[kinnikinik]

(04-17-2016 07:35 PM)polar Wrote:  

Interesting data sheet, thanks.

Thanks.

(04-17-2016 07:35 PM)polar Wrote:  

A few questions:
-Where do you see the education and tutoring markets going in 5-10 years - what are the biggest drivers and risks?

Legitimately, it will be about the same as it is now. But, larger, our schools' continued focus on testing, on the one hand, and lack of challenge, on the other is going to continue to breed kids that are bored, miss things, then get over-whelmed later. Technology won't ever be able to really address the remediation market because students will always resist their parents. Hopefully, WASP Americans (of which I am one) will wake up to the importance of academics. (I can't count the number of times I've had WASP parents delay tutoring until the summer while continuing sports lessons, despite their kids being YEARS behind in Reading/Math. News to ALL PARENTS - Your kid is NOT going to be a professional Baseball/basketball/football/lacrosse/soccer/fencing/tennis/curling/rowing/skier/snowboarder/track player!!! And, if you sacrifice their education for sports, you are handicapping them for the rest of their lives!!)

For enrichment, I love trivia games, Quizlet (online flash cards), Coursera/Udacity/etc. (I guided a group of 12 year-olds thru a Rice University Python Programming class a couple years ago) and am implementing NanoDegree curriculum for a few High School students,

(04-17-2016 07:35 PM)polar Wrote:  

-How do you identify a good tutor vs. a bullshitter ? Especially since not all great athletes make great coaches.

Absolutely, the best Mathemeticians/Engineers are often the crappiest of teachers. I look for empathy. People that just "understand" when they see math, don't understand that the rest of us morons have to work to understand. I want teachers that can tell me they struggled at their chosen subject and loved it enough to put in the time to get good. If they can, they can understand a kid that is confused why the Least Common Multiple, is actually more common than the others (YES, I have had a high school student ask me about this!!).

(04-17-2016 07:35 PM)polar Wrote:  

-in broad terms, what's the most time efficient way to combine traditional learning (grinding from books), online MOOCs, and tutors to learn new skills for practical application (example: coding, as mentioned on several threads here)?

Ahh, NOW you're hitting the good stuff!!! I've been thinking about this topic for the last 10 years! I think there are great possibilities. The efficiencies of working with a tutor combined with self-study access to world-class material is an awesome combination. But the glaring downside of ONLINE anythign educational is MOTIVATION. The completion numbers for online high school classes are ridiculously low. The first problem the student hits, they fall off the pace, then performance gets worse and worse until they don't even bother logging in.

But, combining face-to-face teaching, mentoring with online has great possibilities I believe. Last September, I launched a High School that I believe combines the best of Online Curriculla, MOOCs, Running Start (taking JC classes while in high school), Independent Projects, direct tutoring and frequent field-trips. I call call it Awesome Schooling (not the name of the school, but it should have been!) If you'd like to know more, PM me. [/quote]