‘This new education won’t be easy’
Headline words by John Dewey …
Throughout the two plenary sessions at the 2016 BYSCC (36th annual BYSCC!) on Friday afternoon and Saturday morning, I found myself reflecting upon this quote as offered by American educational reformer, Dewey, in 1954. To be sure, the relevance of the challenges we faced in 1954 (pre Sputnik!) to vastly improve our educational system is just as relevant today as we consider the current status of education and the preferred condition in say 2025 or 2040.
What I heard from the globally diverse expert panelists and researchers, as well as the university and K-12 practitioners from across the globe during these six hours of interactions, validated that our national, and in fact the international movement, to fundamentally transform the broader field of science education is “not going to be easy”. The focus of the two sessions evolved around the panel’s two selected themes: Friday – “Maker Movement, Opportunities and Challenges of Beijing Science Education” and Saturday – “Maker Education/STEAM Education and Science Education Innovation”. Each session was enriched by specific examples of the needed changes and innovations to help move both individual students K-12, as well as the larger system, to a higher level of assuring a high degree of student engagement, joy, and creativity.
I heard several common areas for needed system change across all of the experts. These included: 1) the importance of each teacher cannot be overstated – it is at the very core of expecting anything to happen. As a result, the priority to be placed on teacher preparation and ongoing quality professional development is essential, 2) there is a tremendous need for the proper “space, tools, and resources” to be available to teachers and students, 3) the larger system and each school must cultivate and nurture a culture of innovation and creativity, and 4) the importance creating opportunities for more informal learning (Expanded Learning Opportunities). The focus of the Maker Movement and its core tenets is to encourage our students in moving from the recipient of “known knowledge” to the “creators of new knowledge”. I think Dewey was right; this new education won’t be easy! However, I am confident based on what I have seen from our incredible NC students and their international peers here at BYSCC, our current students are up to the task if we as adults are ready to be the change we want to see for all students.
I am having an incredible experience and thanks!
Great team, great students! Fran and Robin are awesome!
Thanks to all!
Best, Tom
Photo 1: Keith Poston and Jonathon Kuo benefit from the excellent translation at the Maker Movement panel while Photo 2 is Fran Nolan (left of his Czech colleague) as a presenter and panelist at the same session.
