Interactions with Prof Pant may feel like this... beware #MSLFM11

Behavioural Economics and Learning Theory (#MSLFM11)

Economics is better defined as a study of incentives that guide or determine human behaviour. Nobel Laureate, Daniel Kahneman, laid down the foundation of behavioural economics. Elinor Ostrom work on Social Commons got her a Nobel. Behavioural Economics and Social Commons view is the new direction economics is taking and both these trends can also be extrapolated to the field of education. Social Commons in the field of education include Wiki, MIT-OCW and initiatives like Academic Earth.

Related with behavioural economics is Daniel Pink's book 'Drive - the surprising truth about what motivates us'. Pink identifies three thresholds of human motivation - Motivation 1.0, Pink says, was when biological drives, like food and security alone guided human behaviour (elsewhere described as 'Maslow's Basement'); Motivation 2.0 is extrinsic rewards (carrots and sticks) guiding our behaviour - where we largely are today; and, Motivation 3.0 is when intrinsic rewards (challenge, novelty, meaning...) guide our behaviour and Pink argues this is where we are moving towards. Pink describes the 21st century motivational operating system as 'AMP - Autonomy (self-direction), Mastery and Purpose'.

Juxtaposing these three thresholds of human motivation alongside Learning Theories reveals an interesting correlation (and also causation?):

Motivation 1.0 = Behavioural Learning Theories

Motivation 2.0 = Cognitivist Learning Theories (stockpile knowledge and learn to earn, grade as carrot and stick)

Motivation 3.0 = Humanist Learning Theories (learn to fulfill meaning/purpose in life)

As Pink puts it, "compliance gets you through the day, but engagement alone will get you through the night"!

What combination of learning theories or a new learning theory will fire-up a lifelong yearning to learn?

Teachers or Learner Facilitators? (#MSLFM11)

Can we distinguish the 'functions' of a good teacher from the 'form' of a teacher (form vs function - a table has certain essential functions but can take many forms). If so, can the 'functions' of a teacher be delivered in 'forms' beyond what we usually conceive of as a 'teacher'?

I recently visited some remote parts of India where teachers are scarce but mobile phone and Dish TV is common (which I think will also be true at many other places in the world). Thus, the importance of looking at different 'forms' that can be used to deliver the 'functions' of a teacher.

1. Parent as a Teacher

Parents are, usually, most concerned about their kids. Can the 'functions' of a teacher be imbibed by parents, especially in places where there is a paucity of teachers. What role can ubiquitously available technology play in helping parents become teachers?

2. Student as a Teacher

Sugata Mitra's 'Hole in the Wall' experiments have shown that kids can learn computer operations themselves, without any adult guidance. Mitra installed a computer in the boundary wall of his office in Delhi with a touch monitor facing outside. Outside the wall was a slum colony. Mitra connected the computer to internet and placed a hidden camera to record how the computer was being used. He observed that adults were the first people to come to the computer but lost interest as they could not figure out how to use it. However, kids under 8 years of age persisted, usually in groups of 6-8, where one was operating the computer and all the rest were guiding him/her. Kids developed their own vocabulary e.g. the cursor was 'sui' (hindi for needle) and the spinning sand-timepiece was 'dumru' (hindi for handheld drum). Very soon the kids got the hang of operating a computer. In later studies all across India, Mitra showed that simply putting content on the computer led the kids to learn that content. This experiment has been replicated successfully in many countries and is now a World Bank funded project. Can access to an enriched environment with lots of learning content and just a little guidance lead to self-learning?

3. Computer / Technology as a Teacher

'You learn best when you teach' notion led Papert and others at MIT Media Labs to collaborate with Lego to create the 'Intelligent Lego Brick' which is at the heart of Lego's Mindstorm Robotic kits. The premise is that kids can easily teach (through simple visual programming tools) the Robots and in-turn learn themselves. A more recent MIT Media Labs initiative, Scratch, is an online storytelling tool where kids can create animations and multimedia content to narrate stories and build games. While these technologies may not be able to teach the 3Rs (initiatives like Khan Academy dispute even this) other skills like media literacy, communication etc, more relevant in today's time can be learnt through technology.

I personally feel that the most essential 'function' of a teacher is to fire-up a 'yearning to learn' in their students and help the students 'learn to self-learn'. In what all 'forms' can this essence of a teacher be made available to students, especially those who don't have access to regular teachers?

Dispositions of 'Next Generation Educated Person' (#MSLFM11)

What does a 'Next Generation Educated Person' (NeGEP) look like? What forces are propelling the development of NeGEP and what are resisting? This presentation looks at the dispositions of and does a Force Field Analysis for NeGEP.

Next Generation Educated Person - 'NeGEP'