Bye Bye Schools, Hello Learning Centres

Wow this is an interesting idea. One that makes you think could it really work? Would your children learn more in this format.

I found this article by Richard Garner (The Independent), "No more school as council opens 'learning centres'" via David Warlick's post this morning So What Would My Daughter Do?. In an attempt to rebuild their secondary school program Knowsley Council in Merseyside (UK) is going to close all 11 of it's secondary schools. Instead students will be able to access learning centres throughout the week where they will work online at their own speed on programs specific to their learning needs and interests.

"They will be given their day's assignments in groups of 120 in the morning before dispersing to internet cafe-style zones in the learning centres to carry them out", writes Garner.This new program will be focused towards 21,000 youths in secondary education and will be accessible from home as well.

Perhaps if this indeed the way of the future of educating children, as David wonders, have we begun to prepare kids for knowing how to seek out information electronically. Should we be focusing their education more and more on elearning tools, clarifying PLE's, teaching education technology? If so what gets left behind? Dissecting frogs? Do second language courses disappear and become "technology language" courses? As always, something new to ponder and worry about.

Social Networking for a Good Cause

I read a post from David Warlick today entitled Helping Darfur from MySpace. I thought I would link it hear as well as a follow up to a post I wrote a while ago regarding Amnesty International and their efforts to use satellites to track/watch for villages being destroyed in Darfur <The Power of the Internet, Satellites and Knowledge - Changing the World>.

The article mentioned by David is from Beth Sussman, USA Today and points out some great accomplishments that can be achieved through the use of the internet.

"In March, MySpace launched its Impact channel for organizations and individuals rallying behind a cause. Since December, the site has awarded
$10,000 a month to groups for poverty relief, environmentalism, international
development and more. "If you have a compelling message, and you convey it
powerfully and authentically, you have a chance to change the world," says Jeff Berman, senior vice president for public affairs.
A 2006 national survey of those ages 15 to 25 by the University of Maryland's Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement found that young people who use the Internet daily are more civically engaged than
those who use it less often."

Even more wonderful is it is the younger generation that is acknowledging this need for world wide aid and are finding a way to reach out to thousands of others to help.