The more you’re taught, the less you know | Stephen Baldridge | TEDxACU

Summary

This thought-provoking lecture challenges the traditional lecture-based model of education, advocating for a shift toward more dynamic, student-centered learning. The speaker explores how modern technology, particularly mobile devices and social media, can transform education by fostering real-time, community-driven learning experiences. By reflecting on the evolution of teaching, from the 15th century to the digital age, the speaker highlights how mobile tools empower students to learn in unpredictable, real-world environments. The talk calls for educators to embrace technology and reimagine teaching practices, emphasizing the potential for mobility, community, and content to revolutionize how we educate the next generation.

Takeaways

• 😀 The traditional lecture-based teaching method, originating in the 15th century, persists even in modern classrooms despite technological advancements.
• 😀 The lecture model, where the teacher is the sole source of knowledge and students are passive recipients, may no longer be the most effective teaching method.
• 😀 New technologies like the internet and mobile devices offer opportunities to enhance learning, yet educators often replicate old methods (e.g., recorded lectures) in digital formats.
• 😀 Research shows that students in lecture-based courses often retain no significant advantage over those who don't take the course, questioning the efficacy of lectures as the gold standard of education.
• 😀 The brain is hardwired for learning in unstable, dynamic environments, which contrasts with the static, structured nature of traditional lectures, reducing their effectiveness.
• 😀 Mobile devices, with their ability to provide instant access to vast amounts of content, facilitate community engagement and learning anytime, anywhere.
• 😀 Platforms like YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook, which are community-driven, have created more content in the past 60 days than all three major TV networks have in 60 years.
• 😀 Modern students are digital natives who are learning through platforms like World of Warcraft and Minecraft, where they collaborate, solve problems, and overcome obstacles in dynamic, community-driven environments.
• 😀 Educators can use mobile technology and community-driven learning to engage students in real-world problem solving, such as addressing social justice issues through digital media and community collaboration.
• 😀 The use of mobile devices in education should be embraced, as students can learn from each other and share their experiences more effectively than through traditional lectures.
• 😀 The speaker challenges educators to rethink their reliance on traditional methods, urging them to leverage mobility, community, and content to create more interactive, student-centered learning experiences.

Q & A

What is the central argument of the speaker in this video?

The central argument is that traditional lecture-based teaching methods, which have been dominant for centuries, are outdated and do not effectively engage students in today's digital, mobile, and interconnected world. The speaker advocates for a shift towards more dynamic, community-based learning that leverages modern technology.

Why does the speaker criticize traditional lecturing methods?

The speaker criticizes traditional lecturing methods because they focus primarily on the professor speaking and the students passively listening, which can lead to disengagement. The speaker highlights how lectures often result in passive learning, where students are merely reciting information rather than actively engaging with the material.

How does the speaker connect the historical development of lectures to modern teaching?

The speaker traces the origins of lecturing to the 15th century, where the professor held the only book of knowledge and would read from it while students transcribed the information. This model evolved over centuries and continues today, even though modern technology has drastically changed how knowledge is disseminated.

What role did the printing press play in the evolution of education?

The printing press revolutionized education by making books more accessible, allowing for the widespread distribution of knowledge. However, despite this advancement, educators continued to rely on the traditional lecture model, which remained unchanged for centuries.

What does the speaker say about the impact of the internet on education in the 1990s?

In the 1990s, the internet provided a new avenue for education, allowing for online learning and the ability to educate people anywhere, anytime. However, the speaker points out that educators merely recreated the traditional classroom in online formats, continuing the lecture-based approach instead of innovating with new teaching methods.

What is the significance of mobile phones in the context of modern education?

Mobile phones are a game-changer in education, providing students with immediate access to vast amounts of knowledge, communities, and content. The speaker emphasizes how mobile technology empowers students to learn in dynamic, community-driven environments, both in and outside the classroom.

How does the speaker suggest educators should change their approach to teaching?

The speaker suggests that educators need to embrace the mobility, connectivity, and content-sharing capabilities of modern technology. Rather than relying on traditional lecture methods, educators should encourage active learning, student collaboration, and real-world problem-solving, utilizing platforms like social media, YouTube, and community-driven content creation.

What example does the speaker give to illustrate how students can learn from real-world experiences?

The speaker provides an example of a student who, from their perspective as a wheelchair user, photographed areas with poor accessibility. This experience allowed the student to teach others about social injustice in ways that the professor could never fully comprehend, highlighting the power of student-generated content in education.

What does the speaker say about the concept of social justice in education?

The speaker acknowledges that, as a privileged educator, they cannot fully understand the lived experiences of students from marginalized backgrounds. However, by encouraging students to capture and share their own stories, such as through photos or real-life experiences, the speaker suggests that students can teach each other about social justice more effectively than any lecture could.

Why does the speaker advocate for using mobile platforms like Twitter and Instagram in the classroom?

The speaker believes that leveraging mobile platforms allows for real-time, community-driven learning. By using social media, educators can encourage dialogue and discussions on important topics, even outside the classroom. This approach makes education more flexible, interactive, and connected to the real world.