The way I see the education system after an experience working with kids. Let's start a dialogue, shall we!

1. Experience @ school
Beyond my bias
XP Days Benelux 2018 Heeze
Wim Bollen, DUCTU
© 2018, Wim Bollen

2. The idea
Some 13 year old child waiting for
something to happen

3. The start
• 14 children
• A picture… starting to observe & orient
• And the hell we didn’t know what would happen
next…
Image - reddit

4. Outcome
© 2018, Wim Bollen

5. Approach
Thinking model
© 2018, Wim Bollen
"Intuitions come
first, strategic
reasoning second"
Jonathan Haidt - the righteous mind
source – okaloa.com

6. Approach
Thinking model
© 2018, Wim Bollen
"Intuitions come
first, strategic
reasoning second"
Jonathan Haidt - the righteous mind
source – okaloa.com

7. Approach - Thinking model
How the brain of
teenagers develop
• Nurturing executive
functions
• Supporting temporary
underperformance of
brain functions due to
specialization
© 2018, Wim Bollen inspiration – het puberend brein by Eveline Crone

8. Approach
Thinking model
Kids in the
drivers seat
© 2018, Wim Bollen
Problem
Internal solution
+
-
Ignorance
c
Delay
B Growth
Experience
Experiment
External
intervention
Friction or
B
+
Quick relieve
Compliance
-
Capabilities
(autonomy*)R Indoctrination
Internal agents
increasingly
depend on
-
-
Kids in the drivers seat
Autonomy
Mentoring & education
1. Offer insight (teaching)
2. Inquire into and
harmonize diversity
Imposition
1. Time pressure
2. Polarity
Increasing dependence on
quick relieves
Decline
3. Discouragement
4. Disorder
3. Hold creative tension
4. Time required for
current reality
Inspiration – The fifth discipline by Peter Senge
Ability to
observe
c
*Ability to develop its own capabilities autonomously

9. Approach
Thinking model
Current situation
© 2018, Wim Bollen
How to escape
education's death
valley
Sir Ken Robinson - 1998

10. Approach
Thinking model
School systems
today
© 2018, Wim Bollen
Sustained
High workload
+
+
c
Delay
B Growth
Experience
Experiment
External
intervention
Stress
B
+
Quick relieve
Compliance
-
Capabilities
(autonomy)R Indoctrination
Internal agents
increasingly
depend on
-
+
Overburdening
System of work
Imposition
• Time pressure (e.g.
leerplannen…)
• Polarity (e.g. age-
based progress)
Increasing dependence on
quick relieves
Decline
3. Discouragement
4. Disorder
Inspiration – The fifth discipline by Peter Senge
Utilization rate
Division of labor
*Ability to develop its own capabilities autonomously

11. Enable for learning through autonomy
© 2018, Wim Bollen
Coaching
Share (intuitive) experience &
develop (rationalize) thinking
within current models
Mentoring
Share (intuitive) experience &
offer (rationalize) insight into
new models
Teaching
in specific knowledge domains
overcoming the ignorance
trap
Nurturing a growing and
divided brain
"If a nation expects to be ignorant and free, in a state of civilization, it expects
what never was and never will be. If we are to guard against ignorance and
remain free, it is the responsibility of every American to be informed.”
Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826)

12. Being a parent, imagine…
…each day you have to go and search for your
teenager at school…
…even long after classes are finished.
And before you can leave, they want to show
you something new that they discovered and
are excited about.
That’s learning, isn’t it!Inspiration: Niel Degrasse Tyson

13. © 2018, Wim Bollen
Wim.Bollen@ductu.be
@wim_Bollen
www.ductu.be