I’ve run across a number of online articles (see the links below…) which showcase a number of interrelated problems in education. These articles mostly revolve around the idea of intelligence, and how we measure it (e.g. the IQ test) and what this could even imply for testing in a general sense.

Testability is a topic I still worry about, especially when I consider how little was presented to me about the idea of test validity and even elementary statistics. Even from my recollections from being a high school student I have been presented with some addition proof to the adage that a little knowledge is dangerous.

But back to the main part of today’s story. I have run across a number of articles which are decrying the ‘measurable’ diminishing of creativity in today school age children. This is supposed to be presented in direct opposition to what is known as the Flynn Effect, which is a case where IQ scores in developed countries have been increasing for most of the 20^th century. If you look over the Wikipedia link to the Flynn Effect (at the bottom of this post…) you will be able to read about what potential mechanisms drive this change (of sometimes 10 IQ points, as an average gain in one generation).

There is a lot to think about here from the stand point that it doesn’t relate to genetics or even to a Psychological perspective, but rather to an aggregate approach to how societie4s have changed, and how this may relate to some sort of a cultural turning point… The subtext to what many of these articles have is utterly unrelated to this (albeit interesting) perspective on IQ testing and intelligence in general.

The fact that there are some (apparently soon to be published for peer review) papers out there which assert that there has been a large and describable lowering of measurable ‘creativity’ in school age children since 1990 is something which many parents would understand. Since 1990 the biggest changes in behavior of these children (from previous cohorts) would likely be things like the potential regimentation in experiences resulting from such things as: video games, ‘over-structured’ time, cell phone and text usage, and a plethora of other modern technological changes.

If you were to read through the links I have below, I suspect that the simple minded notion that merely adding ‘internet’ to a classroom or to give students ‘computers’ start to look quite sophomoric. In a strange way this reminds me of a personal reflection I have had with regard to one of my hobbies (playing the electric guitar). Forty years ago it was difficult to find a decent instrument to buy, and just as difficult to get information on how to play, what gear to use, and generally what it was all about. The result was that gaining ability in playing the guitar demanded a lot of discipline, and work. This was slow, inefficient work…but the gains were real.

Nowadays (and I see this a lot in the last twenty years)I meet younger guitarists (this often means someone who is ‘young’ at playing the guitar versus merely being young in age…)and they have already had some very good guitar lessons, the market place has changed to where almost anything you buy is of reasonable quality. The net result is that they have gotten a lot of basic technical proficiency and have decent usable gear…but they didn’t have to suffer to get it. On one hand, I suppose you could say “good for them,” since they seem to have gotten a lot quite easily. On the other hand, it is the fact that these things were attained so easily is why I can see ‘differences’ in how they play.

What I see can be likened to observing language students. I see some who have a great command of vocabulary and grammar, but ultimately have little to say regardless of the technical proficiency that they have attained. You see, it takes some time to develop opinions, it takes time (and some pains) to gain a worthwhile perspective. I see similar things in many up and coming guitarists.

I wonder if having everything handed to you creates a similar sort of ‘rot’ in other areas of our culture. This is quite a bit different from the original argument I was intending to present, that of the increasing futility in trying to measure (in a meaningful way) intelligence or creativity.

The Creativity Crisis – Newsweek

http://www.newsweek.com/2010/07/10/the-creativity-crisis.html

Flynn effect – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flynn_effect

flynn effect « Read NEWS

http://www.read-news.info/tag/flynn-effect

Mind Hacks: The Flynn effect is reversing

http://www.mindhacks.com/blog/2006/07/the_flynn_effect_is_.html

Are kids getting less creative? | Analysis & Opinion |

http://blogs.reuters.com/felix-salmon/2010/07/13/are-kids-getting-less-creative

Why Schools Don’t Educate by John Taylor Gatto

http://www.lewrockwell.com/orig11/gatto3.1.1.html

Slashdot News Story | Do Home Computers Help Or Hinder Education?

http://news.slashdot.org/story/10/07/13/0120233/Do-Home-Computers-Help-Or-Hinder-Education

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