The search for meaningful reform: A third-wave educational system

Abstract

It is widely reported that our educational system has some important shortcomings. This paper proposes that such "problems" as lack of teacher incentives, poor student motivation, lack of leadership, and lack of community support are, in fact, just effects of a more fundamental problem. It is thestructure of our educational system that is at the heart of current problems. For example, it is our group-based, lock-stepped, graded, and time-oriented system that has the dubious distinction of effectively destroying the inherent desire to learn in all but a small percentage of our children. Furthermore, micro computers are accelerating the trend toward increased use of nonhuman resources in the education of our children, and the current structure of our educational system cannot adequately accomodate the effective use of these powerful educational tools. This article describes a general approach and a specific strategy for effecting the needed structural changes, and, also describes some initial progress on implementing that strategy. This initial progress is a preliminary "blue-print" outlining the structural characteristics that a "third-wave" educational system should have.