In Donald Clark's post about 'Flip the Classroom', he illuminates the theory and practice of Salman Khan - the much commented-on hedgefund manager turned learning guru.
Rather sceptically (I must confess) I started to read Donald's piece about Khan. I then searched for one of Khan's many video posts. I watched 1, 2, 3 and a bit films - then revisited the 'Flip the Classroom' post and read again.
Puzzled, yet surprisingly excited to think it through again.
Khan's profile is huge, his theory is elegantly simple, yet far-reachingly radical. He speaks of removing technologies from classrooms like some crazy modern Luddite. He argues that the classroom was never created for the use of technology (you can probably see a link here to Sir Ken Robinson's RSA knowledge share masterclass, so brilliantly animated). Sir Ken speaks of a radical rethink being required on the modern purpose of education mapped against the current (historic) system that acts more of a trap than a springboard (in Newmanswords!). Salman Khan is questioning many of the same fundamentals that Sir Ken has, and continues to question, but with Khan there is, I feel, a dogged determination to see through this change - and he is, indeed, already 'putting his money where his mouth is' by actually being the instrument of change rather than just the influential orator demonstrating the need for this change.
To me, this is what makes Salman Khan the standout player in the 'purpose of education' discussion as well as being the rarest of beasts - a man that practices exactly what he preaches - because he influences by example not just by the use of infographics or a well delivered blog! ;-)
There is no desire by me to re-write the learned words of Donald Clark's post - so I urge you to read the piece (and all of Donald's other posts for that matter) about Salman Khan - http://bit.ly/fDHUA1
I'm now convinced that I was wrong.
I was convinced that the problem in many classrooms seemed to be the lack of innovative technology and interactive technology, the lack of ICT expertise etc... I was wrong!
Rather worryingly (worrying because of the instant revelation ), I'm now convinced that there is something so deeply simple in 'flipping the classroom' and redefining the purpose of education back to its basic principles, that it might just be possible for the disciples of Khan to really make this happen, creating the change and providing the innovation through thought rather than technology.
So, I leave you with Donald Clark's more eloquent appraisal of the man - in his own words:
"..Khan’s trick, is something I’ve believed in for years. Don’t use technology in the classroom, use it before and after, outside of the classroom. Classrooms were never designed for technology, apart, perhaps, for Whiteboards. But the danger with whiteboards is that they reinforce talking at students and ‘lecturing’. Flip the classroom. Assign the short talks for homework, THEN use the classroom for the application of the concepts. The net result is that you humanise the classroom. It becomes a place primarily for learning, not teaching. Simple, but like most great ideas - brilliant."
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