Dr. Zhao made a number of valid points.
There are many
US teachers that have spent their lives in school, guaranteed a cliental each year, and have not experienced the so called real world.
This alone can be an inhibiting factor to educators understanding globalization and its impact beyond theory.
I think he is accurate in his statement that the
US needs to be more creative, learn from other cultures, and expand beyond the system of yesteryear.
Studying Economics 101, we learn that competition benefits the consumer with a greater quality, efficient quantity, and a fair price. Inefficiency rises, quality sacrificed, monetary policies ineffective with the lack of competition. Yet in America’s capitalist system, public education is very much a socialized (communist) good, quite often tailored for outcomes to be mediocre at best. The sense of security, regulations and protections, lack of competition all can impede educators’ potential. There appears to be the lack of urgency, professional development tends to be an individual’s a choice not a necessity, and a lack of consequences for underperforming teachers as well as accolades for those who go above and beyond.
Time for rethinking our public school system has been here for a while.
2 comments:
He makes a good argument with the gaming software and requiring the development of decision making skills and cognitive skills. Gaming also builds a sense of determination and competitiveness. We see where this will elevate engagement. However, I am not convinced that online learning will replace teachers or is the next best thing to sliced bread. The one factor not discussed is the lack of human interaction. I believe that this component is vital to the academic, social, and economic health of our nation.
We need to change our way of teaching to better prepare students for the real world. Technology is woven into every aspect of our daily life yet it isn't in the class room. It will require work to change but in the long run students will be more engaged and better equipped to survive in the technological world.
Debm has a valid point that although gaming does require decision and cognitive skills it doesn't help students communicate face to face. Many times on-line people will say things they wouldn't dare in person; not always a good thing.
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