Do you remember the first time you've learned to cook? I did, I learned how to cook because I really had to. Not because I wanted to, but because I had to. I know, there are some who took up cooking out of pure boredom and interest, especially with the Covid-19 outbreak and lockdown. However, if you are like me, learning how to cook only works if you really really have to learn it, which is much like learning in general.
Money and Necessity
I picked up cooking while at university. I was studying in a country where its currency was three times my own. It did not make sense to spend three times the amount I would normally do in my home country on food. As such, I started buying groceries in bulk and cooking just to save cost.
The same applies to learning, when I introduced Steemit and Hive to my students, the learning curve was not easy. Many of them disregarded it because it was not relevant to them. But those who continued posting were those who needed some other way to supplement their income. That does not mean that it was easier for them, but they made the effort to learn simply because it was necessary.
The Future of Education
I have always wondered why subjects that are more relevant to the students' future were not introduced. This includes financial management and even stress management. I suppose of the many reasons would be the lack of necessity. Now, I am not referring to the lack of necessity to learn financial management, rather, how the system has framed what was necessary.
In this case, if we were to look at the ultimate goal of most students, what constitutes as the ultimate achievement is the score well in their final exams. As such, there is really no need to learn anything else aside from what was prescribed by the system. In order for more relevant and future-proofed subjects to be introduced, it is necessary to change how students are assessed and tested.
I think the best way to assess students is to allow them to produce their best work, not in a test, but in a project fitting of their interests. I guess in this case, the best example is Masterchef. The current system is akin to getting the contestants in Masterchef's final challenge to be a sit-down test where the highest score wins.
Now that would be boring and irrelevant. The final challenge is always for the contestants to produce their best dish. We could do the same too and the best thing about producing a project that is of the students' own is that it gives the students clarity. Many students once they have hit 17 find themselves without direction. That was because they have completed a test that tested them on subjects that they may not be interested in.
However, with a final year project, they will be aware of what their strengths are and would be able to pursue their interests with more clarity.
Conclusion
Maybe one day we would have more relevant tests for our students, else, we may have students who know a little about a lot of things rather than being an expert in one thing. I suppose, that's like being a jack of all trades which may not be such a bad thing, if I'm being optimistic.