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Lecturing
As methods of teaching go, lectures are the most widely used (89%) method of teaching in higher education today. The reaction of most teachers who read this is one of extreme defensiveness. The evidence is overwhelming about the effectiveness of lecturing and the visceral reaction of most people who lecture causes me…
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Alternatives to Conformity
Is there an alternative to conformity in a system of mass education? This is a big question. Certainly not under the current mindset. Before something can be done about conformity, it needs to be recognized as a problem. First, we have to believe that there is a solution and that we can…
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The Immense Cost of Conformity
This article is the most difficult Science of Learning article that I will write. Considering the cost of conformity at an individual and societal level. The cost of conformity at a societal level is high, but the cost borne by an individual is even higher. I informally surveyed some clinical psychologists to…
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Conformity in the Classroom
How has conformity become the norm in education, and what methods are used to foster absolute conformity? Where do we start? As I have mentioned previously, it is generally well accepted that education today owes its roots, at least in part, to Prussian military developments in the C17/C18 and the efficiency gains…
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Conformity
Creativity and conformity are polar opposites in learning. If you are conforming, you are not creating, and if you are being creative, you are not conforming. Education is all about conformity. Even the parts that are about creativity (visual arts, performing arts etc) are constrained and learners are taught to conform to…
