Monday 7 October 2013

Short Answers

01

What does S.O.L.E. stand for and how does it work?

It stands for Self Organised Learning Environment. SOLE's purpose is to give people a chance to organize the process of learning for themselves by providing broadband internet access, collaboration, encouragement and praise. (2 marks)

Question 02
Compare and contrast the national Polish educational system to SOLE learning.


4 comments:

  1. The main difference between Polish educational system and SOLE learning is that polish system is 'solid'- it has one prefered, thus valid, learning route. Effect of this is that everybody is shaped by system in same way. Each invidual ends with same set of skills- ofcourse, some of students develop their skill more than others, because of putting more effort in learning process, but, each one of them have same skills and same knowledge pool. It's sure contrasting to SOLE learning, where, due to it's nature, each student develop different pool of skills and informations. Effect is that they know more, because group's knowledge is comparable to sum (or maybe even multiplication?) of invidual's knowledge, which is broader to static system. Therefore, i would call SOLE learning method fluid, in a contrast to, for example, Polish, which i call solid, because of it's lack of dynamism.
    And that's second difference- ability of acomodation. Traditional educational system is 'slow'- it reacts to changing enviroment slowly- where world is changing fast, there is system, which is run by goverment, each modification need time to become legal, to come in life. SOLE learning method is different to traditional in this field. It's run by inviduals- it still run by head people, which points destination, but route is chosen by each invidual, therefore alowing them so see as a gropu more, than when going one route all together.
    Yet, there is one mayor difference between those two, which is their structure and effect on shape of social groups shapen there. Traditional learning system create groups of people in classrooms, which is basicly connect by spending time in one place, classroom. In SOLE method case comes to mind other model- groups are created by taking similar routes in learning, which is profitable- it's easier to success as a group, than as a invidual.
    I strongly believe SOLE learning method much more profitable to society, when run smart, than traditional educational systems.

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    Replies
    1. While I can agree that the aim of the Polish education system is a common pool of skills, I remain uncertain of two outcomes: 1. Has the Polish system succeeded reasonably well? 2. Has the Poish system caused reasonable harm?

      I'm fond of saying that "raising socially integrated, productive, law-abiding, members of society is not about raising children free of complexes, its about raising children with the right set of complexes."

      But which complexes are correct? Toilet training is one obvious example of a useful complex. But what if toilets were no longer needed? What if society abandoned toilets entirely? What to do with the complexes left behind?

      That is what I think has happened with the current concept of education. The complexes remain: bells, periods, sorting children by age, subjects with sharp divisions. Meanwhile, society has moved on.

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  2. Polish educational system is "for once and ever" - you need to travel a certain road - 1st class, 2nd and so on. No matter what what your skills, abilities and talents are - you need to follow an educational program. In polish education system everything is about the "plan" and degrees. We need to have a degree to get a proper job, we need to have a degree not to be treated as someone worse etc. And as everything is very precisely scheduled we have tests that don't care about creativity or ability to think independently but focus on kind of a key. If you think as it is planned you get better grades what kills creativity and innovational thinking. That means we create people with more or less the same skills who thinks nearly the same way. Going further - as polish education system is very still it means it reacts very slowly for the changes in the world, especially on the labour market. We are creating people who can not find themselves place on the market. Of course, there are people who achieve more because of their own motivation and determination as they read books out of the program or simply work harder.

    In the same time SOLE learning is about willingness to learn and power of the people who want to work together. Class is not fixed - it depends on people and their needs. SOLE is not about the warrant and this is not an obligation. It is a situation when people decide what is best for them and strive for improvement of their knowledge. It is more substantial and more efficient as people work and learn easier when it is a pleasure or part of their own plan. SOLE learning is about interaction and creative sessions with other people are more inspiring than 45minutes of sitting in a class. It is with people when we are the most creative and we can explore more just by comparing different opinions and point of view. SOLE learning is more corresponding to a world nowadays. As world, labour market and technology are changing extremely fast we need to be able to adapt to it quickly.

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    Replies
    1. You are correct that the fear of being undervalued goads many people to seek a degree when their true calling lies outside of University and the academic professions. The spectre of fascism rears its head when we decide that "only when everybody looks the same, talks the same, and thinks the same, can we achieve world peace." This is what I understand you are alluding to when you write that the Polish education system aims to eliminate variation in individuals.

      Striving for success? Build on your strengths. The most successful adults often exhibit unequal skill sets. So why does formal education emphasize the opposite?

      Learning to learn with others is a valued job skill. SOLE provides excellent opportunities for this. The question of certification or validation of skills remains, however.

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