I remember my first experience with a computer. It was in the 6th grade. We had a class trip to the IBM offices in Manhattan. I nearly missed it. I could not afford the $5 fee for the trip. Just before my class left for the trip, my teacher approached me with a five dollar bill in hand and “told” me I should go. We toured the offices then spent about 2 hours programming in Logo.  That experience changed my life! Thank you, Ms. Peterkin.

Clearly, A lot has changed since. Currently, I’m collaborating with some wonderfully brilliant people on developing a “Technology Plan” for a school dedicated to teaching science, math and technology to children in grades K through 12.

To frame the discussion on “vision” I wrote the following note to the group. (i’ve changed the names to protect their anonymity)

[start of note]

“The Technology Lab” - Does that help you visualize what this school could be? I envision the kids developing software, building and fixing computers and robots, starting technology companies and more. Sounds exciting to me. The talk about technology in the curriculum is important, but couldn’t seem more boring.

I want to enhance learning with technology, but more importantly, I want learn by creating technology.

The doc Harold shared begins with Vision and Stakeholder involvement. I agree with that. However, it missed the most important stakeholder - the students. There are many ways we can engage them in the process too.

I’ve been thinking about this and have written a post (click here) including some of my inspiration for thinking about education differently. I’m a “tech guy” and life-long hacker of education so naturally I like to think about Tech in Education.

I propose we start a parallel discussion along this path and build upon the ideas others have started us thinking about. (1) vision for technology at the school, (2) creative and effective ways to invest in tech.

To kick things off, I’ll toss out some ideas:

1) school-wide student competition for “Technology at our school” ideas… we promise to fund the winners:) Our kids are smart and creative… more than us, for sure:) [low cost]

2) online video lessons… record lessons, post online, load onto your ipod, let students vote and comment on lessons. This might spark a different approach to classroom learning. Kids learn from the best lessons online (eventually from any other school too). Hell, this school can educate the world. Okay, I’m getting ahead of myself… But this may also enable Teachers to make more effective use of classroom time. [low cost]

3) like (2) tap into tele-seminars from Top Universities… there are various ways to implement this.

4) help students create online portfolio of their work… I’ve heard of another school doing this. Imagine your childs K through 12 portfolio… blows my mind.

5) host virtual chess tournaments… this is just cool. we use technology to challenge other schools around world.

6) let high school students coach the middle and lower schools in the computer lab for “credit”.

7) longer term - the school becomes an incubator for technology startups! We create a School investment fund. and so much more… (i think my post touches on a few more)

What’s your interest level in having this type of discussion?

[end of note]

The note got a good response.  But it’s only a start and designed to spark some conversation.

On that note, I’ve been thinking about creating an sort of “open source” plan, where a broader community of people can contribute and maintain it over time. Email or comment below with your thoughts.

Find me on Twitter at @martinruiz

Also read Hacking Education: My Inspiration

I want to share some resources that have helped mold my thinking about learning and education, but mostly, inspire me to search for new ways to hack education.  Below are 3 brilliant hacks.  One hacks how we think about education and it’s goals, the second hacks the execution of education, and the last hacks some long held assumptions about learning.  These educators and researchers can readily be found online, but the TED talk 20 minute requirement(hack) seems ideal for effectively competing for your attention.  3 videos, 20 minutes each = 1 hour.  1 hour… it’s worth it.

Sir Ken Robinson: Do schools kill Creativity?

If not funny, which it most certainly is, it’s filled with curious insights and view of our future.  Some include:

- Our conception of education and intelligence is limited if not wrong.  Intelligence is diverse, dynamic, and distinct.

- No one knows what the future will be like and yet we’re trying to educate children for it.

- Creativity is as important as literacy.

- You won’t create anything if you’re afraid to be wrong.  Kids will take a chance, they’re not frightened of being wrong, but are educated out of that ability. “We get educated out of creativity.”

- We must educate their whole being, discover what they love and are good at, then support them in this pursuit.

My Thoughts on Applications:

- Focus more on creation and not just learning.

- Encourage children to be ever more creative to negate the effect of education.

Dave Eggers: Once upon a school

Dave Eggers shows us how we can use our unique talents and time to create meaningful learning experiences.  Dave is a writer, so naturally he focused on providing writing opportunities for kids.  I can envision the model being used for other areas including art, science and technology.

Eggers talks about:

- how he created common space for writers to work and tutoring center for students.

- helping students to actually “create” things… not just learn.

- Leverages volunteers expertise and flexible schedules.  It doesn’t require traditional school resources and therefore not dependent on educational system.

- Create and leverage volunteer network to work with students in schools on “deep” projects.  Teachers ask for x number of volunteers.  The word would go out to network.  Volunteers show up.

- how some schools created dedicated volunteer room that was constantly staffed with volunteers.

Checkout Brooklyn Superhero Supply Co.

My thoughts on applications:  Dave lays out the blueprint in the video.

- apply to technology… create “labs” where technology professionals can assist children in writing software, building and repairing computers, tinker with electronics and start technology companies!

- do not limit to any particular school… focus on community, not school

Sugata Mitra: Can kids teach themselves?

Do we need teachers?  Well, Yes. But we need to redeploy their talents.  Why? Because, amazingly, Kids teach themselves.  Mitra speculates that “learning” is a self-organizing system, and in my experience, I agree.

Mitra’s “hole in the wall” experiments show us that:
- The more remote the villiage, the poorer the academic performance - no surprise

- However, performance does not correlate with infrastructure, class size, poverty levels, availability of electricity etc.  Wow!  What then?

- Teacher motivation appears to correlate more… Most teachers surveyed wanted to move out of these improverished areas… clearly a lack of motivation.

- Educational Technology “appears” to not work because it’s typically
1. piloted in affluent urban schools, which dampens efficacy.  We often consider them failures when we don’t observe dramatic positive results.
2. reaches affluent kids before underprivileged ones
3. improvements at the bottom of the scale are proportionately higher than at the top

Marvel as dozens of children in impoverished towns learn how to use a computer, surf the internet, learn hundreds of english words and teach each other with nothing more than a single computer in a “hole in the wall”.

Thoughts on Applications:

- to raise the average level of computer literacy, do not cater to the common denominator.  Typically, schools provide “one size fits all” technology education.  Instead, identify students with limited competency and emmerse them in a tech filled environment.  Focus on advanced students too, by identifying new ways to challenge them.

- focus on giving students access to technology.  Simply making the technology available will go a long way.

- change class formats to give kids time to learn and create.  The typical 45 minute class is not enough.  Computer access needs to be for hours at a time.

- encourage peer learning.  Offer credit for assisting other kids with learning.  Let children collaborate and share ideas.

So what’s next?  Share some of your education hacks… also follow the discussion on twitter.  Follow my journey on Twitter at http://twitter.com/martinruiz

Also Read Technology Plan for a Technology School