In the News (CNBC): “Elon Musk, the billionaire CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, has a problem with the way kids are being taught in the U.S. today. And he says there’s a simple question that can help: ‘Why?’ …

““The why of things is extremely important because our brain has evolved to discard information that it thinks has no relevance,” Musk says. …

“For example, simply listing the tools you need to take an engine apart isn’t enough to learn how to do it. You also need to try it yourself, he suggests.

“By ‘taking the engine apart and putting it back together,’ he says, ‘you learn about wrenches and screwdrivers and all the tools that you need.’ As a result, ‘you understand the relevance.’

“And he’s right. A 2015 study by the University of Chicago found that students’ understanding of science concepts, such as angular momentum and torque, was significantly aided by physically experiencing those forces. Students got higher scores on their science quizzes all thanks to trying things out themselves.

“Elon Musk believes that ‘solving abstract mathematical problems and equations brings no concrete benefit; schoolchildren do not understand why it is needed.’ Instead, he suggests that students ‘study concepts from mathematics and physics in practice, for example, by taking apart engines or building a satellite.’

In his opinion, ‘designing satellites and dismantling engines will give a sufficient understanding of mathematics and physics, while the ability to use a wrench and screwdriver will have practical use.’”

My Response: That is true. I completely agree with him. Theoretical study does not give anything.

Comment: But we studied everything theoretically.

My Response: And what is the use? I studied the strength of materials, metal sciences, and so on, so what? If it is not in practice, there is no point. I think otherwise you cannot master technology. Theory is theory. Mathematics, for example, is theory. There is nothing you can do about it. But it is not really a science; it is a language.

I believe that it is absolutely necessary to give students assignments, let them think, work it out among themselves, and arrange group activities; that is very good. They will begin to dig into everything. Today they already know how to open Google and everything else, how to extract knowledge from the Internet.

Question: Why do you think this has to be in a group? Musk does not write or talk about that.

Answer: Group work is absolutely necessary; today everything works only like that because the world has come to a state where it must group together. One person not only will not be able to do anything and will not manage, it is the wrong thought, the wrong approach.

Question: Will the participants of group work combine their skills and talents?

Answer: They will have to find contact among themselves and thus assemble from their different qualities. I remember, even as students, in order to finish a lab assignment faster, we would work as a group of several people. Someone would write the report, which had to be handed in within two hours, someone else would help with the sources, and I would assemble the machine itself, the wires. For me it was easy. It was amazing how well it went for me!

And each one in his place; it was very good, a team.

Question: So could there be exactly such schools of the present and the future?

Answer: Yes, I think it is a very good thing. After all, we are not teaching children about discoveries, but about what exists in life. Therefore we must deliberately give them machines, instruments, anything, so they can use them to learn about the elements of nature.
[212856]
From KabTV’s “News with Dr. Michael Laitman,” 12/10/24

Related Material:
New Times, New Schools
The Future Of Education
The Solution To The Problems Is Transforming The Schools

Filed under: Children, Education, News | Add Comment →