Comments on: The Future of Education is Global Sourcing http://the-future.com/2009/10/the-future-of-education-is-global-sourcing/ The Shape of things to Com.e Fri, 23 Oct 2009 16:57:38 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Sean Stewart http://the-future.com/2009/10/the-future-of-education-is-global-sourcing/comment-page-1/#comment-92 Sean Stewart Fri, 23 Oct 2009 16:57:38 +0000 http://the-future.com/?p=542#comment-92 Tim, Spot on. Of course augmenting the traditional "books" with plenty of onine goodness also has superb cross-pollination opportunities. Sean Tim,

Spot on. Of course augmenting the traditional “books” with plenty of onine goodness also has superb cross-pollination opportunities.

Sean

]]> By: 'da http://the-future.com/2009/10/the-future-of-education-is-global-sourcing/comment-page-1/#comment-90 'da Wed, 21 Oct 2009 02:40:18 +0000 http://the-future.com/?p=542#comment-90 Comment part one: it might be useful to note when comparing global educational levels that our country perhaps suffers statistically for providing nearly universal education up to age 18 whereas many if not most other countries select students based on wealth and/or ability. Comment part two: Many years ago I went to school in Sweden. Many of the textbooks were written in English for the simple fact that there isn't a big market for textbooks written in Swedish. The result of this is nearly perfect command of English by most Swedes. So while globally sourced material is a great idea I wonder if the reality is that the availability of texts might be more market driven. How many textbooks in Thailand were originally written in English and translated- or are Thai students simply learning to read in English as they study Calculus? I do wish that globally sourced teaching methods could be utilized- for example Swedes don't (or didn't in 1986) move students to the next section of a unit until they have mastered the first. And there is no stigma to working at your own pace. If I study chapter 4 and take the test and don't pass then i keep working on it until i do. The goal is to master the information, not to pass the test. Comment part one: it might be useful to note when comparing global educational levels that our country perhaps suffers statistically for providing nearly universal education up to age 18 whereas many if not most other countries select students based on wealth and/or ability.
Comment part two: Many years ago I went to school in Sweden. Many of the textbooks were written in English for the simple fact that there isn’t a big market for textbooks written in Swedish. The result of this is nearly perfect command of English by most Swedes. So while globally sourced material is a great idea I wonder if the reality is that the availability of texts might be more market driven. How many textbooks in Thailand were originally written in English and translated- or are Thai students simply learning to read in English as they study Calculus?
I do wish that globally sourced teaching methods could be utilized- for example Swedes don’t (or didn’t in 1986) move students to the next section of a unit until they have mastered the first. And there is no stigma to working at your own pace. If I study chapter 4 and take the test and don’t pass then i keep working on it until i do. The goal is to master the information, not to pass the test.

]]> By: Stacy http://the-future.com/2009/10/the-future-of-education-is-global-sourcing/comment-page-1/#comment-89 Stacy Tue, 20 Oct 2009 22:38:37 +0000 http://the-future.com/?p=542#comment-89 It would certainly seem worth-while to at least make sure that those in charge of selecting textbooks for our schools read and compare the texts from other countries before making decisions. As a parent, I have definitely seen evidence supporting the point referenced here that U.S. textbooks tend to be wide-ranging and shallow. We seem to be intent on all students learning the same wide array of material, when it could be far more productive to allow them to pursue different lines of study, in depth, earlier. It would certainly seem worth-while to at least make sure that those in charge of selecting textbooks for our schools read and compare the texts from other countries before making decisions. As a parent, I have definitely seen evidence supporting the point referenced here that U.S. textbooks tend to be wide-ranging and shallow. We seem to be intent on all students learning the same wide array of material, when it could be far more productive to allow them to pursue different lines of study, in depth, earlier.

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