Archive | April, 2011

Extreme Learning, Revisited

29 Apr

In last week’s post Extreme Learning, I explored the idea that emerging markets will be the new hotbed for educational innovation.  The Lumiar School in Sao Paulo, Brazil is a wonderful example of how innovative learning paradigms can emerge from areas where access to quality education is limited.

Three innovative elements are used to create the learning environment at Lumiar.  The leadership of Lumiar describes them as follows:

Collaboration: encourages students and teachers to make decisions together,

Mosaic curriculum: lets students take ownership over their path through the curriculum,

Teaching: mentors are “responsible for the emotional and pedagogical development” and masters provide expert knowledge on the content.

On top of this instructional philosophy, there is an emphasis on technology integration.  Partnerships with Microsoft, Intel, and Smart technologies provide software and hardware for students to use.  Although it is only one piece of the learning puzzle, providing students with the opportunity to become digitally fluent is a critical component of any truly excellent school.

Check out the video below to find out how Lumiar School brings a whole new meaning to schooling!

Keep Calm & Learn On,

Nora

@bon_education

Extreme Learning

25 Apr

Scenes from the Kibera Slum in Nairobi

It is time to demand disruptive innovation in education. Improved schools? No, entirely different schools? Let’s toss out traditional notions of schooling all together, and explore alternative ways to learn.

Alongside the dramatic political revolutions transpiring in emerging economies, a more discrete revolution is unfolding in education. Charles Leadbeater and Annika Wong’s report, Learning from the Extremes, explains what we can learn from the world’s emerging markets about education. (more…)