the future of education

I have been questioning our current schooling system for some time - as well as the value of college (what is the real value for most people)? And this article has brought even more questions to the table. So I shared it with several friends to get their thoughts on it as well.

My friend Julie sent me a response: I wonder what percentage of generation z (is that what's next?) will want to (or be able to) read an article of this nature. Over 1400 words, man that guy is long winded. Just kidding. I like the idea of free education but I'm with the MIT grad that commented about the unquantifyable value of interacting with professors and peers, not only for the reasons that he mentioned, but also for the sense of "humanity" that interaction creates. Isolation creates ignorance, ignorance creates fear, and we all know where the path of fear leads. Having lived in rather varied environments, I can say first hand, that living in environments where you are forced to interact with individuals that are not like yourself (race, color, religion, sexual preference, etc.. ) imbues you with understanding, tolerance, and ultimately a greater sense of compassion. I am excited to see where technology can bring us as a species.. but I have my reservations. -Julie

I think we are finding - the more people that are on earth - the more our current systems seem to break down - or not work. Im not sure its solely because of the amount of people, or that society is also degrading as well. Either way, our current school systems probably have a shelf life of 10 years or less (my prediction) - so we need to be proactive in testing new systems - new ways of education. I dont think that 1 solution will work best for all - but we definitely need to develop many ways - because education is so much more important than how we deliver it. And now "Public Schools Expand Curriculum Online".

On a side note, I have had many thoughts - about whether or not technology is evil - or the workings of the devil (seriously). I havent really been able to formulate a meaningful opinion on this, but I do think on it from time to time. What I do know is that the internet is a tool, and can be used for good or evil. It kinda depends on the person(s) using/viewing/creating...

UPDATE: So forget about personal computers: the future of education probably lies with digital games.