Can MIT Geniuses Light a Bulb with a Battery and Wire?

This two-minute video makes telling points about what is — and isn’t — being learned in our schools. Share it with community members to start a conversation about education goals, how we learn, and the relative merits of learning science in an academic science class versus hands-on learning experiences (e.g., a CTE course, an apprenticeship with a master electrician).

What do you make of this? Would you have figured this out?

What does this tell us about MIT grads who scored 800 on their SAT math, 5’s on their AP Physics and Calculus BC exams, a 4.5 or higher high-school GPA, and have graduated from the world’s most prestigious engineering institution? If you know Coulomb’s Law and Kirchhoff’s Law, do you understand electricity?

Does this make you re-think the value of CTE education — not just for some students, but for all students?

Does this explain why there’s often friction in the workplace between newly-hired college graduates and experienced employees who didn’t attend college?

Consider posing the light bulb challenge to a few students — including some AP Physics students and some CTE students. Maybe include a local electrician and university engineering professor. This may help your community understand that kids learn in different ways, and that hands-on learning is invaluable. Explore the ramifications of having all students do more hands-on learning.