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Comment by testmaster

I wrote to Margaret Hodge MP regarding the publication in many newspapers of her views regarding the future nature of education.

Her response can be viewed Here. This is a scanned graphic file of 39K.

There was much in her article that I felt very strongly was based upon an incomplete or false perception of what actually happens in a school or college, or which appeared to be advocating yet more change for change sake. In other words, I was incensed by a Minister for Education who was wasting time, effort and money.

If one accepts the current behavioural approach to education, and is prepared to live with the results, then one should at least try to take advantage of the opportunities that such a decision offers. My suggestions were intended to highlight the potential (I felt was obvious) for the use of computer based records. This should allow, apart from advantages identified in the letter, a re-allocation of funds into actual teaching - something that I, as a lecturer, feel strongly about.

 The resulting government plans, whilst I would hate to be so presumptuous as to suggest that they were inspired by my letter , appear to, in part, address some of the issues I identified. Perhaps this is a start? My concern now is whether there is anyone with enough vision to develop the idea so that it can form the basis of a system of education/training based upon firm, adequate empirical evidence of prior learning.

Is this really so radical? I believe not - ALL educational theorists understand that effective learning can only take place when there is a "cognitive map" or prior learning upon which to assimilate and accommodate this new learning. Finally, we can be in a far better position to understand the nature and extent of this prior learning using intelligent computer tracking.

As a result, we should therefore also be in a position (perhaps for the first time ever) to be able to make learning truly student centred; geared to what the student already knows, and tailored to what s/he needs to know….