The Bus Analogy VS. The Construction Crew Analogy in Education

Thanks to for the photo Mirari Erdoiza.

Over the last couple of years I've heard many educational leaders use an analogy of a bus to suggest how schools should function. I've always found this analogy very weak, because a bus is a terrible analogy for a learning environment. The vast majority of people on a bus simply get on or off, they are not active participants in driving the bus, nor deciding where it travels. The only person who gets to do anything on a bus is the driver. The driver gets to make all the choices -- where and when to stop and how long the stop will be. The passengers are a passive group that have no real decision making power; they can either be on board or get off -- that's it. This is not a model of a democratic process, nor the model for a positive learning community. Learners need to feel ownership and they need to be active members of what is happening. I therefore purpose that educational leaders stop talking about buses and begin talking about construction crews.

Thanks to Cindy47452 for the photo.

A construction company is a much better analogy for how a learning community should function. Each crew of the company accomplishes specific tasks, but they must be aware of the plan and collaborate with the entire company in order to have a successfully finished building. One crew shows up to pour the concrete for the foundation; another crew makes the frame of the building; still another crew puts in the plumping and the electricity; the sheet rock crew comes to hang the dry wall; and the finishing crew comes to install all the fixtures and interior work. Together they accomplish an entire building according to an architect's plan and each group contributes in their own way to the larger vision. As the building is going up, some of the crews will suggest modifications to the original plan due to the circumstances on the ground at the job site and the plan will adapt to fit reality. This is a much better analogy for a learning community.

The Importance of Communication -- Football Analogy

On a football team, when the huddle is called and all eleven offensive players gather together, the quarterback announces the play to the entire offensive -- not selective members. The transparency of communicating with all members of the offense at once allows the entire unit to execute the play seamlessly. Imagine the chaos that would ensue if the quarterback only communicated the play to the fullback and/or tailback. How would the linemen know who to block? What  patterns would receivers run? Now imagine the scenario if the quarterback only told the play to the linemen, but not the other members of the offense. Where are the fullback and tailback going? As you can see, the quarterback needs to communicate with all members of the offense in order to execute the simplest play in the playbook. Without communication, nothing productive happens. Within organizations, leaders need to communicate with the entire organization. The leader communicates the vision, mission, and knowledge to the entire team, so that everyone can execute the play together.

But you ask me, "What about when the quarterback improvises?" Glad you asked! The quarterback improvises based off the original play communicated to the entire offense. As the leader on the field, the quarterback needs to react to changes and problems that develop during executing the original play. The quarterback may decide to throw the ball to the wide receiver running the post route, because he sees that the player is open and will be able to score a touchdown; where as, the original intended receiver is double covered. This is a modification to the original play, not a different play. Leaders need to be able to modify and adjust plans as problems occur, but based off the original plan that was communicated to the entire organization. When a plan needs modifying or adjusting, the leader communicates the changes as quickly as possible to the entire organization, so that everyone can execute the new plan seamlessly and without confusion.

Is your organization trying to run a play but the play has only be communicated to certain members of the offense? How can you get all team members executing the play seamlessly?

Is Your School a Luxury Brand?

Allow me to begin with an analogy...

No one is willing to spend $3000 on a handbag that is being sold from the back of a truck in an alleyway. When someone is willing to spend $3000 on a handbag, they go to Louis Vuitton. Not simply because Louis Vuitton is known for making quality handbags, but also for the experience. Have you ever seen a Louis Vuitton store? The one near me in Korea is quite an experience for the shopper. First, only two couples are allowed into the store at one time, because LV is going to give personal attention to each customer. The salesperson will offer you tea, coffee, juice, or water. There is no rushing or pushing to buy. It is a calm, relaxing environment. If you do decide to make a purchase, extras are thrown in for free -- extra straps, name tags, etc. Luxury brands get away with charging what they do, because they provide a quality product and a quality experience in purchasing the product. 

The fact is that in international education most of us work in very expensive private schools. And as much as we possibly don't like to think about it, there is some marketing that needs to be done. When parents drop a large amount of money on a child's education, they deserve to feel like they are getting what they are paying for plus some extras. One thing that doesn't impress is nickel and dime-ing families. Stop and think about your school. Is it a luxury brand offering a luxury experience? Or, is it a luxury brand being sold out of the back of a truck in an alleyway? Are you charging for services that should be included as extras?

Two EdTech Analogies

Over the course of the year in discussions I've had with students, teachers, and administrators I have found two Ed Tech analogies that have served me well in explaining important concepts about the nature of tech integration and using Twitter as a resource. Heading into this week's #beyondlaptops conference at Yokohama International School, I finally feel like the time has come to unveil these two analogies for the greater good of the educational world.

Analogy #1: The Hammer Analogy

A hammer is a great tool; especially when used for jobs that lend themselves naturally to a hammer. Pounding in nails, for example, is the exact job that a hammer has been developed to do. There are other jobs that a hammer can be employed to do that work as well; removing nails from a board is another job most hammers can be used quite easily to accomplish. But, you don't use a hammer when you what to tighten a bolt into a nut. The hammer isn't designed to do this job. Tech integration is similar. Some courses and classroom environments lend themselves to using technology better and more efficiently than others; some situations simply don't. The job of a Technology Integration Specialists is to assist teachers in finding those natural integration fits and to explore new tools that could be used. The job isn't to become the ed tech hammer and slam everything in sight without first thinking if the hammer (integration) is what we really need for the job at hand.
Analogy #2: Twitter -- It's a Fire Hose

Credit to PandaWhale

Many teachers and administrations seemed overwhelmed by the amount of information available through Twitter. They are correct about the fact the that amount of information is overwhelming -- Twitter is overwhelming. Consider this analogy, one doesn't drink water from a fire hose by pointing it at his/her face -- it will simply knock you on your butt. When drinking from a fire hose, you carefully sip from the side; even better -- you use a ladle. You dip your ladle in and sip a little and then dip again. With your ladle, you can consume water comfortably at your own leisure. Don't look into the fire hose that Twitter is and assume that you must consume all the information blasting out at you -- simply dip your ladle and sip.