Technolandy

Day 106 (of 2024/25) comparing classrooms today to 1870…

https://apple.news/Ao7oD4eVGQbCy-jvHGFEUMA

I like the mindset that with one eye on the future it’s still valuable to keep an eye on what (and why) some things were done the way they were in the past of this experiment we call ‘schooling’. This weekend I stumbled upon a neat article that indeed took a look at the Victorian mindset of a classroom.

Run by the church(es). My bias is that I’m glad there is a division between church and state in schools. Good to study about the different religions, not be told which is best.

9-5. Long day. Mind you, with child care, kids could be at our schools (with the same cohorts) from 730ish till after 5 (depending on district rules). 2 hour lunch break as kids had to go home for lunch…. Hmmm Canada remains the lone g7 nation without a unified universal-ish approach for school meals… except for PEI…

Lessons focused on repetition. I’m not against repetition, except when it is the default/featured way to present info. But it ain’t ‘teaching’.

Then there’s the look of the classroom…

1. The dunce cap cuz public humiliation has worked so well…

2. Temperature – no hvac!

3. High windows cuz those screens are blamed for all those distractions from learning… funny connection that the new school I went to for grade 8 was reversed because the original design had classroom windows overlooking the Fraser canyon and the gym would be partly buried into the hillside. The hill would be less distracting than the possibly inspiring view… sigh

4. Low lighting. I’m a fan of less tube lighting, so the gas lights might be a positive to me…!

5. The cane. Corporal punishment remains in some legal books – just don’t. Ever.

6. Abacus. Early tool to help kids cheat at maths.

7. Blackboard. Need something for everyone to be looking at… whiteboards better… screens allow more interactivity… but why not a 360 degree room?

8. floors were tiered to give kids at the back of the room a better view. For those advocating for more of this 150year focus on seating by rows, at least get that height involved…

9. desks. 150 years and these remain the apex of student seating. Really?

10. slates. A personal device by any other name would still smell as sweet. Glad nothing nefarious was ever etched onto a slate… tbh big fan of personal whiteboards…

Just interesting that, in using the design thinking model, this iteration of a learning environment hasn’t changed all that much…