true. With this sort of learning there will be so much room to move around (freedom), when we will be able to choose our subject, tutors and other things. Alongside education will be provided accompanied with skills many individuals in today’s society lack, this may include- effective use of internet and various computer softwares. This sort of school or centre can certainly become Australia’s backbone in providing with vital elements, which are needed, for the sake of excelling in technology and learning. In my opinion this sort of system will certainly form a centre where words such motivation and excitement would live, also it will provide with solid foundation for younger generations to compete globally.

However, I guess there will be few problems, which of course would include finances and collecting a group of teachers and training them to fit into such a scenario. Moreover providing teachers with the skill of influencing and motivating their pupils, side by side giving the content which essential to be learnt.

This is a brilliant idea. Tomorrow-I have been invited to a breakfast with few politicians, and other hotshots (it’s a chamber of a small group of students from this district). They will be giving speeches based upon education being on a turning point, I will certainly try my best to get this idea across to them.

Love the idea…

By: School Without Walls #2 «

School Without Walls #2 « — Mon, 04 May 2009 02:42:30 +0000

[...] on from the great feedback in relation to the previous post and #sictassy (check the Tweet-related URLS here), I’d like to start expanding out some of [...]

By: dskmag

dskmag — Mon, 04 May 2009 00:21:22 +0000

Thanks – I’ve purposely not but down criteria – in the hope that I’ll get comments just like this – I have been pushing realism and relevance leads to retention for a while. I see classes being 15 mins! so all conventions need evaluating IMO.
Thanks for the input Damien!

By: Damien Basile

Damien Basile — Sun, 03 May 2009 21:31:41 +0000

The one thing that is missing here is this: hyper-personalization. Not everyone learns the same way (tactile, visual, emotional, audible etc) or at the same rate, especially in the same areas. Schooling is increasingly an outmoded model as it stands today. This idea of a virtualization of schooling will take precedence as our lives become more and more saturated with information and stressed for time. With the internet being ever-present in many people’s lives, most are already used to being able to choose what they want to digest. This concept will reach to schooling as well as students growing up with the internet start tuning out because they can’t get it the way they want it. Make it relevant and timely to the person and it will work.

By: dskmag

dskmag — Sun, 03 May 2009 11:22:26 +0000

Thanks Al, personally, I have little doubt that this could pilot/run – be evaluated and operated within current foci of the various educational sectors. I don’t see as having pedagogical leaders – not teachers – as this is NOT about the internet or technology for me – it is about so much more – empathy, communication, communication, realism, relevance … to name a few. It is not about dumping content in a learning system either – so I don’t see why students would not only have ‘advistors’ but also ‘mentors’ – and in that regard – I see this as not having the traditional K-6/7-12 differentiations.

I really like the idea you have around risk, and agree the label is wrong – however – it is cognitive with current language. I liked ’school without walls’ – as it is more emotive – a little like the ’school of the air’ in the 50s.

Thanks for your support – I have no doubt, that your input and insight will strengthen the idea.

By: darcymoore

darcymoore — Sun, 03 May 2009 07:51:45 +0000

‘Australia needs a virtual high school’ says John Larkin and he would be correct.

When you mentioned this idea the other night Dean, I could tell that you would be prepared to travel any hard road to achieve this Big Idea.

I think we need space(s) where one can take formal options (IB/HSC etc.) as well as less formal paths.

Not sure how this would work but it would be a lotta fun to (virtually) find out.

When James Burke http://darcymoore.wordpress.com/2009/04/22/881/ talks about children/adults who are not suited to formal learning he has a point that few would disagree with.

Who needs to be on this journey for it to end in a destination – and a beginning?

By: Julie Lindsay

Julie Lindsay — Sun, 03 May 2009 04:01:18 +0000

Sustainable communities of practice can be established outside of the normal ‘high school’ models. If Australia was to lead the way in this I would suggest moving away from the ‘traditional’ virtual high school model by embracing new pedagogical ideas using emerging technologies. Dean, your motivation and ideas are inspiring, but I would encourage true innovation, something Australia can be good at, and think well outside the box. Thanks to Sue Waters for mentioning our Flat Classroom projects where we are already leading the way in global collaborative structures using Web 2.0 and virtual worlds. http://flatclassroomproject.org
Don’t limit any ideas you have to a national model, this needs to be global and all-embracing and provide scope for action-based, challenge-based learning at it’s most exciting level.