Deliberating an alternative to school

How else can learning happen? Here are 10 alternative options to how we design formal learning today:

1. Learning circles with one mentor

2. Home schooling with one teacher

3. Parents as teachers throughout the learning "cycle"

4. Friends circles with no one teacher

5. Self-teaching

6. Pre-programmed learning software

7. Learning by experience

8. Vocational training; one mentor, one skill at a time

9. Visiting the library

10. Conversations with one friend (paired learning)

I am sure some of these options do happen. In thinking about these options, I am curious about the following:

a. How are pupils qualified?

b. Who awards the qualification?

c. Do qualifications need to be standard across many people?

We have reached our current popular version of schooling after some research and thought into pedagogy and rising populations. My contention is that it is never too late to reassess that research and thought. The world and how we communicate is changing fast, and we need to adapt to this rather than simply follow conventional models.

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