Just as Ja got

[Jawge]

ready to catch up. Dem raise di bar to rhatid.

http://www.cnn.com/videos/world/2015...g-for-kids.cnn

Guess what? Hell "yes we can"

[Willi]

They have been doing this in Zurich for a while now...

[Don1]

ready to catch up. Dem raise di bar to rhatid.

http://www.cnn.com/videos/world/2015...g-for-kids.cnn

Guess what? Hell "yes we can"

Writing code is quickly becoming the equivalent of 21st Century literacy... and the ability to MAKE useful things is the gold standard of scholarly achievement.

People just don't realize that we live in a TOTALLY different world from when they were in high school

Consequently back at the ranch...There's TREMENDOUS YAPPIN about grades in defunct tests no one outside Jamaica cares about...and skewed so called "school rankings" more suitable to the colonial era.

All this from the more "advanced" sections of society

Dawg nyam wi suppa puppa

[Mosiah]

Don1, why can't we see a ranking system for Jamaican high schools that is based on the new paradigm?

[Don1]

Don1, why can't we see a ranking system for Jamaican high schools that is based on the new paradigm?

We would have to see the value of the new paradigm first, model it second, implement it third...and then think about some ranking or the other fourth...

The fact that we're consumed with yappin about tinkering with the flawed 1960s type model we currently have means we're a LOOOOOONNNNGGG way away from even the first step

Until then only 1 school registers on the New Paradigm Radar...most unfortunately

[Islandman]

Here is the thing though...

You not going to be much of a coder without some knowledge of the fundamentals of mathematics....not going to be an engineer without some basic knowledge of science and the laws of nature...not going to be able to work effectively on global projects and teams without some basic competence in writing and expressing yourself in English.

All that to say our Maths and English competence is very important. If 50% of our high schools are "graduating" 80% of their students as functional illiterates we are going nowhere fast.

What we mostly need from our secondary school system are trainABLE people. If you are trainABLE you will be OK in the global workforce whatever you choose to do. If you are not you are going to have a hard time.

[Don1]

Here is the thing though...

You not going to be much of a coder without some knowledge of the fundamentals of mathematics....not going to be an engineer without some basic knowledge of science and the laws of nature...not going to be able to work effectively on global projects and teams without some basic competence in writing and expressing yourself in English.

All that to say our Maths and English competence is very important. If 50% of our high schools are "graduating" 80% of their students as functional illiterates we are going nowhere fast.

What we mostly need from our secondary school system are trainABLE people. If you are trainABLE you will be OK in the global workforce whatever you choose to do. If you are not you are going to have a hard time.

I largely agree. I support competence in English & Math as baselines for the POTENTIAL for progress. So I believe 1000% in improving those standards. The question is...How??

What I DON'T believe is that the MISSION of our education system (and the attendant massive yappin' ) should be focused on outcomes in standardized tests. That's a relic of the 1960s

Why? Because we live in a globalized world where those tests have ZERO relevance outside our 4411 sq miles. I believe that we need to start integrating industry certifications (content & testing delivered in the cloud) and industry-focused development models (robotics is a fine example ) into our secondary & tertiary school network. The basic & primary levels need Lego type programs to get kids started on the 21st century road early...

The Linear Thinkers will say...But we MUST fix those basic literacy & numeracy issues FIRST...BEFORE we try anything fancy like STEM.....WRONG!

* We've been trying to "fix" those things using 1960s type methods for 50 years...and we don't have more time to waste. Every day we fall further behind world leaders in education and lose development opportunities

* We need to integrate IT & STEM methodologies into the education sector... They're relatively cheap...and can scale enormously & fast. That's what I mean by skipping a couple generations in education development & avoiding huge legacy costs...This is what Jamaica did by virtually abandoning plans for a ubiquitous fixed line network but instead... investing in more valuable & flexible mobile telecoms infrastructure 2000-present.
The benefits of that switch are tremendous

* IT & STEM education models can engage young kids MUCH BETTER than sitting in a classroom getting rote instructions from lame teachers. Boys especially are better engaged when presented with visual & tactile stimulus from STEM models. So we can help ameliorate the huge learning deficit boys have vs girls

* So we teach & reinforce the basics of English, Math & Critical Thought through STEM education models....not in place of them. It's a symbiosis ....not a competitive this vs that situation

* By doing the above we align our education system towards national development goals in IT, BPO, logistics & services... That's what's called a Virtuous Circle of development.

The time for colonial era models and colonial era YAPPIN is OVER

But JA has ZERO vision for this type of thinking nor perhaps the ability to understand it .... unfortunately

[Jawge]

Your opening statements says it all. It's the corporations that drives education in the US. I will cite two examples that endorses my statement.

A Prof. that teaches a math class doesn't base his grades on tests. say you did not do well on a test, you request a meeting, you go see him and he quizzes you orally based on your answers (you can use the board in his office) he passes you. Another guy at the beginning of his class, says don't ask me what this math can do. I'm teaching so that you can THINK in a mathematically way, hence applying it to your daily life.

Google and the rest of newbies (relative to the industrial age corps.) are pushing boundaries.

[Don1]

Your opening statements says it all. It's the corporations that drives education in the US. I will cite two examples that endorses my statement.

A Prof. that teaches a math class doesn't base his grades on tests. say you did not do well on a test, you request a meeting, you go see him and he quizzes you orally based on your answers (you can use the board in his office) he passes you. Another guy at the beginning of his class, says don't ask me what this math can do. I'm teaching so that you can THINK in a mathematically way, hence applying it to your daily life.

Google and the rest of newbies (relative to the industrial age corps.) are pushing boundaries.

I agree

[Jawge]

It's going to snow big time by the end of the month. It's no fun when we agree on so much things

[Don1]

LoL...miseeit

[Jawge]

Maybe it's Ja's value system. In short Ja needs a star in academics. Example a computer scientist with a start up that is a huge hit in north america. This would encourage our young males to flock to stem subjects. Right now we have athletes and muscians but no star in the academic arena.

The youth of Ja needs strong motivation. No matter what teacher one gets or how many equipment, if they aren't motivated it's pointless.

[Islandman]

Very true Jawge. We have to nurture a culture of academic/entrepreneurial excellence. Small pockets of that do exist but it is not in the mainstream culture.

A superstar could make a difference but only if there is a system in place to generate more, otherwise you will get a Tiger Woods type of situation, one and done.

[Don1]

Maybe it's Ja's value system. In short Ja needs a star in academics. Example a computer scientist with a start up that is a huge hit in north america. This would encourage our young males to flock to stem subjects. Right now we have athletes and muscians but no star in the academic arena.

The youth of Ja needs strong motivation. No matter what teacher one gets or how many equipment, if they aren't motivated it's pointless.

Ok...At last...I don't agree. Order is restored

Stars are great...but interest in them is fleeting. Our programs need sustainability stars cannot provide

Fortunately (in this case) Jamaicans are EXTREMELY COMPETITIVE & VAIN folks

The key to unlocking the interest in STEM subjects to where it is on everyone's agenda..is to make it fun & exciting via COMPETITIONS. The key is to exploit the psychological elements of how our peeps THINK and design programs around that, which capture their imagination

Once you have say, a well designed robotics competition @ the National Arena (6000 crowd) with teams from:
Ardenne, Tivoli St Andrew HS, JC, Cornwall, Cdown, Immaculate, Dinthill, Mannings, Campion, Munro, Cbar, KC, Papine, Trench Town, Aggie, STETHS, MBHS, Jawges, Norman Manley etc etc (Basically a much more valuable version of Champs & Schools Challenge combined)....IT DONE!!
.
Our competitiveness ESPECIALLY @ HS LEVEL will run it TO THE MAX

Chuss Mi...It's really not that difficult

[Jawge]

Well only salvation last forever. Ah so it set boss. Seriously though; one has to go by the Jakan mindset. If a star or superstar ah run it den everybody is on di bandwagon even balla and other athletes start say mi waan deal wid di robotics ting deh

Cyaan ketch bee wid vinegar boss