I saw a daycare named “Crayons to Computers” recently. I assume the implication is that crayons are basic and computers are advanced. Programming a computer is more advanced than writing with crayons, but surely their clients don’t learn to program computers. They probably play video games, which takes considerably less dexterity and mental skill than using crayons.

So maybe the place should be named “Computers to Crayons.” Or if they really wanted to offer advanced instruction, perhaps they could be “Crayons to Clarinets.” Learning to play clarinet takes much more work than learning to play a computer game.

Universities are starting to give away their content online, while they still charge tens of thousands of dollars a year to attend. Just what are they selling? Credentials, accountability, and feedback.

Some people are asking why go to college when you can download a college education via iTunes U.

First, you would have no credentials when you’re done.

Second, you almost certainly would not put in the same amount of work as a college student without someone to pace you through the material and to provide external motivation. You’d be less likely to struggle through anything you found difficult or uninteresting.

Third, you’d have no feedback to know whether you’re really learning what you think you’re learning.

The people that I hear gush about online education opportunities are well-educated, successful, and ambitious. They may be less concerned about credentials either because they are intrinsically motivated or because they already have enough credentials. And because of their ambition, they need less accountability. They may need less feedback or are resourceful enough to seek out alternative channels for feedback, such as online forums. Resources such iTunes U and The Teaching Company are a godsend to such people. But that doesn’t mean that a typical teenager would make as much of the same opportunities.

I ran across the term “educational monoculture” this weekend. What a great phrase!

Rather than write a long post, I’ll restrain myself and simply say that I’d like to hear more people talk about “educational monoculture.”

Related post: Don’t standardize education, personalize it

“When are we ever going to use this?” What a great question! This is a teachable moment. Too bad most teachers blow it. Instead of seizing the opportunity, they reprimand the student for asking. At least that was my experience.

Why would someone not explain how their subject is used? Often because they don’t know. Or they don’t know how to articulate what they do know. But teachers are supposed to know things and be good at articulating them. That’s their job.

Sometimes the student asking how a subject is going to be used is just a lazy whiner. He’s not asking a sincere question, and he will not find a sincere answer satisfying. But maybe the student is genuinely curious. Or maybe there’s at least a drop of curiosity in the whiner. Or maybe someone else sincerely has the question that the whiner insincerely asked.

I am not saying that content needs to be more practical. Attempts at being more “practical” have often been shortsighted. Many subjects that have been discarded as impractical are actually quite practical. We’ve just grown impatient, unwilling to wait for long-term benefits. I’m saying that more teachers should know and articulate the value of what they’re teaching.

It’s more difficult to convey the value of things that are not immediately useful, but it’s also more important.

Related posts

• Business literature
• Just-in-case versus just-in-time

“Of course, education has always aimed to be useful. The question has been, and continues to be, useful to what end?” — Richard Gamble