Comments on: Informal University?

By: Clark

Clark — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 19:12:26 +0000

Sandra, the Academy of Art does distance art and design courses.

By: Sandra Berman

Sandra Berman — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 00:13:04 +0000

I am 22, a student, looking for an alternative college. I am interested in art and design. What should I do? In addition, I am somehow also interested in teaching alternative learning at some level.

By: Ben Doniach

Ben Doniach — Sun, 23 Dec 2007 15:53:44 +0000

I was at Walden School an alternative school in Portola Valley loosely affiliated with Common College. For us the problem was absolutely no structure. To give teenagers who had not grown up with that idea for schooling, it was hard to find a direction. When you are told you can start any class you want, but you have to make it happen. It was to much for me and most of the other kids. I think at those ages you need to have enough structure to help get you started and keep you focused. My kids are home schooled, because of the lack of alternatives. Unfortunately funding makes it very difficult for alternative education, particularly below college ages where parents don’t expect to have to pay yet.

By: Clark

Clark — Sat, 18 Aug 2007 22:35:03 +0000

Mark, thanks. My blog software doesn’t show me previous comments, so it was only getting your second google phrase that let me see that Bill Daul mentioned Common College when I first posted. I like that they guided your self-directed learning. If they also modeled learning so you learned to learn (and I assume so), it sounds very interesting…

Re: extrinsic rewards, I recall in grad school hearing that while the initial results of removal of such incentives led to a decrease below baseline of the behavior, it eventually returned. That would be plausible if the culture really valued the behavior that was being rewarded, but not if it didn’t practice what was preached. Still, the issue reminds me of Peter Secretan’s notion of inspiration instead of motivation. It comes back to values, I reckon.

By: Mark Roberts

Mark Roberts — Sat, 18 Aug 2007 19:13:33 +0000

also, are you familiar with Alfie Kohn?
His book” Punished By Rewards” addresses the power of intrinsic motivation to promote cretive learning.
I think that was the power of Common College and other schools that appeal to that which is intriguing to the student.

By: Mark Roberts

Mark Roberts — Sat, 18 Aug 2007 19:00:39 +0000

Clark,If you’d like to find info.,”Common College Woodside”,or,”Common College Ed Roberts” will google

By: Clark

Clark — Sat, 18 Aug 2007 14:33:18 +0000

Mark, peer mediation sounds like an interesting choice for elementary education, and a great one. Right now I’m trying to get our elementary school to have a policy about mutual respect (as an anti-bullying move), because they don’t have one! I hadn’t heard about the Common College, and googling it hasn’t worked. I’d love to know more! Thanks for the story.

By: Mark Roberts

Mark Roberts — Sat, 18 Aug 2007 05:14:34 +0000

I graduated from Common College (I was the first graduate) and I am finding, 35 years later ,the learning there central to the choices I have made as to who I am (Aikido, Winemaking, Education,etc.).
At first I thought I wanted to be a school teacher ,.At Common I was sent to different schools to apprentice and I discovered I could not deal with the authority model,i.e.:telling younger people who didn’t want the “plan ” imposed upon them, what to do, in a class of 15 – 35. It has taken me many years to find a model of authority that suits my teaching style and now I’m teaching peer mediation at public elementary schools here in Eugene Oregon
I celebrate with my friend Bill Daul the experience at self direction assisted by Jean Wirth,Pete Abrahams, and a host of adjunct professors from Common College
Warmly
Mark Roberts

By: Clark

Clark — Sun, 19 Feb 2006 21:56:07 +0000

This sounds like a great idea, self-developed curricula, but you do need an oversight role, where someone’s evaluating the overall content, and supporting becoming a self-learner (I still don’t think you can assume that). Yes, universities may and probably will have to change, but I still see a role for that oversight, as well as their role as societal reflection (as diminished as it currently is), etc.

By: patricia kambitsch

patricia kambitsch — Sat, 18 Feb 2006 15:10:27 +0000

Some of the most inspiring programs I’ve seen at university level ask the students to develop their own curricula, find their own adjunct staff who are expert practioners in their fields, and then develop social networks, mentoring relationships, and field experiences. This model seems to foster the most challenging and inspiring environments for learning. But, wait a minute. Does a formal university (with high tuition, geographical limits, hierarchies and red tape) have to be the center of such a program? Universities do offer social crediblitiy, space, structure, and social support. Still, I’m not convinced that a community of committed learners couldn’t do better for ourselves. I am interested in finding others who are interested in forming communities of lifelong learners who are less interested in academic degrees and more interested in learning. Never mind that such ventures like Common College lasted only five years. Think of the impact that the experiences afforded its participants.