Today I was taken back by a YouTube video of a college student that dropped out of his university studies because it got in the way of his education. I have to admit that the kid had a point. However, what if modern education was more like classical education? I'm not suggesting a return to the Trivium and Quadrivium but perhaps the 18th century educational model still has lessons for us all to learn. In this classical period a student would meet with an academic advisor that would provide recommended readings and poignant discussions about philosophies. Students were expected to develop a love for learning and knowledge. An advisor might send a student to hear a lecture at a local symposium or attend a concert or read a book. Any resources that were available would be employed to create a deeper understanding of life and the world in which we lived. Students became Renaissance-like thinkers.
A new classical model of education might similarly challenge students and create thinkers with real understanding of the world in which we live. What if students met with advisors instead of attending class. Advisors would compile portfolios of work that would be based on an individuals needs and might just be stored on a server in an e-format. Students would attend webinars with scholars from around the world and perhaps write reflections about their experiences in blogs and Wikis. Serious topics could be discussed with the students' tweeps. Students could attend concerts and operas from their laptops listening to the finest musicians in digital dolby surround sound. They could collaborate with other students around the world in project based learning and publish their findings to the world. They could study Chinese while Skyping classmates in Hong Kong. Student assessments could be based on a masterpiece displayed in a portfolio that scholars and peers could evaluate in blogs. Could a neo-classical model of education reflect 21st century learning and skills? I know it would create kids with a love for learning and knowledge.
