The last of the easily solved challenges presented by the Horizon's Report is the ability to blend formal and informal learning. Formal learning is rooted in 19th and even 18th century schooling. This is where the teacher holds the knowledge and passes on the knowledge to a group of students in a room as the students pass from grade level to grade level. It is the industrial model, or assembly line model of education. With the growth of the internet, and the ability to learning almost anything, anywhere, at any time, a newer, self-directed model of learning has developed. This is called informal learning. We can see this model in science and history museums. People are left to roam around and explore and learn about various topics, many times without someone to guide them.
The challenge arises when these two models clash. How do we still hold true to the industrial model, that society sees as the best fit for education, but yet let students explore and learn on their own? Sir Ken Robinson talks at length about this paradigm shift in education in his TED talk "Changing Education Paradigms". If you have never heard this TED talk, I strongly suggest taking 10 minutes out of your day to hear the words of Sir Ken Robinson. We want kids to be self-directed learners and explore various topics, but the institution of education is still 18th century. How do we effectively make this shift? How can we blend the two types of learning in our classroom? How can we informalize learning in a formal environment? All good questions to ponder! Take a look at your own classroom; Are you still rooted in 18th century formalized learning?
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