Vocational experience in education?

Edge challenges the politicans to think differently.

The world is changing rapidly but our education system is failing to keep pace. Edge wants to see practical and vocational learning at the heart of education alongside academic study to enable every young person to fulfil their individual talents and have access to many paths to success.

Over the last seven months Edge have been collecting people’s views and opinions through Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, TESConnect, blogs and via emails, online messages and at face-to-face events . Thousands  have voiced your support for our campaign to change education and help secure a better future for young people. The outcome of all of these messages is the first ever election broadcast generated completely by the public.

The broadcast (below)  was screened at the Houses of Parliament yesterday with key politicians from the three main political parties in
attendance.  Still time to have your say go to Edge and give them your thoughts.

It’s easier to teach compliance than initiative

Wisdom from Seth

Found this on Seth Godin’s Blog and had to share it.

Compliance is simple to measure, simple to test for and simple to teach. Punish non-compliance, reward obedience and repeat.
Initiative is very difficult to teach to 28 students in a quiet classroom. It’s difficult to brag about in a school board meeting. And it’s a huge pain in the neck to do reliably.

Schools like teaching compliance. They’re pretty good at it. To top it off, until recently the customers of a school or training program (the companies that hire workers) were buying compliance by the bushel. Initiative was a red flag, not an asset.
Of course, now that’s all changed. The economy has rewritten the rules, and smart organizations seek out intelligent problem solvers. Everything is different now. Except the part about how much easier it is to teach compliance.

Really love this by Seth and it has really made me think of the definition between the two what do you think?

Education and Youth: Shallow Cuts lead to a Great Divide

Government approach to Education is damaging youth

by Heledd Straker of Naked Generations

Over the last few months there has been a lot of media coverage surrounding the government’s tackling of the recession, in particular its approach towards education.

Over the next three years, higher education institutions are going to face nearly £1billion of budget cuts, including £215million slashed from teaching budgets and the elimination of 6,000 university places from next year. As well as this, Adult courses have been cut by 16% and, perhaps even worse, the government is planning £2billion of ‘savings’ from secondary schools.

According to the government, these ‘shallow’ cuts are to create more efficiencies in the system and to force universities to charge higher tuition fees (from which, of course, they will have to pay tax).

But does this not hint at a return to the Victorian age, where higher education was for the rich and served to maintain a vast social divide? Right now, not only are the Class of 2009 the most debt-ridden (the average graduate is over £30,000 in debt), but young people are hugely and disproportionately affected by the recession, with 18.4% of 18-24 year-olds unemployed (nearly three times the number of 25-49 year-olds, at 6.3%). If things continue as they are, we will have year after year of unemployed youth, who are highly educated and increasingly debt-ridden. Not only this, but increasing numbers of poorer pupils will lose out on the opportunity to go to university, creating a massive social divide and significantly reducing the graduate talent pool – something we really don’t need in the face of the impending retirement of the massive demographic that is the Baby Boomers.

Considering that education is the key to creating long-term economic growth and stability, while debt and inequality are what caused the global recession in the first place, it is easy to wonder whether these cuts will actually help the long run.

Why social media should be taught in schools

Educating Youth in Social Media

The wonderful Andrew Davis has just sent me the results for his first Social Media course in a school and it is impressive.

Every student received a Grade C and above for 90% of course work submitted. All students were border line C/D before. (Quite a few As and Bs)

· Two thirds of boys targeted, benefited by remaining or by moving into a top target group.

· Submitted as part of the School Improvement Plan (SIP)

· 100% course work submitted, which equates to 90% of English Course work.

· 100% attendance over the 4 weeks

· Hitting tight turnover deadlines in all of the course work

Here is a video on his work please help spread the word

Socia Media Fundamentals Case Study from andrew davis on Vimeo.

Children learn in unique ways- Discover your child’s learning style

Your child and the way they learn – Tina Marie Meyer

Listen to the Radio Show with Tina Discover your child’s learning style

“Children are taught what they should do, but few are helped in the discovery of what they can do.” Marti Eicholz

This is the reason for my work! I am passionate about helping children and their families in the discovery of what they can do! Discovering what is RIGHT with their child.

I begin with their Learning style… This is an on-line profile assessment. It takes the child approx. 20 to 30 mins to complete and then we come together as a family or in some cases one to one to discuss their results and how to move forward from here.

Read more

Have you seen smart fm?

I just had to share this I thought it was a fab tool. They call it the world’s sharpest learning tool, I think they have a way to go until then but it is certainly heading in the right direction. Take a look

« Previous Page — Next Page »