The cleaning room analogy of learning

Learning in today’s educational system is like a Teacher cleaning your room for you and, every once in awhile, leaving behind a new “thing”.

When you walk in, you find it difficult to organize yourself.

You know what’s in your room and, maybe, where you last used things, but you don’t see the connections. Why is this “thing” here? How does this relate to that? What does this do? Where’s my socks?

The Teacher has cleaned up enough for you to pass “inspection” and when s/he leaves, your room becomes “messy” again. But nevermind, that’s the next Teacher’s problem.

Conversely, when you actively organize your “room” you construct a map of where things go and why and how they relate to other things: pencil & pens in a pencil holder, laptop near outlet, socks in sock drawer. Thus learning involves students making their own connections. And teaching becomes about creating environments for learning.

So how can we enable learners to construct their own map or, better, their own compass? What is the relationship between Knowledge & Learning? And what are the best environments for learning? This is what I’ve been working on this quarter in the d.school with The @Stanford Project.

The future of education looks more like a playground than a classroom.

Come play with us and see what I’m working on May 1st!
http://www.next.stanford.edu/