Research and learning. March 16, 2013
Posted by @Karen_Fu in design, Design thinking, education, research.Tags: Einstein, Learning, PhD design list, play, research
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Just posted a very short and simple post to PhD design list. I always feel the notion of play and fun should never be underestimated. Unfortunately, this sub post stemmed out from a pretty nasty thread. It led to a seasoned researcher to choose leaving the list altogether. I read on and thought I’d just post a short note. My posts aren’t that valued by certain people though there are some who thought they had some good contribution. At one point, I was angry. As I read on the list and ponder the different characters, I decided it was not worth the pain to fume. Research and learning is about being very open. How open is the list is anyone’s guess but I could use many different views to seeing it. I think it needs a great quote off a great mind to convince. I’m no Einstein. Neither am I a world leader, but I always know the value of play. I was actually elated to come across Einstein’s quote on play:
‘Play is the highest form of research.’ quote by Albert Einstein, on a wall in the Tech Museum, San Jose, California
Surely, no play makes anyone dull. But I doubt the list will be truly receptive. It just drove one seasoned researcher away with quite a few people fuming. The entire list is like a war zone. I wonder if anyone will appreciate the short note (frankly speaking, not many) but I think over analyzing can be a poison. And I often wonder of people actually realize they do that most of the time. As we seem to grow older, and read into things too much; the tendency is for us to think we are so right about everything. Wouldn’t it be a curse for learning?
Quote myself:’some of best play could well be the overlooked as ‘fat chewing’. Don’t know about naval gazing. You’d take a mad person to over analyze certain objects to that point, but I think learning to relax is very important. Patience is another. Tolerance and perseverance is key.
What list is this? I don’t really care anymore. But I suppose there are different characters to take in. I am learning to cool… I don’t want grey hairs this soon. I still wanna play to learn.’
I admit this post could prick on some people. But If I care too much, I doubt I could even live properly. Learn to take soup cans and tomato cans. Including the rubbish cans. If you can’t, you don’t learn. A child takes in the crap and the condescending look, but they continue to play around and explore. A child is always open to the world. That’s why they learn the most without much formalities. Do I make sense? Ah, I remember why I gave up on many things. I need to take care of my health and sanity! – Karen Fu
What Makes Great Teaching - John Hattie and Pasi Sahlberg February 9, 2013
Posted by @Karen_Fu in change, education, UK.Tags: Australia, Finland education system, United Kingdom, University of Manchester, University of Melbourne
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=89Bt2nU_OuI
The ultimate question for all teachers and teacher educators? Interesting perspectives of new teachers progression, appetite and development. Equally important questions about the profession and whether the focus should be on teachers or learners.
Excellent talk held at the University of Manchester about education. I can't help but to agree with most of the aspects on teaching. Highly passionate teachers are one, to ensure that students are truly happy and rewarded by an enriched education experience is another. While attaining superior skills is crucial, I always believe that we need teachers who genuinely feel the passion to teach. Monetary compensation is one, ensuring the true integrity of teachers is another. The intellectual capacity must come in lieu with ethics that strongly adhere to staunch integrity about what is right and wrong, what is just and unjust. Without moral ethics, it makes little sense if getting top skills that in the end will do nothing good for a sustainable living environment. Learning should be fun and the ability to play is actually a prime requisite for research. For if you can't get interested and move things around, enjoy what you are doing; how can you really assimilate the knowledge learnt and thus generate more original pieces of thought? I can't agree more with another statement that politics should get out of education. Wished I were in Manchester then. I think I learnt the most about what education should be and what learning is about way more naturally and successful than I was in Singapore. The environment was different and it allows the freedom to romp and try different things in an open and interactive manner. Great gift on the eve of the lunar new year. Education should be free. It should be for people who want to learn and have the passion to do so. It is not about power and money as the prime goal as it will not churn a great learning environment that will make the world a truly human and beautiful one.
Meritocracy snippet January 17, 2013
Posted by @Karen_Fu in change, education.Tags: Meritocracy
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‘Being an academic elite itself is not a flaw. Getting full score for studies or being at the top tier of a certain subject area would deem one an elite. Being able to enter most of the NUS courses now is considered an academic elite. However, the flaw would be the idea that elites are the only best people to lead everything. That itself is wrong. Everyone has its ups and downs. Today you may be an elite. Tomorrow you may be a scum. A fine system will be one that allows anyone who has developed the level of competence to lead in their field of expertise. That’s meritocracy.’ — Karen Fu
