001: Faulty Education
MS Blog by: Aldrin Brillante (updated 30 September 2020 03:10:42 PST)
The Education System is Failing Us
The title says it all. Isn’t it crazy that such a statement has been heard for decades and not much progress has been developed for it? It is a well-known statement shown statistically, academically, objectively and subjectively. Of the various topics concerning the areas of interest, the question that asked for the one problem in the world that subjectively needs to be addressed intrigued me the most, for my answer left my lips before I even sprouted a thought. The one world problem that I believe needs to be addressed is the lack of accessible, high quality curriculum regarding Computer Science (CS) Education towards K-12 students.
In a world that consistently moves higher in the advancements of technology, Computer Science (CS) education has gradually become a more promoting topic that attracts students around the globe. The problem with this movement is not the quantity, but the quality. Throughout the nation and the world, there has been a major overlap of shared, accessible, high-tier knowledge in regards to the fundamentals of computer programming. Although there are several institutions that are deemed to have a high quality education for Computer Science, these said institutions are based on outdated education that limits anyone who is too far away from the institution to attend. If the location is not the initial problem, the finances become a close second. High quality education from top tier institutions, whether for K-12 or further education, have become more of a profit-priority business over the years, costing an attending student seeking such quality tens of thousands of dollars at the least to simply begin a career path in a world revolved around validation. With millions of students struggling in school, life, and personal finances, it is a wonder why the education system does very little to better their platform in both quality and quantity. This should not be the case. The education system is failing us.
Areas of Interest
Pondering over the problem with the lack of accessible top tier Computer Science Education, three areas of interest and/or domains come to mind. First and foremost is the topic of general education, with the emphasis on the lack of convenient access towards a high quality education without paying tens of thousands of dollars for it. The second area of interest is technology, with the emphasis on the multitude of advancements involving the technological movement, yet there are very few technologies that assist the platform of education and the quality and accessibility for it. The third area of interest that comes to mind is the combination of education and technology to form the evolving movement that allows each platform to collaborate to benefit the evolution of both. This is the movement of education technology, or EdTech. Of these three areas of interest, I decided to focus my interest in Education Technology to dive deeper into the research in the lack of accessible, high quality curriculum regarding Computer Science Education towards K-12 students even with a powerful movement such as EdTech existing.
PEST Domain/Industry Analysis
To continue my research into the topic of EdTech, I created a PEST analysis (Image 004) to place my ideas of all traits. According to a quick Wikipedia search, a PEST analysis dictates as:
“[…] a framework of macro-environmental factors used in the environmental scanning component of strategic management.” — Wikipedia
These macro-enviromental factors used are divided into four parts: Political, Environamental, Socio-Political, and Technologicial. Below is a quick, written format summary of my personal PEST analysis regarding EdTech for K-12 Computer Science Education:
Political: The COVID-19 experience has exposed the standardized, brick-and-mortar education system in it’s incapability to stay updated with modern technologies and 21st century knowledge in technological platforms. These Ivy League, highly ranked, alleged high scale and high salary Professors in tenure cannot even consume and uphold the daily knowledge needed to run a clean, efficient, productive class in a user friendly platform that is used for numerous companies in the 21st century without running into basic troubleshooting chaos; COVID-19 has also exposed these educational institutions in which they prioritize profit (OH NO HE DIDN’T) over the fair distribution of education and knowledge, meaning that majority of schools’ tuition costs and academic standards have not changed at all even after a global-wide pandemic affected the standard lives, physical health, and mental health of millions of people. My subjective comment to that is that it is despicable and embarrassing to hear about it as an individual who grew up in poverty and not be able to immediately do anything about it right now; If your priority is money and profit, then don’t have a career in education. The year 2020 has shown that the true colors and true priority of the education business is not education, but profitable business (OH YES HE DID).
Economical: EdTech is more affordable compared to current formal education; it provides a modern convenience of staying at home and learning; the use of only one device and less traveling for school makes learning more environmentally friendly; although you would need to purchase a high-end laptop/computer/modem/router to trust your storage of your education and your internet accessibility, that purchase is minuscule in comparison to the multitude of the consistent materials needed to supply learning at brick-and-mortar institutions.
Socio-Political: Society WANTS to be lazier — if there’s a way to allow education to be easier and more convenient with the same reward and validation at the end, then general society would prefer that. EdTech also lessons human error capabilities (you see what I did there? If you didn’t at first, then that is a perfect example of why we need efficient EdTech 👀). Also, there are currently no EdTech platforms that have structuralized, all-in-one capabilities to educate K-12 students in Computer Science, making such an idea profitable during this time. Another factor is that afterschool daycare needs are lessened, if not diminished, with proper EdTech due to the convenience of learning in your own home.
Technological: With EdTech, there is a constant technological convenience using modern technology to earn your education, continuing to stay updated on the constant changes in technological platforms. Another technology factor is that Applied Computer Science Education becomes more convenient and capable, having the user(s) already trained with their technologies through their education habits. Also, with education and knowledge constantly being updated, an EdTech platform can easily update their curriculum to be based on current, real-world issues much faster than the years it takes for the outdated institutions to catch up on modern social beliefs and knowledge acceptance. With EdTech, there is an easier and more convenient allowance for change.
Competitive Landscape Matrix + Analysis
Now that the issue regarding the need of better education and education technology has been shown obvious, the next step is to see the competition already out there. To better do that, we need to have a Competitive Landscape and Analysis. As per the Wikipedia definition, a competitive landscape analysis is:
“[…] a business analysis method that identifies direct or indirect competitors to help comprehend their mission, vision, core values, niche market, strengths, and weaknesses.” — Wikipedia
With that, I have created my own competitive landscape matrix/grid displayed below (Image 007) that displays several competitors who I believe are currently leading the race for better education and better education technologies. There are some competitors and businesses displayed on my landscape that are considered outside my K-12 target group, but I still placed them on there due to how powerful they are doing in the race towards better education/EdTech.
It is my subjective statement that Make School and App Academy are the two companies/institutions that are currently leading the race in modern Computer Science education for adults, allowing their students a chance to become Software Engineers through real world, project-based solutions in a fraction of a time it would usually take in a traditional 4-year university. Both companies use real world problems and knowledge to educate their system in their unique, all-in-one programs. Their proof of success is in their alumni, with many of their students landing jobs in big tech companies and creating startups of their own, and their curriculum, in which it constantly stays updated to stay in-par with modern software engineering. The one major missing link is a strong platform for K-12 students. — Aldrin Brillante
Competitive Landscape Analysis
To better your understanding of your competition, one must analyze their own product and/or idea to compare and contrast, and that is why competitive landscapes are used. After viewing the many different programs and platforms for Computer Science EdTech, several major factors came into realization:
- there are no well known, easily accessible, structuralized, all-in-one programs specifically available in K-12 EdTech/online learning. (If validated education is based on a structure of learning, then why aren’t there more structured programs for overall K-12 online learning?)
- Of those programs in EdTech that prioritize a fundamental understanding in K-12 Computer Science through online learning, majority of those I found are very “entertainment based” in their methods of distribution, meaning that more effort was put into how the quality would be displayed to the student (ie gaming entertainment, comical graphics, attractive colors, etc) rather than prioritizing the quality of the actual curriculum and practice offered. (Education’s priority, whether in person or online, should still be the actual curriculum offered to the individual seeking its knowledge. If too much time is placed on satisfying a K-12 students entertainment content, then the goal is misplaced.)
- Many of the well known, “high quality” education technology platforms are directed towards adults/college. (if all the quality in EdTech is focused on adults and college learning, what foundations are those companies/platforms dependant on for an easy transition to online college learning? Old school, brick-and-mortar, outdated education that prioritized profit over positive, individaul student experience? That is misplaced focus. One needs to master walking before running.)
- With the multitude of attempted EdTech platforms, very few mix in a structured practicing of Mathematics within Computer Science. Both go hand in hand and are necessary to be successful as a programmer, whether it is as basic as adding and subtracting integers, or as specific as computing the acceleration of gravity and the object’s rate of change in game development programming. Math is used and needed no matter what the level in Computer Science.
With my competitive analysis on the existing products and programs that promote this general idea for better education through EdTech, I believe that my program would be placed in the priorities of being effortful and of high quality, for those are my product’s priorities to maintain throughout its creation and then after.
User Interviews
With every product and idea, there has to be a way to collect informative data to accurately depict what your target groups currently believe in the scenarios you present. A great way to collect such data and information is through user interviews. A user interview is a user experience, or UX, research method in which the researcher asks several questions surrounding the topic of interest, having the goal of learning about the details about that topic. User interviews are highly valuable to creating a product and idea because the interviewees can give you an in-depth understanding of the different perceptions and experiences your users have had about the topic of your product.
With my experience conducting user interviews, I have listed below the questions that I asked to my target group(s).
I kept all questions unbiased, leaving all questions evenly scaled and opportune for the interviewees to give their honest opinions on the matter. Each question was carefully reviewed to make sure there was no positive or negative bias in each topic/question. I purposely started the interviews with general questions, asking first of their accessibility to a generic item that can be used for my product (ie access to a phone or laptop). I then continued to ask general, unbiased questions about their education, starting with the question if they are currently in school, slowly asking their opinions on the different scenarios within the topic of school and education. Lastly, I ended each interview with my product opportunity questions, explaining my product pitch and idea, following up with questions of what I just represented to them.
Networking Process for Interviewing
To better understand what my product idea would result when released, I had to broaden my interviewee group outside of my initial K-12 targets. I wanted to understand the general perception and opinion of anyone of various age groups. Listed below are the three separate groups in which I conducted my interviews:
- Group 1 consisted of Kumon Math & Reading K-12 Students. Already in an EdTech setting, I wanted to interview these specific students because they were already in a group setting that studies during after school hours daily.
- Group 2 consisted of the parents of the Kumon Math & Reading Program students. I decided to interview the parents as well, for they would essentially be the ones in control of their children using my product when released, and their insight would be very valuable as to what I can improve to adapt to their needs and wants for their children’s after school educational opportunities.
- Group 3 consisted of trusted peers in the FAANG workforce. These certain individuals consisted of STEM employees in affiliation with big tech companies. I chose to specifically ask several individuals in this specific tech workforce (who I trust), as their experience throughout their education can be a great insight as to what I can improve on my product and ideas.
- Group 4 consisted of the several individuals who I came across during my neighborhood, door-to-door, interviews. This group was much more generic and broad in education, experience, and age. This generic group was perfect to see the insights and opinions of an unbiased group for my product, whether or not their lifestyle fit my product’s target.
Post-Interview Analysis
After concluding all the interviews of all groups and being able to review the responses given, it has come to my conclusion that majority of findings lean towards a positive interest and use of my product idea. Considering group 1 (K-12 students), the answers that were given were towards the hunger for an easier, more convenient way to learn the curriculum at hand, with the interviewed students being able to tell me almost immediately what they did not like about the current product/program they are in. Considering group 2 (parents of k-12 students), majority were eager to listen to my ideas of improving EdTech convenience and curriculum surrounding K-12 education for after-school learning. Considering group 3 (Peers in FAANG workforce), a lot of them were interested in inputing their ideas and opinions into a better program for online learning. Considering group 4 (neighbors), those that were willing to participate in my questionaire/interview were interested in a cheaper alternative for being able to advance their children’s skills in computer science and mathematics. All groups were hungry for such a program to exist into daily convenience and learning.
Mind Mapping
To continue with my research and analysis of my idea, I decided to create a mind map for my topic and the product’s generic points. Below, on Image 009, displays my initial captures of my product’s topic and what ideas and points came to be.
Product Design Documentation
Product Idea: Codeshell Education
“I will be helping K-12 students achieve more knowledge and better fundamental understanding in Computer Science education through the ideology of patience and repetition. As many of us were taught as kids through the story of the tortoise and the hare, ‘slow and steady wins the race.’ That is the belief I will continue to follow for my product.”
— Aldrin Brillante (Codeshell Education)
After accumulating all resources and experience data from the interviews and personal research, it has come to my conclusion that such a product and/or program that carries an all-in-one trusted platform for computer science based-curriculum for K-12 students is in dire need of creation. That is where my product, Codeshell Education, will hopefully come in to assist the gaps of modern K-12 learning in Computer Science.
Yes, there are schools and institutions that have options for computer science courses. Yes, there are after school tutoring programs that center on knowledge from the curriculum children are learning in class. The flaw that all these programs have is that they limit your knowledge in technical analytics and comprehension, with their programs either being structuralized to prioritize entertainment, or with the completion of the program still being incomplete in the sense of it needing other outside curriculum for higher education. These programs focus on the history of the past more than the evolution and use of modern daily technology and learning for the present and future. That is why my product can win.
My product idea of creation is an all-in-one, structuralized EdTech program that centers in the Computer Science curriculum for higher learning, prioritizing in knowledge development and growth for the users (K-12 students) rather than their entertainment. The goal of this program is to continuously evolve it’s curriculum to help students of K-12 stay updated in modern knowledge of computer science. It will involve the learning of programming, vocabulary, mathematics, problem solving and analytics, and much more that are strictly surrounding the development of the user’s knowledge in computer science, and will continuously grow and develop the higher the knowledge the user has for the structuralized topics. All this curriculum will be surrounded by the ideology of repetition, having the user average it’s curriculum in a grade of 85–100% understanding before the user can move on to the next topic.
This belief of constant repetition was inspired by Toru Kumon, the founder of Kumon Education. Creating the Kumon origins in Japan, Toru believed that repetition of a specific area of knowledge or curriculum drives the user to maintain a subconscious reflex in the certain subject that was upheld and repeated, having his students know and understand university-level mathematics by their early teenage years. I wish to follow that belief in repetition and evolve it towards the modern education of computer science curriculum.
Wireframing
To continue this journey in creating a better product for K-12 Computer Science, I decided to create a wireframe for my product’s website. A website wireframe is a blueprint and page schematic that allows me to have a visual guide that represents the skeletal framework of my product’s website idea. The point of wireframes is for the purpose of being able to arrange all your product’s elements to best represent an idea of what your product can/will look like. Below is a drafted wireframe for my product idea(s).
Conclusion
Institutionalised education is failing us. Profit has become the priority for educators rather than the sharing of knowledge. Even during COVID-19, with quarantine worldwide, education prices did not change and the curriculum was botched due to the lack of instructors’ knowledge in modern technology. Sadly, I do not see education updating their immediate staff and/or curriculum any time soon, and that is why EdTech is so crucial to modern learning. As EdTech is known to have an open-source platform for learning, we need not forget that we still need the structure of what these educational institutions have to compete in what they have to offer. That is why I am creating my product, Codeshell Education.
I hope to start to find motivated engineers and teachers who are tired of the politics of education. I hope to find free thinkers with numerous ideas to offer. I hope to find mentors and trusted communities in helping me build this product and, hopefully, joining my team. I hope to find a group that would stay together firmly throughout all the ups and downs this product will face. I hope that this product will one day be qualified in Y-combinator application acceptance. I hope to do all this and more, for I am determined to change the world of education and take down the corrupt institutions that hide behind biased statistics, profit, and ignorance. I want to make this world a better place through better opportunities for higher education in K-12 Computer Science.
I applaud the thousands of software engineers driven to move forward in bettering technology and products to help the future generations. I, however, will aim to move backwards to do the same.
— Aldrin Brillante (Codeshell Education)
***end of blog***