Hacking Education?

Never have I ever thought about potentially hacking our educational system. Growing up, it was always just a given that I would go to school from age five to eighteen, earn my high school diploma, then go to college for another four to five years to earn a degree in hopes to find a career that suits me! So, you are telling me that “hacking” my education could potentially cut years off of my schooling and I would still receive quality information and experiences? Nonsense!

I was always taught that school is the best and only route to a high-quality life down the road, that I was to spend up to twenty years in the educational system to land a worthwhile job. On the contrary, it seems as though that this might not be the only way.

From the video and the reading, hacking education uses multiple resources, other than a traditional school setting, to provide an enhanced educational experience for its students! Getting out into the real world, participating in hands-on experiences, and working towards an education that will actually set you up to succeed and be satisfied with your life? That sounds incredible! Not to mention how many years you could shave off of sitting in a desk and getting out into a career that suits you!

Courtesy of http://hacklearning.org/

The benefits are manifold, and it seems like this would be a fantastic idea for our next generation of students! It would require a substantial amount of reform in our educational system, however, shouldn’t we be advocates for our children’s health and happiness?

When Logan touched on his concern for his and other children’s health and happiness, it really struck me. Exercise, diet, nutrition, nature, contribution to society, providing services, relationships, recreation, relaxation, stress management, religious, and spiritual aspects all need to be taken into serious consideration when we take a look at the health and happiness of our society!

I think that our schools need to put more effort into satisfying these qualities for the good of their students! Sitting in a desk all day might not be the solution at all.

Logan mentions that “hackschooling” involves four branches. Those branches are creativity and the hacker mindset, experiential classes and camps, technology and online resources, and the eight happy and healthy therapeutic lifestyle changes (TLC’s)! I made sure to jot down these points in my notes so that I can refer to them one day when I am a teacher myself!

Bud Hunt mentions an approach called “Make/Hack/Play” when it comes to our education and learning! In his blog, he writes that learning happens when we make things, that hackers are innovators that improve things, and that playing with information and resources leads to powerful learning! Logan and Bud make some fantastic points that I myself will use one day for my students! These two sources were extremely educational and highly applicable!

All in all, what do I think about hacking our education? I think that it is a great idea, however, I am not certain if I would jump into it myself. I believe that traditional schooling does provide a number of benefits and opportunities for one to grow into the person that they are supposed to become!

Am I against these any of these ideas of educational reform? No way! A few years down the road, when I am an educator myself, I am going to make sure I implement these strategies that involve the students’ health, happiness, well-being, and improved educational experience!

Change is good. Moving forward, especially within the lives of the next generation, must always be done for the good of the world!