Concepts and Theories Embedded

in the New Paradigm of Education

Abstract: In this paper, the writers attempt to system. Over the first year, international
apply the concepts and theories of the new accreditation for the Certificate Program was
paradigm in education to a small hypothetical awarded followed by official approval for the
college entitled “Centeny 21”. Emphasis will Post Graduate program in the second year. It
be placed on cutting edge methodologies
which impact the structure and processes of
was necessary that the pilot program move
modern schools. Through these guidelines, the college forward to allow its evolution into
the writers present problems in current a higher level of student-teacher interaction,
educational development, suggest workable research methodology, video lecturing, social
alternatives and apply new paradigm concepts consciousness, individual achievement and
through the utilization of MOOCs, the teaching cultural co-operation. “The life of society
of gifted children and increased social and evolves by increasing consciousness of the
cultural co-operation. challenges and opportunities presented by
individual and collective life and increasing
Index Terms: gifted children, humanistic
approach, international accreditation, IQ,
organization of its activities to effectively
Library of Alexander, mathematic literacy channel its energies and capacities …” [2].
ratings, MOOCs, paradigm, one-on-one Continuing with traditional and alternative
delivery, STEM, student-teacher interaction, methodologies, the college moved to prepare
perception and develop specific interconnectivity with
students and faculty as well as student to
1. INTRODUCTION student interfacing. The methodology
remains a one-on-one delivery mode as this
In recent months, there has been many allows flexibility to work with groups and
new concepts and theories proposed in experiment with applications relating to other
envisioning and predicting the future of approaches and content. As a college, it is
education. The purpose of this paper is to moving thoughtfully forward and is
link some of these concepts and theories committed to changing the facility into a
st
and embed them in a prototype college titled learning organization of the 21 century [3].
Centeny 21 which was conceived as a small
college with two programs; a Certificate 2. THE NEW PARADIGM
Program and a Post-graduate Program. The
school offers an online delivery mode mixed An important developmental phase of the
with interactivity between faculty and school is its improvement of course material
students through a special 12 student per and programs which aided in bring an
faculty video Skype process. The college interdisciplinary focus into view and to cast
provides an innovative example of dynamic an image of the new paradigm of teacher-
acclimation into the new educational student interaction. Emphasis is on computer
paradigm which is often mentioned by the digital interfacing, community academic and
World Academy of Art and Science [1]. social networking via technology and a
The hypothetical pilot college is designed technical and humanistic approach to
as an on-line program with a one-on-one learning and teaching which allows for the
mode of delivery with traditional 16-week interactivity of diverse elements within the
syllabus’ to be consistent with today’s face to learning system. This cognitive theory
face semester approach allows for a learning structure
greater than its individual parts or effects.
Manuscript received in November 13, 2014. This is achieved in part through visual
Edwin Lindgren, The College of Teachers UK & President,
perception, structuring of hard and soft
International College of Interdisciplinary Science (E-mail:
[email protected]). sciences to enhance a polymathic formation
LaWanna Lease Blount, co-founder and vice president of the to resolve specific problematic issues – i.e.
American College of Interdisciplinary Sciences (E-mail: through the utilization of complex bodies of
[email protected]).
knowledge and the theoretical and practical
application of a mature complexity of thought need of our most precious gift to society and
for the student. the world as a whole, the gifted child.
Emphasis at the school is also on finding Dr. David Lubinski, of Vanderbilt
ways to deliver, via the Internet, various free University’s Peabody College of Education
on-line valued courses that will offer open and Human Development states that “gifted
access and unlimited participation to a large children are a precious human-capital
population. To this extent, “the quantitative resource, … This population represents
extension of access to free quality higher future creators of modern culture and leaders
education made possible by the MOOCs in business, health care, law, the
[Massive Open Online Courses] is itself only professoriate and STEM (science,
the beginning of something far more technology, engineering, and mathematics)”
important. The coming revolution will … tear [5].
down the barriers that separate the ivory This current lack of interest by educators,
tower from the real world” [4]. This novel school administration and lay individuals in
concept reflects a new attitude relating to the the United States relating to gifted children,
mode of studies in social and individual mathematic training and scientific aptitude is
cognitive development, i.e. in creating the apparent in the States low ratings on
image of topical areas unleashed from the scientific and mathematic literacy. The
traditional parameters of disciplinary United States still lags behind other nations
boundaries of older methodologies and in mathematics and science [6]. The
educational thought. accelerated model of teaching of
mathematics and science will help other
3. GIFTED CHILDREN colleges and universities in the United States
as they search for pathways in this area of
The school also takes an interdisciplinary their teaching so that American students can
and scientific focus within both the hard and compete for the # l place rating in
soft sciences. Within this framework, mathematics that is currently held by Japan.
emphases at the school is placed more on In science the # l place rating is held by
the training of gifted students, the elderly South Korea [6].
and physically handicapped and less on Research has long told us that it is not so
students with mental and emotional much what the teacher does as how the
problems. student is interacting with the material [7].
Intellectually gifted children learn at a much This facility’s accelerated program will
faster rate and are prone to boredom and reorganize and rearrange a scientific
show certain degrees of apathy toward the approach to teaching, especially as it is
teacher, coursework and fellow students in firmly believed that it is time that the
traditional programs and classrooms. In an technological monitoring devices are utilized
attempt to provide strict uniformity in the to determine whether students are really
class and achieve ‘no child left behind’, learning, especially, in mathematics and
teachers and administration often classify science [8]. Only recently has it been
these ‘troublemakers’ as suffering from determined that we will, in the future, be able
Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and to systematically calculate students’
other stigma, delegating their behavior to biological responses (pulse, sweat and eye
social maladjustment or neurological issues position) to scientifically determine whether
that can be ‘fixed’ (making them normal) they are learning [8].
through the utilization of drugs or behavior Students at Centeny 21 are, as noted,
modification. encouraged in the new scientific areas. The
Although IQ plays an important role in curriculum planning in the teaching of
determining giftedness, the school realizes science will specifically utilize aspects of the
that there are also an array of other markers Library of Alexander Science Supercourse
including talents, self actualization, spatial [9]. This on-line program was started in
ability, mathematical aptitude and verbal January 2009 at the Bibliotheca Alexandrina
capability. Centeny 21 therefore, provides in Egypt by Vint Cerf of Google, Ismail
course material, methodology training and Serageldin of The Library of Alexandria,
theory comprehension to teachers wishing to Gilbert Omenn of the University of Michigan
assist the gifted student in a one-on-one and Ronald LaPorte of the University of
environment or in the classroom. The school Pittsburgh [9]. The program has thousands
st
believes that no new 21 century educational of power point academic lectures utilized by
paradigm can exist without awareness of the over 50,000 professors and teachers and
over a million students [10]. Emphasis of the 5. GROUNDED THEORY
school’s programs, as that of the Library of
Alexander program, is dedicated to several Grounded Theory is a methodology of the
pivotal points or concepts including: social sciences that begins with systematic
data collection analysis and the growth of a
theory directly (sorting, synthesis and
1 scientific methodology; conceptualizing of the field data) instead of
2 access; hypothesis development [12]. Discovered by
3 creativity; Barney Glaser and Anselm Strauss, the two
4 interdisciplinary interconnectivity; sociologists were studying social aspects of
5 uplifting education worldwide; dying in hospitals during the early 1960s,
6 encouraging interaction between teacher when they perceived the concept.
and student; Their research appeared in the book
7 encouraging students to question; Awareness of Dying. In their 1967 book, The
8 power point lectures; and Discovery of Grounded Theory they
9 assisting in the development of developed this systematic methodology,
Einsteinian thought, creativity, which can be used in both qualitative and
interaction, and the transcendence of our th
quantitative research [13]. Although a 20
mundane sphere. century conceptual discovery, the theory has
become very popular around the world as an
4. WORLD AGING appropriate methodology, especially with
master and doctoral students in their
The school plans to provide students with research theses.
free course resources on social, policies and The college, Century 21, is developing an
scientific studies of gerontology such as on-going research and development
medical issues of aging people which include program, which strengthens the
the economic effect of the aging populations interdisciplinary curricula. The methodology
around the globe. With the facility’s new of Grounded Theory is consistent with the
Gerontology Program researchers in the new paradigm of 21st century education.
biomedical sciences will be developing Grounded Theory can be used in almost any
courses as an interdisciplinary team effort. It discipline i.e., either the hard or soft sciences
is realized that social gerontology courses, [13].
as do gifted children programs, play an In time, however, Glaser and Strauss came
important role in the school’s interactive and to a disagreement relating to Glaser’s
synergic curricula. concern of Strauss’ too prescriptive nature of
Also, the studies will investigate what kinds grounded theory. In a later work, he stated
of communities can be built as we keep in that the Strauss’ paradigm was not related to
mind that cities and communities should be grounded theory but was a “full scale
designed differently for our increasingly conceptual forced description” [13]. He also
aging populations [11]. Many other topics will disagreed to Strauss’ utilization of the term
be explored including health topics and ‘research’.
alternative modes of living for elderly people.
These areas of study are calling for new 6. LEARNING BADGES
kinds of careers, which are shaped by the
growth of aging populations in communities This pilot college is also embracing the
and in countries around the world. A realm concept of awarding skill badges for specific
of services for aging populations will be learning achievements in the gerontology
explored by the school’s Gerontology program such as home health, tutor training
Program. Research has shown that the older in Adult Basic Education, and library and
people want to be engaged in activities. hospital volunteer work.
Linda Fried [11], who is an American This concept has been recently utilized by
geriatrician and epidemiologist and dean of Joanna Normoyle, Experiential & Digital
Columbia University’s Mailman School of Media Learning Coordinator at the University
Public Health maintains that, “older people of California (Davis) as a new curriculum
need to have something to get up for in the design and recognition system. This badge
morning” [11]. Undergirding the Gerontology system aids students in skill development
Program and other programs at the school which is “necessary to address sustainability
are varied aspects of grounded theory. issues in the real world related to problem
solving, thinking, communicating, design, encounters, both personalized and group
visioning, marketing, management and social oriented, students will discuss and group
interaction” [14]. This awards program was write papers regarding relevance, social
recently discussed at the Forum of the World context and cultural awareness. In such a
Academy of Art and Science at the conceptual mode, students will be allowed to
University of California. discuss, analyze, synthesize, evaluate and
Mozilla also offers what is known as Open even evolve world thought, as long as they
Badges. These badges are “an open are able to provide rational process thinking
technical standard any organization can use and proper research methodology.
to create, issue and verify digital badges …
[which can display one’s] skills and 8. LEARNING AND VALUES
achievements on social networking profiles,
job sites, websites [15]. There are plans to form consortiums with
other colleges of an intercultural nature to
7. STUDENT ADMINISTRATION take advantage of standard courses in
specific areas that students can learn with
The infrastructure of Centenary 21 is students of other countries .The final mark is
changing to reflect greater participation in calculated electronically.
student administration and monitoring Similar to the European Union Erasmus
subsystems. Such a system leads to greater Mundus Programme [16], students can share
sharing and away from the control function learning experiences with students of other
administrators. In Centenary 21 cultures for a broadened perspective beyond
administrators will become more consistent United States values of consumerism and
with a role similar to counselors and share materialism. The learned scheme is based
their knowledge with students. on academic co-operation.
MOOCs at the school are become less
teacher based and more student oriented as 9. CONCLUSION
the videos will in the future provide less pure
lectures leaning, and the retaining of Csikszentmihalyi and Halton have noted
massive general data. Instead, students will that “there is an urgent need to develop ...
be challenged to provide a polymathic scope the potential for long-term growth. We need
of thinking through interdisciplinary to cultivate those objects, activities, and
connectivity of themes, concepts and thought environments that can inspire the fullest
processes. The students, in the MOOC unfolding of human potential now and in the
process will be encouraged to solve future...” [17]. Such words can also be said
complicated problems both singularly and in about present educational trends and their
groups while also assisting lower level development over time.
students (grade and program wise) which will Future educational advancements and
provide free access with less emphasis on failures lie in the artifacts of the past and
large grants and donations. Also in the activities of the presents. Educationists and
standard on-line class environment as well teachers must learn to utilize those tools
as MOOCs, students are working in pairs for which prove meaningful to educational
marking papers and discussing levels of growth, beneficial to the learner and
marking in view of the Accreditation advantageous to world social and cultural
Standards (regional, national and development.
international accrediting agencies). These
problems will not only be confined to REFERENCES
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