A badge isn’t better than a smile

It’s far too early in the edtech game to crown a champion. But there is one team, that according to 50,000 years of science, appears poised to succeed. That team is Thinkful. Below is an explanation of what they’ve got going for them.

While technology continues to power an increasingly greater percentage of the world we live in – a trend that is likely to continue indefinitely – technology doesn’t create itself. People are the ones responsible for that. And people, of course, aren’t born with the knowledge necessary to build complex machines, software, etc. They learn those skills through education. In short: Technology powers the world, people power technology, and education (em)powers people.

To supply the sizable demand for people who can build the infrastructure, systems and products that will both power and (ideally) improve our world, there’s a growing number of companies (as well as colleges and universities) creating new materials and models for education. While not perfect, there’s good reason to believe these new models can be effective.

For one, they’re relevant. As our economy continues to undergo a shift from an industrial model to a “knowledge” or “information” economy, the traditional Prussian model of education is no longer effective.

They’re cheap(er). The widespread availability of free and/or low-cost Internet has made it possible for anybody to acquire information on any topic from anywhere, at a significantly reduced cost as compared to attending university. (This is to the benefit of learners and (currently) to the detriment of many traditional educators.)

Lastly, they resonate. Having near complete control over how, when and what relevant skills are obtained meets the requirements of what Dan Pink says in his book, Drive, motivates human beings: mastery, autonomy, and purpose.

There’s no limit to how much one can learn online (not necessarily with one individual program, but through an amalgamation of the infinite resources that are available). Whether it’s 3 am or 3 pm, there’s no restrictions on when someone can, or should, do their work. And considering the need for technical skills – it is estimated that more than 1.4 million computer science jobs will be available by 2020 – there’s no denying the value of new learning platforms that provide the knowledge necessary to fill those jobs.

However, despite all of the potential benefits, including a model that seemingly is designed to motivate us to learn, many online education programs are missing something critical: relationships.

Thinkful offers one-on-one mentorship for all students. Students can still work whenever they want (autonomy), as much as they want (mastery), and will be gaining invaluable skills (purpose), but they’ll have a mentor to guide them. By utilizing one-on-one mentorships, the most unique and often impactful element of education, and human life, is preserved: personal relationships.

While relationships might seem inconsequential, or perhaps simply a product feature intended to provide a point of differentiation in a crowded market, 50,000 years of human biology and physiology would suggest they’re much more important than that.

Humans, by nature, are social beings. We need to connect to, share with, and provide for other people – not computer programs. This has been wired in us since 50,000 years ago, when it was necessary to work with other members of our “tribes” in order to survive. When we work with others who care about us, the chemicals serotonin and oxytocin are released within our bodies. These give us a sense of pride in ourselves and responsibility for others and make us feel loved and cared for. What’s more, these emotions are contagious. When someone does something nice for you, you feel good, the person who committed the act feels good, and any witnesses feel good, too. So while the inclusion of personal relationships is essential to the pedagogical underpinnings of Thinkful (i.e. the positive impact a personal mentor has on student learning), what’s more important is that on a biological level they will create conditions that are all but guaranteed to help advance society.

When students are cared for by mentors (and Thinkful), they’ll do the same for others, both at work and in life. As this happens, they will develop a crucial skill, empathy. With the cost of technology infrastructure continuing to decrease, enabling more people to design and build products – creating more competition in the market – it’s no longer enough to just build for efficiency – bigger, stronger, faster. There has to be meaning behind what’s created, which requires “design thinking” – or empathy.

As just one example, consider Instagram. Hundreds of companies before them created mobile photo sharing apps. They created an experience that people fell in love with that was a mobile photo sharing app and were subsequently purchased by Facebook for $1 billion.

In a strictly online learning environment, students are encouraged to succeed, but it’s typically for their own benefit. Checklists, achievements, badges, and gamification efforts of all sorts are used to urge people on. Endorphins and dopamine run the show here. These are the same selfish chemicals released by the nicotine in cigarettes. Still, many will agree that learning should, and will continue to, be decentralized – people should be able to learn wherever and whenever is best for them. Many will also agree that the acquisition of technical skills is paramount today, and will be even more so in the near future.

Thinkful’s curriculum will teach students the necessary skills to succeed in the 21st century, through a model that provides freedom and autonomy. In addition, they’re helping to build personal relationships that will imbue design thinking sensibilities – an understanding of how to design for others; skills that are becoming increasingly more difficult to acquire – so that not only will students be more likely to remain engaged and complete the courses they sign up for, but once they acquire the skills to be able to build the future, they will be more likely to do so with others in mind.

I think Thinkful has identified and is executing on an optimal strategy. This is my opinion. The reasons why we shouldn’t expect technology alone to be able to replace people, however, especially in education, are based in fact.

I’m more than open to discuss any of this on Twitter or via e-mail.