RADICAL EDU-ADVICE FROM AN iOS DEV: In an interview last week with EdSurge, Deb Delisle, Assistant Secretary for the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, offered this thought on the goals of education: "We’re really at a crossroads in education in thinking about what do we really want our students to know and be able to do, and how do they demonstrate that ability."
We would love to sit in on a convo between the Assistant Secretary and iOS developer/blogger, Gus Cost. You couldn't find a better contrast to demonstrate America's vast educational spectrum. On one side sits a tireless public servant -- teacher, director, superintendent, and board member for various ed organizations. On the other sits a one-time college dropout, Multidisciplinary Studies major, and self-taught Silicon Valley developer.
So it shouldn't come as a surprise to hear his advice to would-be college students: "Disregard the metrics that your teachers provide, and come up with your own as soon as possible." We're unsure if that's the type of edsurgency we can fully endorse at the moment, but it's good to hear a little counter-culture from a young professional flourishing in the modern economy, taking the path less traveled. For more left-brain views on education and the precursor to Cost's advice, check out The Programmer and the MBA.