Facing Harsh Realities…
From the authors, Chuck & Bea:
“When we first envisioned “Mass Customized Learning,” we were forced to face some HARSH REALITIES. Things that most everyone knows; however, no one wants to admit them. Well, we’re saying them OUT LOUD here and everywhere!”
HARSH REALITY #1
We’re pretending that we’re meeting the needs of all learners.
We try and try! Heaven knows we try! Yet the time-based structures of schools prevent us from honoring these 3 foundational principles of learning:
- Kids learning in different ways.
- Kids learning in different timeframes.
- Mistakes are inherent in learning
HARSH REALITY #2
The assembly-line delivery of instruction is severely outdated.
K-12 education, as we know it today, was designed in 1892! Students organized in age-based grade levels or courses, all doing the same assignments, in the same way, in the same timeframe is SO Industrial Age!
HARSH REALITY #3
The world is customized; yet education is bureaucratic and learning is standardized! The comparison is stark and . . . embarrassing!
The Industrial Age gave us:
- Book Stores
- Encyclopedia Britannica • Garage Sales
- Film & Movies
- Schools: Time-based, one size fits all learning in grade levels
The Information Age gave us:
- Kindle
- Wikipedia & AI
- eBay
- Netflix & YouTube
- Schools: Time-based, one size fits all learning in grade levels