Click here to learn about Dave Moursund's free book on science and technology education for teaches and parents of K-8 children.

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Many (most) readers of this Blog are able decide for themselves what they want to learn and how they want to use what they learn. They routinely act as independent, self-motivated, self-directed learners. This is a rather amazing, since our education system is so strongly oriented toward students learning what they are told to learn, using processes and aids provided by teachers, and being assessed by a system that cares little about the specific interests and goals of the students.

In my opinion, our educational system can be much improved by helping students of all ages decide what they happen to be interested in learning (learning to do) at the time, and providing them help in gaining the needed knowledge and skills.  This does not preclude having a major emphasis on learning reading, writing, and basic numeracy. We (adults) strongly believe that literacy and numeracy are necessary for a person to be able to function as an adult who can be responsible for them self and responsible to the needs of other people and our world.

The following book is available free on the Web:

Moursund, D.G. (2008, 2009). Becoming more responsible for your education. Access at http://i-a-e.org/downloads/doc_download/39-becoming-more-responsbile-for-your-education.html. Eugene, OR: Information Age Education.

This 96-page book has an 8th grade reading level and is written specifically for young teenagers. Its goal is to help such students learn to take more responsibility for their own education. By age 13, many students are beginning to have the mental maturity to take a major role in their own education. Preservice teachers, inservice teachers, and parents will also find the book useful. For example, parents may want to read the book along with their young teen-age children, and use the reading to facilitate “serious” educational conversations with their children.

Final Remarks

Spend a bit of time reflecting on what you have just read. How does it fit in with your current knowledge, beliefs, and activities? How can you make use of the information to help improve our informal and formal educational systems? Who do you know that might benefit from reading the IAE Blog entry?

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Links to Related IAE Documents

Knowing a little about a lot and a lot about a little.

Learned Helplessness.

Learning on your own. "They know enough who know how to learn." Issue 16, April 2009.

Lifelong learning, learning for one's possible futures, and helping student learn for their possible futures.  Issue 14, March 2009.

Moursund, D.G. (2008, 2009). Becoming more responsible for your education. Access at http://i-a-e.org/downloads/doc_download/39-becoming-more-responsbile-for-your-education.html. Eugene, OR: Information Age Education.

Research on how exercise improves brain functioning.

Responsible Adult Citizen ‎.

Self Assessment.

Self-assessment Instruments .

Student and adult desires for instant gratification and extrinsic motivation are significant roadblocks to improving education.  Issue 24, August 2009. 

Students learning from each other.