Are Schools Worth the Cost?

Ethiopian Children Teach Themselves

Indian Children Teach Themselves

Children Teach Themselves to Read

Kids Learn Math Easily When They Control Their Own Learning

Recommended Reading 2

Here are some more thought-provoking websites concerned with education and learning:

Freedom to Learn MindShift UnCollege

Edupunks' Guide Casting Out Nines Computing Education Blog

Featured Quote - Doyle

"I consider that a man's brain originally is like a little empty attic, and you have to stock it with such furniture as you choose. A fool takes in all the lumber of every sort that he comes across, so that the knowledge which might be useful to him gets crowded out, or at best is jumbled up with a lot of other things so that he has a difficulty in laying his hands upon it. Now the skillful workman is very careful indeed as to what he takes into his brain-attic. He will have nothing but the tools which may help him in doing his work, but of these he has a large assortment, and all in the most perfect order. It is a mistake to think that that little room has elastic walls and can distend to any extent. Depend upon it there comes a time when for every addition of knowledge you forget something that you knew before. It is of the highest importance, therefore, not to have useless facts elbowing out the useful ones."

-Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (Sherlock Holmes in A Study in Scarlet)

LEARNING PHYSICS AND MUSIC IN MIDDLE AGE

Carleen Hutchins (1911-2009) was both a dedicated scientist and innovative luthier. She studied how violins produce their distinctive sound, and in the process she became a sought-after viola maker. Over the years she encountered criticism for being a woman and bringing scientific inquiry into an esoteric discipline. But the quality of her instruments gradually earned the respect and admiration of many luthiers and players. In scientific circles she was known for her extensive work in acoustics research. All this she did after age forty! In her school days she had no idea how prolific her life would some day be.

As a child, Carleen Hutchins raised silkworms, joined the Girl Scouts, and enjoyed woodworking. When Hutchins entered college she studied entomology, but by the time of graduation she was interested in becoming a doctor. Because of little money and gender-based discouragement, she decided to become a high school science teacher. It was not until she was in her forties that Hutchins got involved with string instruments. She played trumpet in an amateur chamber music group during the late 1940s, but the group decided a viola would sound better. So she give up the trumpet and bought a cheap viola. Dissatisfied with her poor quality instrument, Hutchins set about to make her own. In 1949, after two years of work, her first viola was ready to play. It was around this time that she stopped teaching to start raising a family with her husband, Morton. That same year she began a six-year study with luthier Karl Berger. With his advice Hutchins made over twenty violas, four violins, and one cello. Also in 1949, Hutchins met Harvard physicist Frederick Saunders who had an active interest in acoustics. He wanted to experiment with the structures of string instruments, but luthiers and players do not like holes drilled in their expensive violins. Hutchins agreed to make “boxes” (unfinished but playable instruments) for the sake of science. Eventually she would turn her own basement into an acoustics laboratory filled with various instruments and electronic equipment. And so it was that she spent the 1950s learning both the art of violin making and the science of sound from two qualified mentors.

In her collaboration with Saunders, Hutchins made a collection of string instruments that underwent hundreds of experiments. Most of those instruments did not survive to the present day, but much was learned and many papers were published. Hutchins' skill in instrument making reached such a level that some of her instruments were being purchased by professional players. Over the years she devised a surprisingly visual method of analyzing the front and back “plates” of a violin. The setup involves holding the plate over a loudspeaker by placing foam blocks under its corners. Some glitter is sprinkled over the plate, and the speaker is activated with a frequency generator. The operator slowly changes the frequency while watching the glitter. At certain tones, the glitter will astonishingly move into definite patterns on the violin plate. These patterns are called Chladni patterns, and they indicate how the plate naturally vibrates. By observing these patterns and the frequencies at which they occur, a luthier can refine the shape and thickness of the plate for optimal tuning.

As Hutchins' knowledge of wood grew, so did her resourcefulness in finding quality materials. She obtained wood from such unconventional sources as wine crates and polo balls. One memorable story even tells of Hutchins and the famous doctor, Virginia Apgar, taking a shelf from a payphone booth under the cover of night. The shelf became the back plate of a viola and was replaced by a replica shelf of lesser-quality wood.

Once she had enough technical experience in acoustics, Hutchins felt the need to connect with other researchers and promote the sharing of information. To that end, the Catgut Acoustical Society was founded in the 1960s—bringing isolated minds into a group for studying musical instruments. The society's membership would grow to 800 in less than twenty years.

Perhaps Hutchins' most memorable contribution to violin making is her New Violin Family, also known as the violin octet. Composer Henry Brant came to Hutchins with a challenge in 1957. He wanted her to create seven new string instruments centered around the violin. Each instrument was to be tuned half an octave apart with the highest-pitched instrument tuned one octave above the violin. While certain members of this family are similar to the viola, cello, and double bass, they are designed as large violins, not mere copies of their conventional counterparts. The intention is a group of instruments that sing together in perfect harmony and with amazing clarity. With funding from the Guggenheim Foundation, Hutchins and her many collaborators had a complete octet ready for concert testing by the mid-1960s. The new family was impressive, but Hutchins would spend decades refining each violin for an ever-improving sound. In the end she made eight instruments—slightly modifying the traditional violin design. The members of this family are named the treble, soprano, mezzo, alto, tenor, baritone, small bass, and contrabass violins. The mezzo violin is tuned just like a traditional violin, but its body is longer. The alto violin is tuned like a viola, but it has an endpin and is played upright like a cello. Hutchins traveled the world on lecture tours to spread awareness of the violin octet. She was met with both admiration for her innovation and enmity for trying to change the classical orchestra. Because of this controversy, it took some time for the Metropolitan Museum of Art to display an octet. Nevertheless, the quality of the octet's sound is undeniable, and musicians are catching on to it. Yo-Yo Ma has made recordings using an alto violin, and the instrument has also been favored by William Berman and Randall Vemer.

Featured Quote - Rickover

"Success teaches us nothing; only failure teaches."

-Hyman G. Rickover

Featured Quote

“Reward and punishment is the lowest form of education.”

-Chuang Tzu

FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL—GOT TECH?

Today is the first of many in the new school year. As Eric Schmidt has recently pointed out, many schools have yet to fully integrate computer science into their curricula. Technology has the potential to greatly improve students' education, and computer literacy is an increasingly common job requirement. It seems that students must take the initiative in making technology part of their education. A technology progress checklist and list of ideas are provided at Dangerously Irrelevant. Students can now use software to take notes. There is an iPhone app for keeping track of homework assignments. There is even a planner/agenda app that is designed by students. A website can also manage class schedules. As demonstrated in a new commercial, the iPad can facilitate a highly interactive learning experience. Textbooks are much less of a burden when carried in PDF format. In these ways and many more, technology can improve students' learning experiences. 

 

UK DOESN'T VALUE COMPUTER SCIENCE?

Google Chairman Eric Schmidt is in for some backlash. While giving a speech in Edinburgh, Scotland, he talked about the unsatisfactory job the United Kingdom is doing in teaching its youth about computer science. He talked about how innovative the island nation has been in the past, like inventing television and computers. Schmidt seems to think that Silicon Valley should have more competition from across the pond.

Rather than a swarm of controversy, Schmidt was probably hoping to cause a wake-up call for Britons. Being at the heart of Google, and seeing the power of computer science firsthand, it is understandable that he is disappointed with his view of Britain's progress in the field of information technology. A person in his position gets to see just how wonderful the internet can be. He understands the benefits of fluency in computer programming. School administrators, however, might not have the same perspective. They deal with laws, regulations, disciplinary matters, and budgets. Admittedly “impolite,” Schmidt is concerned that UK schools focus too much on humanities and not enough on technical subjects. Ewan McIntosh asserts that the education system of Scotland and that of England are two very different matters. Perhaps Schmidt is only dissatisfied with England, and he is applying his observations to the whole island.

HOW VIDEO GAMES CAN IMPROVE OUR LIVES

Video games often present players with virtual worlds that can be explored and manipulated. Playful exploration is a key aspect of the learning and creative processes. When we are toddlers that is our primary occupation, but, as we progress through public schooling, our method of learning is forced to become quiet listening and frantic memorization. The lack of exploration and experimentation stifles creativity in students. Video games provide environments where experimentation and exploration are highly encouraged and beneficial. Is it any wonder that so many kids hate school and love video games?

Virtual worlds allow a player to take risks, explore freely, and test the rules that govern how those worlds function. The interactivity of video games makes players more engaged and mentally stimulated than quietly sitting in a classroom. Players have to act, observe any reactions, hypothesize appropriate courses of action, and act again to achieve goals set by the games. All this thinking and focus is good exercise for the brain, and it improves problem solving ability.

The demanding hand-eye coordination required for some video games is also a good thing. Some surgeons actually play video games to prepare for surgery with very satisfying results. First-person shooters, while criticized for their violence, improve hand-eye coordination and reaction times for players. Perhaps martial artists should play video games, and vice versa.

The Nintendo Wii has become a fun tool for physical fitness. No longer sitting on the couch, Wii players are up and moving—burning calories in front of the TV instead of gaining them. Dance Dance Revolution has been a popular video game that also has its players exercising and having fun at the same time.

Even creating video games can be beneficial. There is the obvious benefit of earning money. The video game industry earns tens of billions of dollars a year in the United States alone. To make a good game, collaboration is needed between artists, programmers, marketers, writers, and many more talented people. Programming is a good way to hone one's logic, reasoning, and problem-solving skills.

Massively multiplayer online games (MMOs) allow players to meet other people from around the globe and communicate with them in real time. Players make friends, improve social skills, and sometimes even experience romance via video games. Some players even end up marrying people they meet in MMOs.

Playing video games can be quite lucrative. There is a definite need for players to test games for bugs and glitches before they are sold to the public. Gaming competitions often reward winners with cash and other prizes. People have even created virtual economies in online games such as Second Life. People design virtual merchandise that is purchased by players with real world money.

Video games can also enhance school learning. Young children are often given simple games that challenge their math, spelling, and other skills. Yet, older kids playing video games is viewed with a very different attitude. There is a lot of unseen potential for games being applied to adolescents' education. Reading from a textbook can be boring for many students. Video games often introduce players to new ideas and give unique perspectives on events which can make textbook content feel more relevant. For instance, the game Age of Empires allows one to control small armies, manage resources, and strategize attacks against opposing civilizations. Reading about Sir William Wallace's exploits is much more interesting after virtually leading his troops into battle. The numerous World War II games create an interest in that period of history. Maybe future games will be embraced by teachers as interactive means to educate students.

There are plenty of reasons why video games are beneficial. The negative aspects of gaming should not be overlooked, perhaps the most prevalent one being addiction, but any human activity has its occasional shortcomings. With the proper attitude and ingenuity, video games should greatly benefit their players.

RECOMMENDED READING

If you are open-minded and interested about education, then I would recommend taking a look at the following:

2¢ Worth by David Warlick

Dangerously Irrelevant by Scott McLeod

EDTE.CH by Tom Barrett

edu.blogs.com by Ewan McIntosh

OLDaily & articles by Stephen Downes

"Where gaming and education converge." by Lucas Gillispie
 

WELCOME TO FRUEDU!

Independent learning is a hallmark of an enlightened society. The over-structured curricula of public schools often hinder creativity and divergent thinking. The mandates and requirements imposed on schools create a lot of stress for both students and teachers. Students are at times forced to learn about topics that are personally uninteresting and perhaps irrelevant to their career goals. Does a painter need to understand matrices and quadratic equations? Will a painter even remember such matters long after high school? Sure, people can be interested in both painting and mathematics, but generally such combinations are unwanted by students. By choosing their own subjects of study, students should learn better simply because the motivation is curiosity and passion rather than good grades. Also, students should excel more as they devote more time and energy to their interests.

This website is meant to facilitate self-directed learning for people of all ages. Whether you are in school and want to exceed the limits of your curriculum or you just want to pursue your interests on your own time and budget, Fruedu is your aid in finding quality information. If you have any suggestions for topics or sources to be featured, then leaving a comment would be greatly appreciated.