Preparing our Children for Success in the Knowledge Age

Glenn Ellis Associate Professor Picker Engineering Program Smith College

Why hire a U.S. engineer at 5x the cost?

$$$$$ $$

Knowledge workers must:

Knowledge workers must:

Have deep conceptual understanding and creatively generate new knowledge and products.

Knowledge workers must:

Have deep conceptual understanding and creatively generate new knowledge and products.

Critically evaluate what they read, express themselves clearly, and understand scientific and mathematical thinking.

Knowledge workers must:

Have deep conceptual understanding and creatively generate new knowledge and products.

Critically evaluate what they read, express themselves clearly, and understand scientific and mathematical thinking.

Possess integrated, contextualized, usable knowledge.

Knowledge workers must:

Have deep conceptual understanding and creatively generate new knowledge and products.

Critically evaluate what they read, express themselves clearly, and understand scientific and mathematical thinking.

Possess integrated, contextualized, usable knowledge.

Take responsibility for their own lifelong learning.

Instructionism

Knowledge = facts and problem solving procedures

Located here

Knowledge transmitted

Simple stuff first

Test to measure knowledge acquired

Three key findings on learning

Fish is FishI wonder what happens on land?

From Fish is Fish

Fish is FishNow I know what a bird looks like.

From Fish is Fish

The world is

flat.

The world is round.

Worldworld

1. If students’ initial understanding is not engaged, it won’t change.

Experts and novices do things differently

2. Students must understand facts and ideas in the context of a conceptual framework that facilitates retrieval and application.

3. Students need to take control of their own learning by defining learning goals and monitoring their progress in achieving them.

Girls and Engineering

Don’t understand it. Not interested in it. Not for them.

Engineering is the application of math and science to serve humanity.

A Parable for our Time?Ibeaca, Spain (1970s)

Grand Challenges (NAE)Grand Challenges (NAE)

Make solar energy economical

Engineer new medicines

Advance personalized learning

Reverse-engineer the brain

…and 10 more.

In the K-12 classroom…

Knowledge Building in the Classroom

How are plants and animals different?

How are plants and animals different?

Authentic problems

Discourse for sustained idea improvement based upon authoritative sources

Community knowledge, collective responsibility

Students find their way

Seeding Knowledge Building

Story that Engages the Imagination

Somatic

Mythic

Romantic

Philosophic

Ironic

Story that Engages the Imagination

Somatic

Mythic—binary opposites, mystery…

Romantic—limits of reality, heroes …

Philosophic—search for authority and truth…

Ironic

SummaryKnowledge society requires education to change.

We must engage preconceptions, organize learning, and have students take control.

Authentic engineering that serves humanity engages women.

Consider knowledge building and narrative.

I really didn’t mean to say or imply…

Lecture is bad or activities are good.

Forget content.

There are any cookbook solutions.

These are my ideas.