The current global education system which is underpinned by tests and exams was developed over 120 years ago - it is time for a rethink
"While not entirely ineffective, the current global education system falls short in preparing young learners to understand and navigate the complexities of the world around them"
Adeniyi Ogunbanwo | Co-learner, KEY academy
This is a question we often get from parents who walk through our doors, and sometimes wonder how we can be sure that our children are learning without constant testing! Given the fact that the current global education system is very much focused on memorisation and passing tests, this is a valid question,. In this article we will look at the origins of this current system and evidence-based facts which make a strong case for a better approach to learning.
The Industrial Revolution of the late 18th and early 19th century birthed the need for an organised, easily accessible and affordable system of education. With the development of new industrial machines to replace what is now recognised as ‘unskilled labour’ in factories, people needed to learn how to operate, maintain and repair the machines, as well as how to communicate with one another. It soon became imperative for workers to have a formal education to move forward in their careers into higher positions, such as managers, foremen and supervisors.
A system that was designed centuries ago does not fit the purpose of optimally preparing individuals for today's world, talk less of tomorrow's. We have long outgrown rote learning and memorisation. Between the 19th century and where we are now, many technological advancements, including computers, the internet, and, more recently, Artificial Intelligence, have emerged. While state governments and stakeholders have expanded their scope to incorporate subjects that cover some new areas of learning, the globally predominant educational system retains a similar operational structure to what was in place during the industrial revolution. The late Sir Ken Robinson articulated this in his TED talk ‘Do Schools Kill Creativity?’ (2007), when he said, “The whole system was invented… to meet the needs of industrialism.”, going on to explain how the hierarchy of subjects taught in schools to this day was ordered based on the potential employability offered in the industrial era.
IIt is understandable that many parents will be uncertain about how well their children are performing at school if they do not receive report cards detailing their children’s grades in various subjects. A study conducted at Leiden University in 2021 discovered that when parents received reports of their children’s performance at school, their emotional reactions were identical to how they would react when they received feedback about themselves. Parents find it gratifying when their child gets good grades (Wei, Sze, Ng and Pomerantz, 2020); they are reassured that the child is learning adequately and progressing in their studies. Besides the validation, parents are typically not sure how to measure a child’s development at school without being able to read through their homework assignments, test scripts and/or report cards.
Research conducted by Learning Heroes showed that, on average, 26% of parents across diverse backgrounds believe their children to be at or above grade level in school simply based on their performance in exams, but that was not the case in reality (Presch, 2018). While parents rely on exams to feel reassured that their children are learning and developing satisfactorily, evidence suggests that exam results do not necessarily guarantee that students understand and can apply what they have learned. This is because students can simply memorise some of the content they have learned and regurgitate their notes into the exam sheets to score high grades without necessarily understanding the content or its purpose.
Cepeda, Vul, Rohrer, Wixted and Pashler (n.d.) conducted a study where they recruited a group of students to be tested on the same subject at various intervals, over the course of a year. They recorded a consistent decline in the test results, with just about 5-10% scoring high marks in the final test. In this current technology-driven era, it is also becoming much easier to find loopholes in the system and use the Internet to complete homework assignments. The rapid development of Artificial Intelligence has made it much easier to give specific commands and generate solutions to a given problem, without having any deep understanding of the subject matter, or having developed any tangible transferable skills.
However, there is an alternative - Project Based Learning.
Project-Based Learning (PBL) is gaining popularity as an effective departure from conventional approaches to learning in the form of memorisation and standardised testing. PBL prioritises the holistic development of each child, providing a balanced mix of foundational knowledge and crucial higher-order, 21st-century skills. Within the PBL framework, students engage in captivating projects where they confront real-life problems and are empowered to devise practical solutions. PBL also promotes creativity and critical thinking skills, due to the fact that answers cannot be easily found online, generated by AI tools, or copied from peers.
An article published by the Harvard Graduate School of Education underscores the advantages of PBL, explaining that it facilitates the comprehension of abstract subjects like mathematics and science by allowing students to explore these concepts in practical, real-world contexts. Furthermore, the approach empowers learners to take control of their own learning journey. This shift in dynamics between educators and students, as well as parents and children, is noteworthy. In PBL, young learners are not merely recipients of knowledge but are recognised as individuals with original ideas and a wealth of potential skills, and are encouraged to develop these skills by exercising autonomy within a continuous learning process.
PBL offers a highly effective approach by engaging children in active exploration rather than presenting abstract concepts solely through textbooks and notes. This hands-on involvement encourages in-depth comprehension and fosters self-discovery, enhancing their learning experience (Billah, Khasanah, & Widoretno, 2019). Moreover, PBL cultivates a spectrum of higher-order skills, including analysis, evaluation, planning, creativity, and organisation, all of which develop organically without direct instruction. Collaborative work within the project setting nurtures leadership, critical thinking, and creativity while fostering negotiation, flexibility, communication, and collaboration skills. The dynamic nature of PBL also extends its benefits to encompass a broader array of non-traditional skills, encompassing digital and media literacy, cultural awareness, global citizenship, ethical reasoning, analytical proficiency, and financial literacy.
At KEY academy, we put our educational philosophy into practice through long-term project explorations spanning a term, typically lasting three to four months. These projects immerse children in real-world scenarios, providing them with hands-on experiences in problem-solving. In our most recent project, titled 'Little Entrepreneurs', we delved into the intricacies of starting and running a business. Guided by thought-provoking questions like "How does one establish and manage a successful business?" and "How can businesses contribute to their communities?", we provided context and a deeper understanding of the role businesses can play in creating positive social impact.
The children were organised into three groups, each responsible for a step-by-step process, including market research, branding and advertising, budgeting, production, and sales, with each child assuming a distinct role within their group. We also invited Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) to share their first hand experience of running businesses in Nigeria as well as for the children to have real-life connections within our community. The children were inspired by their stories, and one particularly impactful moment took place when one of the SMEs recounted her teenage journey of conceiving a business idea, and raising funds through personal savings and family contributions to bring her dream to reality. At the project's culmination, the children created products and sold them at a trade fair. This experience shed light on Corporate Social Responsibility, as we allocated a portion of the profits to a charitable cause chosen through collaborative brainstorming with the children.
Our Little Entrepreneurs project sparked the imagination of our children and introduced them to the world of business while fostering core literacy and numeracy skills and higher-order, 21st century skills such as financial literacy, communication, collaboration, problem-solving, and leadership. At the start of the project, some of our parents were unsure how children aged 3-7 years old would be able to grasp these complex concepts, and it was heart-warming to see scepticism turn into appreciation as these parents witnessed their children casually using business terms at home. Some of them were even inspired to start their own small businesses at home, which we love!
Rather than relying on conventional tests and exams, our approach at KEY academy is to evaluate the academic journey of our children through continuous observation throughout the year. Our observations are meticulously recorded in individualised learning journals tailored to each child's age and KEY academy learning goals. These journals not only provide insights into a student's progress and areas needing additional support but also offer vivid, narrative-style accounts of their growth – from initial unfamiliarity with concepts to proficient application in relevant contexts.
Our learning goals encompass four overarching areas: content, well-being, skills, and mindset, with 24 specific learning facets observed concurrently. This approach allows us to assess a child's development comprehensively. Drawing from decades of research and our own four-year experience, we firmly believe that the most objective assessment arises from unobtrusive, silent observation when students are unaware of scrutiny. Furthermore, we recognise that certain critical developmental skills defy measurement through traditional testing, requiring instead nuanced observation of a child's natural behaviour and reactions in real-life situations.
The well-documented limitations of examinations and tests in assessing a child's genuine acquisition of knowledge have prompted us at KEY to adopt a unique perspective. We contend that when children are made aware of impending assessments at the conclusion of a term or academic year, their motivation for learning often shifts towards external factors, primarily centred on achieving high grades in the examination. This transition tends to diminish their intrinsic interest in the subject matter, reducing learning to a temporary exercise in retaining information for regurgitation during exams.
Our educational philosophy, conversely, prioritises the cultivation of enjoyable learning experiences for our students, with the overarching aim of instilling a lifelong passion for learning. We endeavour to help them perceive learning as an integral part of their daily lives, transcending the confines of traditional classroom settings. It is noteworthy that our distinctive approach refrains from subjecting our students to conventional testing methodologies. Interestingly, this departure from the norm bolsters our confidence in their knowledge and skills. We maintain a consistent and vigilant approach to monitoring their progress, allowing us to witness firsthand how they progressively internalise and apply new knowledge across various facets of their daily lives.
In conclusion, while not entirely ineffective, the current global education system falls short in preparing young learners to understand and navigate the complexities of the world around them. As we continue to grow and create learning groups for older children at KEY academy, we are resolute in maintaining a PBL approach for all of our learning groups right up until the age of 18. We understand the hesitation that some parents may have, but we encourage you to keep an open mind, read more into the area of PBL, and join us on this exciting journey.
Written by Adeniyi Ogunbanwo, Co-learner, KEY academy
References
Leiden University. (2021) How do Parents’ Brains React to Feedback about their Child? Retrieved from Medical Press: How do parents' brains react to feedback about their child? (medicalxpress.com)
Preach, S. (2018) How do We Accurately Measure Children’s Progress in the Classroom? Retrieved from Unidos US: How Do We Accurately Measure Children’s Progress in the Classroom? | UnidosUS
Cepeda, N. J., Vul, E., Rohrer, D., Wixted, J. T., & Pashler, H. (2008). Spacing effects in learning: A temporal ridgeline of optimal retention. Psychological Science, 19(11), 1095–1102. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9280.2008.02209.x
Mazur, E. (n.d.) Using Project-Based Learning to Engage Students. Retrieved from Harvard Graduate School of Education; Instructional Moves: Using Project-Based Learning to Engage Students | Instructional Moves (harvard.edu)
Harvard College of Education (n.d.) Project-Based Learning. Retrieved from Harvard Graduate School of Education; Instructional Moves: Project-Based Learning | Instructional Moves (harvard.edu)
Perera, A. (2023) Hawthorne Effect: Definition, How it Works and How to Avoid it. Retrieved from SImply Psychology: Hawthorne Effect In Psychology: Experimental Studies (simplypsychology.org)
Robinson, K. (2007, Jan 7). Do Schools Kill Creativity? [Video]. YouTube. (7) Do schools kill creativity? | Sir Ken Robinson - YouTube
Wei, J., Sze, I. N., Ng, F. F., & Pomerantz, E. M. (2020). Parents' responses to their children's performance: A process examination in the United States and China. Developmental psychology, 56(12), 2331–2344. https://doi.org/10.1037/dev0001125
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