Learning to Change

Why is the current state of math education not suited for the modern world of computers and phones and other devices?

That's the bigger question that Conrad Wolfram answers in our 28th Modern Learners podcast. Bruce and the founder of the amazing Wolfram Alpha have a wide ranging conversation around  the state of current math instruction, the impact of technology on learning, and what we need to do to move in a more relevant, engaging direction for our students.

Some of the highlights from the conversation:

Wolfram talks about the four parts of using math in real life:

* Define the problem

* Can we turn it into a symbolic representation?

* Take the question to an answer

* What does it mean? Is that right?

He points out that Step 3 is where technology can be most useful, yet we spend 80% of our math time in schools on that step by teaching hand calculating. Instead, he says, we should be focused on steps 1, 2, and 4 which are what people really need to be good at today.

He suggests we start with "fuzzy questions" that are relevant to kids' lives and will engage them. He says that confidence to tackle new problems is now a basic skill in life. He says that teachers should be taught programming and to think programmatically, And, he says that changing the current math paradigm in schools is difficult and time consuming, yet must be done.

And a whole lot more.

If you enjoyed this episode (or past episodes) why not head over to iTunes and give us a rating and a review. And don't forget to subscribe so as not to miss the next episode of our podcast next week!

Show Links

Wolfram Alpha

Computer Based Math

Mathematica

Why is the current state of math education not suited for the modern world of computers and phones and other devices?

That's the bigger question that Conrad Wolfram answers in our 28th Modern Learners podcast. Bruce and the founder of the amazing Wolfram Alpha have a wide ranging conversation around  the state of current math instruction, the impact of technology on learning, and what we need to do to move in a more relevant, engaging direction for our students.

Some of the highlights from the conversation:

Wolfram talks about the four parts of using math in real life:

Define the problem

Can we turn it into a symbolic representation?

Take the question to an answer

What does it mean? Is that right?

He points out that Step 3 is where technology can be most useful, yet we spend 80% of our math time in schools on that step by teaching hand calculating. Instead, he says, we should be focused on steps 1, 2, and 4 which are what people really need to be good at today.

He suggests we start with "fuzzy questions" that are relevant to kids' lives and will engage them. He says that confidence to tackle new problems is now a basic skill in life. He says that teachers should be taught programming and to think programmatically, And, he says that changing the current math paradigm in schools is difficult and time consuming, yet must be done.

And a whole lot more.

If you enjoyed this episode (or past episodes) why not head over to iTunes and give us a rating and a review. And don't forget to subscribe so as not to miss the next episode of our podcast next week!

Show Links

Wolfram Alpha

Computer Based Math

Mathematica

"We've moved from an experience rich, information poor world to an experience poor, information rich world."

And that, according to Joel Pelcyger, is a cause for some deep thinking about the role and value of schools in the modern world.

Pelcyger, who founded Pluralistic School One in Santa Monica, CA 46 years ago, has been the school's one and only headmaster. And today, he's advocating a new narrative for learning that is built on some very old thinking, namely that through diversity we strengthen community...and learning.

In this our 27th podcast, Joel and I discuss a variety of topics, from the importance of a strong mission and vision, to building the capacity of parents and others to understand and embrace a different portrait of learning, to creating a larger conversation around change that scales to a larger audience.

In that effort, Joel has created a new site at 1400hours.org which asks the question "What's the purpose of the 14,000 hours American children spend in school?"

Schools should be driven by values rather than by politics. Shared vision about what schools do needs to come from our individual stories and deeply held values as educators and parents. However, discussions about education often center on accountability, standards, testing, and gaps. What if we first asked more basic questions so we could begin from common ground? What do we really want for our children’s lives? What is the role of school in achieving that? As educators, we need to seek positive solutions that unite us in reimagining schools and their basic premise altogether, and understand the benefit to our society if we do so.

Really hope you enjoy our 35-minute conversation as much as I did.

"We've moved from an experience rich, information poor world to an experience poor, information rich world."

And that, according to Joel Pelcyger, is a cause for some deep thinking about the role and value of schools in the modern world.

Pelcyger, who founded Pluralistic School One in Santa Monica, CA 46 years ago, has been the school's one and only headmaster. And today, he's advocating a new narrative for learning that is built on some very old thinking, namely that through diversity we strengthen community...and learning.

In this our 27th podcast, Joel and I discuss a variety of topics, from the importance of a strong mission and vision, to building the capacity of parents and others to understand and embrace a different portrait of learning, to creating a larger conversation around change that scales to a larger audience.

In that effort, Joel has created a new site at 1400hours.org which asks the question "What's the purpose of the 14,000 hours American children spend in school?"

Schools should be driven by values rather than by politics. Shared vision about what schools do needs to come from our individual stories and deeply held values as educators and parents. However, discussions about education often center on accountability, standards, testing, and gaps. What if we first asked more basic questions so we could begin from common ground? What do we really want for our children’s lives? What is the role of school in achieving that? As educators, we need to seek positive solutions that unite us in reimagining schools and their basic premise altogether, and understand the benefit to our society if we do so.

Really hope you enjoy our 35-minute conversation as much as I did.

With all of the problems associated with standardized testing and school assessments in general, is it finally time to start a different conversation about how we assess learning in schools? That's the question that Will and Bruce discuss on this our 26th episode of the Modern Learners podcast.

This conversation stem from a post from Bruce a few weeks ago titled The Testing Emperor Finally Has No Clothes which raised some hackles on the Interwebs. In this discussion, we cover the myths of assessing learning, take a look at ways in which different countries and provinces are rethinking testing, and talk about some of the alternatives for standardized and traditional assessments. And, we talk a lot about what common sense looks like when it comes to grades and assessments of kids and teachers in schools.

Don't forget, if you enjoyed listening, why not head over to iTunes and give us a review, or join us in our Modern Learners Community where we're engaging in conversations just like this one on a regular basis.

Some of the links discussed in this episode:

Beyond Testing: Seven Assessments of Students and School More Effective Than Standardized Tests by Deb Meier

The Case Against Grades by Alfie Kohn

Assessment by Alfie Kohn

A Good Prompt is Worth 1,000 Words by Gary Stager

Constructing Modern Knowledge

Mastery Consortium

High Tech High Student Exhibitions

With all of the problems associated with standardized testing and school assessments in general, is it finally time to start a different conversation about how we assess learning in schools? That's the question that Will and Bruce discuss on this our 26th episode of the Modern Learners podcast.

This conversation stem from a post from Bruce a few weeks ago titled The Testing Emperor Finally Has No Clothes which raised some hackles on the Interwebs. In this discussion, we cover the myths of assessing learning, take a look at ways in which different countries and provinces are rethinking testing, and talk about some of the alternatives for standardized and traditional assessments. And, we talk a lot about what common sense looks like when it comes to grades and assessments of kids and teachers in schools.

Don't forget, if you enjoyed listening, why not head over to iTunes and give us a review, or join us in our new Changeleaders Community where we're engaging in conversations just like this one on a regular basis. And Change School 4 kicks off in January. Head on over to our site and add your name to the "first to be notified" list when registration opens.

Some of the links discussed in this episode:

Beyond Testing: Seven Assessments of Students and School More Effective Than Standardized Tests by Deb Meier

The Case Against Grades by Alfie Kohn

Assessment by Alfie Kohn

A Good Prompt is Worth 1,000 Words by Gary Stager

Constructing Modern Knowledge

Mastery Consortium

High Tech High Student Exhibitions

In this podcast Bruce has a conversation with Michael Furdyk, Director of Innovation at Taking It Global which he co-founded with his wife Jennifer Corriero seventeen years ago. TiG is a truly global organization, representing the exceptional work of young people across more than 150 countries focused around global awareness, environment stewardship and student voice.

In this conversation, Michael discusses some of TiG’s work and talks about the opportunity for students to engage in authentic projects of passion ranging from the truly global to those that are more locally focused. He discusses the various programs that TiG has put in place to not only support young people, but also schools and school systems in building teacher capacity (TiGed.org) to provide resources and professional learning around inquiry within and beyond schools.

Links referenced in the podcast:

TakingITGlobal + TDSB: Education for Social Innovation 2016

World's Largest Lesson

Decarbonize Me

Whose Land?

United Nations Sustainable Development Goals

Global Competency for an Inclusive World

 

In this podcast Bruce has a conversation with Michael Furdyk, Director of Innovation at Taking It Global which he co-founded with his wife Jennifer Corriero seventeen years ago. TiG is a truly global organization, representing the exceptional work of young people across more than 150 countries focused around global awareness, environment stewardship and student voice.

In this conversation, Michael discusses some of TiG’s work and talks about the opportunity for students to engage in authentic projects of passion ranging from the truly global to those that are more locally focused. He discusses the various programs that TiG has put in place to not only support young people, but also schools and school systems in building teacher capacity (TiGed.org) to provide resources and professional learning around inquiry within and beyond schools.

Links referenced in the podcast:

TakingITGlobal + TDSB: Education for Social Innovation 2016

World's Largest Lesson

Decarbonize Me

Whose Land?

United Nations Sustainable Development Goals

Global Competency for an Inclusive World

If you can change the culture of a huge business that has over 124,000 employees, does that mean you can change the culture of schools that in many cases have only a few hundred, or in some cases a few dozen employees?

That's the question Bruce and Will kick around in this the 24th episode of the Modern Learners podcast. They do a pretty deep dive into a profile of Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella in Fast Company, pulling out the key culture changing moves that he's made in his five-year tenure, and reflecting on Bruce's long consulting relationship with Microsoft over the first 15 years of this century. (Yes, Bruce has pow-wowed with Bill Gates and Steve Ballmer.)

After that, they discuss the recent news that one large Maryland district has gone back to a letter grading system at the behest of frustrated parents. It's a bit of a different discussion from Will's post on the same subject in this week's Shifting Conversations piece, and Will coins a new phrase that represents how most schools go about this business: "change in a vacuum."

As always, we appreciate you taking the time to listen. If you like what you're hearing, why not head on over to iTunes and give us a review and rating. And, send us a SpeakPipe voice message below that we'll fold into our next discussion.

Thanks for all of your support to build a high bar, serious conversation around reimagining schools.

If you can change the culture of a huge business that has over 124,000 employees, does that mean you can change the culture of schools that in many cases have only a few hundred, or in some cases a few dozen employees?

That's the question Bruce and Will kick around in this the 24th episode of the Modern Learners podcast. They do a pretty deep dive into a profile of Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella in Fast Company, pulling out the key culture changing moves that he's made in his five-year tenure, and reflecting on Bruce's long consulting relationship with Microsoft over the first 15 years of this century. (Yes, Bruce has pow-wowed with Bill Gates and Steve Ballmer.)

After that, they discuss the recent news that one large Maryland district has gone back to a letter grading system at the behest of frustrated parents. It's a bit of a different discussion from Will's post on the same subject in this week's Shifting Conversations piece, and Will coins a new phrase that represents how most schools go about this business: "change in a vacuum."

As always, we appreciate you taking the time to listen. If you like what you're hearing, why not head on over to iTunes and give us a review and rating. And, send us a SpeakPipe voice message below that we'll fold into our next discussion.

Thanks for all of your support to build a high bar, serious conversation around reimagining schools.