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Gatto and the MOOC


Consider the MOOC.  No, not Douglas Rushkoff’s Mook from Jackass - the MOOC.  Massive Online Open Course.  Less obnoxious, less male.

In 1991 John Taylor Gatto published an article titled “The Six-Lesson Schoolteacher”.  The piece outlined six tenants of schooling that Gatto claimed were universal in traditional schooling.  If you haven’t read it - please do.  Click on the hyperlink.  Trust me.  You’ll laugh.

Now, we know from Craig Watkins that to successfully master technology, access is not enough - scaffolding, mentoring and modelling are all necessary to increase learning potential.  And, one of the great travesties in education is the hierarchical access to learning around the globe.   Since this hierarchy leads to less mentorship for lower income learners, we need an alternative.  


If we agree that the alternative also has to respond to Gatto’s six lessons - we must consider the MOOC: 

1) Stay in the class where you belong
MOOCs do not classify by age and ability.  They are open spaces, they are free and everyone can participate.  Learners come and go as they please.  

2) Turn on and off like a light switch
MOOCs promote independence among learners.  Participants choose what they do and how they participate.

3) Surrender your will to a predestined chain of command
MOOCs are peer shared and peer connected.  Although there are facilitators to aid with the scaffolding and mentorship often required to progress, there is no boss.

4) Only the teacher determines what curriculum you will study
MOOCs link information from blogs, twitter, video and articles from all over the internet under one heading.  Material is peer shared and peer connected.  Material is collaborative rather than hierarchical promoting network creation that encourages lifelong learning.

5) Your self-respect should depend on an observers measure of your worth
In a MOOC, you decide if you are successful.

6) You are being watched
Okay - Google is always watching you.  We can’t escape this one.


But Mr. Gatto 5/6 - it looks like the MOOC has got you covered.

Comments

  1. Richard Schwier29 July 2011 at 13:09

    Gatto's list of lessons were really interesting. Funny and scary at the same time. Neat job of illustrating how MOOCs change the picture fundamentally. Of course, as a new general approach, there's still a lot to learn about MOOCs and how they operate, but thankfully, they stand in stark opposition to most of Gatto's observations.

    ReplyDelete
  2. S Doubt29 July 2011 at 13:48

    Yes. And they need a better name! But, I think there is opportunity to use MOOCs within the area of blended learning.

    Stay tuned....

    ReplyDelete
  3. S Doubt29 July 2011 at 13:49

    (and elsewhere within traditional models of education)

    ReplyDelete

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