John, WJ0NF, sent me the following:
Hi Dan. Hope you are doing well. Enjoying the No Nonsense podcast. Keep it coming.
Below is an article from Adobe in regards to education and today’s challenges. I know you are very involved in ham radio education and have spoken many times in regards to the ARRL’s efforts in this area. I thought you might find this article interesting. The link is below as well as some relevant quotes from the article.
Quotes from Adobe’s article at: https://theblog.adobe.com/we-need-to-rethink-education-for-digital-natives/
“Gen Z isn’t interested in traditional passive learning. More than half say they learn best by doing, while only one in 10 say they learn best by listening. The students’ results make it clear: failure rates for lecture classes are 55 percent higher than active-learning environments.”
“These digital natives are fast-paced, visually-oriented, nonlinear, always-on learners. They have a built-in instinct to swipe right when reading books, and the pace of technological change doesn’t phase them. It’s no wonder the old rules of engagement don’t resonate with them, and, more importantly, aren’t preparing them to thrive in an unknown future.”
“Digital natives want — and need — new structures for learning, and these pervasive demands are changing the game. In the past, if you wanted to learn something, you enrolled in a class. For digital natives, though, learning is triggered by the need to know, rather than the need to certify.”
“… digital natives thrive on instant gratification and frequent rewards, ….”
These links really gave me something to think about. I agree that more “active learning” is the way to go and that video is a great way to teach things. I wish I was more of a video guy, but investing in the equipment to make decent videos can get expensive and takes a lot of time. From a business perspective, I don’t see the payback.
What would be ideal for me is to hook up with someone who’s good with video. I would handle all the content, and even be the “talent,” i.e. do the on-screen stuff, but my partner would handle the production aspects. If you are that person, or know someone who is, let me know.
I keep thinking that I need to do a Khan Academy style course. I tried it once, though, and just didn’t like the results. I probably should give it another go, though.
What do you think? If you have any thoughts on this, please comment below or email me directly. Thanks!
The leadership communication coaching was the part of my experience with Speak Like a Professional that helped me most. The sessions gave me a better understanding of how my speaking style was coming across. It is a useful option for anyone who wants to become a clearer and more confident communicator.