[ExI] the really important urgent issues

Mon Mar 31 01:25:13 UTC 2008

 Yes there are many things the education system could do. One thing I have a real gripe over is how every teacher (certainly in the uk) has to create there own lesson plans, some of which are pitifully bad. There is no standard despite there being a standard syllabus.

So another recent idea I had, which I was thinking of setting up as a business, but have decided it would be better to just release the idea into public. Mainly as an altruistic gesture to the world, but also because I have far too much on my plate already and not enough experience in the educational field.

So here it is, free, no patent or copyright and consider this a public demonstration negating any other attempts to patent it. (I am sure someone will try)

The BrainPod.

An education system for home schooling kids, adult students, extra curricular learning for school students, or just anyone that wants to improve their education.

Basically its a cubical, similar in size to a shower also with similar bi-fold doors or some other type which allow them to be closed while inside . It comes flat packed for easy assembly. The cubical is sound proofed (as best possible), ventilated and includes good lighting. The most important item inside is a computer system with router. and obviously a good ergonomic seat.

The Computer system is configured to log on to an educational network or web site. So each user of the computer will log on to their own personal area by means of biometric log on. In which they have access to various subjects and a syllabus to work through with computer based training and testing. This would be done at the speed of the student, rather than the usual try and drag em along with a lesson as per the school room.

Should they find that they need help on a given subject, an icon would be clicked which sends a help alert. Also the computer lessons would also have 

many help features included and could be cross linked to other subjects that a dependencies. There would be a bank of online teachers (somewhere in the world, possibly volunteers?) 24/7 specialising in that particular subject (provably specialised and vetted) and an interactive chat session could be opened to provide help or an email sent. 

The pod would also include web cam, built in speakers for sound and a printer. The network would also offer lesson specific student forums, general forums, Online links to pre vetted relevant information. Access to test results etc. Lessons could also be downloaded for offline use.

A useful feature would be a vocational specific rout planner, so that student could see exactly what kind of subjects they would need and what level to get into a certain job. This could even be streamlined to subsets of subjects, for example a roofer needs to know Trig and general maths, but not much calculus! 

There could even be a tie in with employers, where they could search for prospective employees according to their test results and visa versa.

I think you get the idea and the possibilities are endless. The main idea being that it give a quiet, controlled environment for learning, without distractions and it has access to a huge standardised but flexible educational resource.

I imagine the BrainPod being very cheap to mass produce to an agreed standard and supplied at an agreed price, with concessions or donated units for the poor. The construction materials needed and the whole computer setup could be sourced for a few hundred pounds/dollars. The back office systems are where the initial cash and work is needed, but I imagine all kinds of grants would be available and people who would gladly volunteer there time to help set it all up. And once the system is in place, it should be cheaply scalable as the teaching material would already be there. Obviously te initial system would be in? the Franca Lingua, English. But 

Perhaps this is one for Bill Gates to pour some of his 'improve the world' cash into?? I would be very pleased if he or someone like him did (So pass this on, if you have any access to him), but I would like to see this as a World education system, produced by countless companies and supported without seeing borders or politics. (LOL, could that happen?) Imagine kids and adults all over the world sitting in their little cubicles, swatting away

There you go, if you like the idea, Run with it, improve it or pass it to someone that can.

Alex

-----Original Message-----

From: Bryan Bishop <kanzure at gmail.com>

To: ExI chat list <extropy-chat at lists.extropy.org>

Sent: Mon, 31 Mar 2008 1:22

Subject: Re: [ExI] the really important urgent issues

On Sunday 30 March 2008, ablainey at aol.com wrote:

>?I had some thoughts a while back about creating an up to date

> version of the scouts, that does all the usual wholesome activities

> etc, with up to date things like car maintenance, Computers and also

> continues into ... adulthood

The folks in the educational establishments are definitely not keeping 

up to date. It would be great if more professionals took to active 

community groups, like some sort of college, maybe they should call it 

community college. Oh, right, they have stringent acceptance rules. 

Guess it's time for an even better community-oriented college model? 

OpenCourseWare is a good start, maybe if we offered free server space 

to various communities and say "it's all free, you just need to run the 

public notices," things might change a bit?

- Bryan

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