Lack of motivation; many parents experience this firsthand at some point during their children’s school career. This generation is different from previous generations. This is because these children grow up in a different society than previous generations. We can deny it and stop it all we want, but our children are the pioneers in the digital society.
Digital education programs
Children pick up information faster than adults. Their minds are still young and flexible and they are curious about what the world has to offer them. Our society is changing very quickly. Our parents’ generation had never heard of a computer and for our children’s generation, a computer as used by most adults is an outdated medium. The world of applications and online programs is their new digital world. We as adults learn this with our children, but who guides these children on their way? Who excites them and gives them challenges? At least not us adults, our pioneers have to figure it out for themselves.
Dutch education
There are a lot of complaints about Dutch education, but where does the problem lie? In 2013, we last investigated how the Netherlands is doing in the field of education compared to other countries. New figures are expected around the beginning of 2017. How does Dutch education perform compared to other countries?
On behalf of the OECD (Organization for Economic Co- operation and Development), PISA (Programme for International Student Assessment) conducted a survey among more than 470,000 fifteen-year-olds spread over 65 different countries. According to the results, the Netherlands is not doing badly at all: in terms of language, the Netherlands is in seventh place, in sixth place in arithmetic and in eighth place in terms of science among best-performing fifteen-year-old students.
On the surface, nothing is wrong, but the same research also shows that the Netherlands does have problems. The Netherlands has an unprecedentedly high number of early school leavers and the Netherlands has no outstanding students. The score is so high because Dutch education pays a lot of attention to the lesser gods. Our poor students are doing relatively well because a lot of attention is paid to these students, but what about our excellent students?
According to the 2013 education report, Dutch students are very difficult to motivate. In the Netherlands, young people are not interested in school and getting good grades. What is that about? How can young people in other countries have this motivation and enjoy going to school?
Challenge and stimulate
If you excel in something, little attention is paid to this in Dutch education. You may possibly create some additional in-depth material, but excellence is not really encouraged and the exceller is not unduly stimulated. Talent development is not on the education agenda. Perhaps it will be brought to attention on the talking agenda, but talent development has never been given a place on the doing agenda. It may also be part of Dutch national character to want to see all people as equal and to express a lot of criticism on those who dare to stick their heads above the parapet. There is a lot to be gained in the field of challenging, a student who is not challenged loses motivation and interest and there is a good chance that this student will drop out at some point. Cutbacks in education do not seem like a good idea, but reforming education sounds a lot better.
Furthermore, it appears that children in Dutch education are too passionate. They receive too little feedback and too few challenges. Dutch students still score well, but the fun is lost due to the teaching method.
Digital stimulation
Digital stimulation is probably the best way to reach students. Students are familiar with digital networks and they know what they can do with them and what to expect from them. They often know this better than their teachers, sometimes even better than the media coach. Interactive teaching methods can be set up using the digital offering. A lesson book with videos and animations for clarification and, in case of incorrect answers, a clear visual explanation of the errors. A learning method that is both interactive and fun and where every student is addressed at their own level. With this you can make learning fun and challenging again, also for our excellers.