Friday 4 June 2010

The'shyness effect' and home education


Those interested in the paranormal will probably be aware of something called the 'shyness effect'. This is the phenomenon mentioned by some researchers in the field who have noticed that paranormal powers and activity often stop showing themselves if somebody is watching too closely. This is particularly noticeable when the observer is unsympathetic to the idea of the paranormal. In other words, if a sceptic watches spoon bending or demonstrations of ESP very hard, it often stops happening. The very same effect is quite prevalent in home education. Let's look at a couple of examples.

Ann Newstead of Education otherwise has compared autonomous education to a quantum system. She claims that what is going on is so sensitive that the very act of looking at it , measuring it or even asking questions can damage the process. This manifestation of the shyness effect was a key part of the opposition to the Children, Schools and Families Bill. It was felt that if children being educated at home in this way had their education examined or observed very closely, the process would be disrupted and damaged. I suppose that I can just about believe that some children are so sensitive and nervous that an adult asking a few questions would cause massive harm to their education. It is not only children though who can be harmed by asking questions; research data too can be irreparably damaged by somebody asking questions and looking searchingly at it. When I began staring hard at Paula Rothermel's PhD Thesis, upon which so many claims about home education in this country are founded, it soon became apparent that I was causing harm to it. Dr Rothermel responded by pulling the thesis from her website and threatening me with legal action if I ever spoke about it again. An extreme example of the shyness effect; the very act of looking at the research data was having a bad effect upon it!

I have been put in mind of the shyness effect while trying to find out about home educated young people who go on to attend college and university. As long as we don't look too hard at this topic, everything is fine. All home educating parents know that it is possible for their children to get into college by means of an audition or by showing a portfolio of their work. Then it's straight on to university. Why bother about GCSEs? Unfortunately, when you look too closely at this promising situation, it changes into something a good deal less inviting. As soon as we ask questions and examine all the stories critically, they seem to melt away. This is sad, because I for one would like to have avoided all the hassle of IGCSEs if it had been possible for my daughter to study A levels in Mathematics and History at college without them. I cannot help but notice that people get a little tetchy with me when I even ask questions about this, as though I am being a real spoilsport. Alison Sauer reproved me for this yesterday and told us about a university which would be happy to accept a well kept lab book as part of their entrance requirements, because this is actually better evidence of scientific understanding than an A level in Physics or Chemistry. The only thing missing is the name of the university and the name of somebody there who will confirm that they have taken students without any GCSEs or A levels. I hardly like to enquire any more about this, in case the shyness effect begins to operate and the university changes its admission procedures!

I have in the past been told by some home educators that there are doctors and architects, vets and engineers, surveyors and accountants, all of whom have been home educated. We cannot know their names though, because they wish to keep the fact that they were home educated a secret. This really is astonishing, unless it is just another example of the shyness effect. The bottom line is that one must not ask about these matters and simply take it all on trust. It is just one more example of how home education is not accessible to being measured and quantified. It is fine and dandy as long as one takes everything at face value and no questions are asked. Try to track down solid facts though and the least that will happen is that people become irritated. The harder you search, the more the facts seem to recede from your grasp. I first asked on the HE-UK and EO lists two years ago whether anybody is aware of somebody being accepted at a Further Education college to study A level Mathematics or Chemistry without already having GCSEs in the subject. At the same time, I tried to find an example of somebody who had been accepted at a university to study a traditional academic subject without any GCSEs at all. I was told that there are such cases, but that nobody was prepared to give the names of the colleges and universities concerned!

Like all human enterprises, home education is less than perfect. Personally, I would like to improve it by looking at the facts and fallacies and separating them out, so that we may all make informed and sensible decisions about the future of our children. It is pretty plain though that some parents do not wish to do this. They prefer the fantasy to the reality and who am I to discourage them? Any way, nothing seems to dent this amazing optimism about further education and so I shall stop looking to closely at it, lest I spoil the illusion for others!

14 comments:

  1. old simon says-have been put in mind of the shyness effect while trying to find out about home educated young people who go on to attend college and university

    Home educators dont have to tell any one that they been home educated no law says you have to? whats it got to do with any one? i dont go around asking if a child went to a state school i dont care where it was educated! it just plan nosy to ask these questions but i know what your up to your trying to prove that home education is not as good as a state school education? based on how many children go to uni? who cares how many children go to uni? old crazy Badman was always on about this he wanted every child to go to uni and if you did not it was child abuse! you not asnewred my question is it child abuse not to take GCSE Simon yes or no will do! and do you now regret your support that you give to Graham badman?Ed Balls M.P?

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  2. Stop rambling Peter - in fact a lot of people care!

    Simon- in one way I do agree with Ann (and it is Newstead, not Newsome BTW)- I am pretty sure that had I ever has any contact with the LA when HEing, I would have made sure that they only saw the best of my dd- ie the best of her work, the best of her bahaviour and so on. Yet, being human, there was also things that we did that I wouldn't have been proud of and so would have kept "hidden"- this means that obviously had I been "inspected" I would have modified what we did to show only the best.

    However I also agree with you about the other aspect - such as the college entry thingys- it would be really good to have clear info as to who really has done what; if people have the full info they can make choices based on truth.

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  3. Julie said...

    Stop rambling Peter - in fact a lot of people care!

    who cares Julie?

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  4. Of course Julie, some would say that any changes which take place as a result of the anticipation of inspections are likely to be good. In other words, thinking about somebody looking at your provision might well have the effect of improving the provision and making you plan a little more carefully. I have certainly seen this happening.

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  5. "I suppose that I can just about believe that some children are so sensitive and nervous that an adult asking a few questions would cause massive harm to their education."

    It has nothing to do with shyness, sensitivity or nervousness. Autonomous educators aim for self-directed learning and avoidance of externally imposed instruction. Having a home visit with someone standing in judgement over your whole life-style can be destructive of this. It would be an unusual child who does not experience a narrowing of choices, and unusual parents who could entirely protect their child from anxiety – and therefore from a loss of spontaneous motivation – at the prospect of such a judgement (paraphrasing Sarah Fitz-Claridge). Can you not see that a child who knows their education is going to be judged by someone who could end their style of education (otherwise what is their purpose) is likely to be influenced by this and will change what they learn in order to please the judge rather than making the self-directed choices that are the aim of autonomous education?

    What's Wrong With Home Visits?

    Unschooling and Karl Popper

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  6. It is true that the prospect of having the family's educational provision inspected might cause a change, but this would not necessarily be a bad thing. It might encourage the family to think hard about what they are doing and perhaps improve the education.

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  7. In my experience it has the opposite effect.

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  8. We had visits for a few years and they were a pain in the neck. Not helpful. Not damaging particularly but just annoying and a little stressful for us all. So, we declined any more.

    Last child (16) finishes HE this week, with the last of his exams. I'm so thankful to have had the freedom to educate my children without interference from the state, which is such a bad parent.

    And what a great education they've had. Rejoicing! (Do I hear an 'Amen'?) LOL!

    Mrs Anon

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  9. Simon wrote,
    "I have been put in mind of the shyness effect while trying to find out about home educated young people who go on to attend college and university. As long as we don't look too hard at this topic, everything is fine. All home educating parents know that it is possible for their children to get into college by means of an audition or by showing a portfolio of their work. .. As soon as we ask questions and examine all the stories critically, they seem to melt away."

    I have heard from several parents on various email lists about young people gaining entry to college and/or university without GCSEs or A levels (for academic/science based courses as well as artistic). Some used a portfolio/interview/entry exam approach and others took alternative qualifications such as OU courses. However, I've not kept a record and do not know any of them well enough to track them down and ask permission to pass on details to you and I'm not sure I would want to if I could. Why would any home educator want to give you details of universities that have accepted home educators without A levels, etc, only for you to ring them up and grill them about when you have no direct interest as a parent? Why risk alienating admissions staff or tutors towards home educators by setting you on them?

    "I cannot help but notice that people get a little tetchy with me when I even ask questions about this, as though I am being a real spoilsport. Alison Sauer reproved me for this yesterday and told us about a university which would be happy to accept a well kept lab book as part of their entrance requirements, because this is actually better evidence of scientific understanding than an A level in Physics or Chemistry. The only thing missing is the name of the university and the name of somebody there who will confirm that they have taken students without any GCSEs or A levels."

    If you check back you will see that Alison has listed some universities. Maybe she has the same reservations as I do about contacting families and/or passing on their details to you though.

    Another alternative of course is to gain a degree through the OU. No need for any previous qualifications, interviews, entry exams, etc, and if your income is low (and only the individuals income is taken into account even if you are living at home with your parents) it will be totally free plus you may qualify for extra funds for study materials and help to buy a suitable computer if you don't have one (possibly even a free computer but I'm not 100% sure of that).

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  10. In other words, the details must remain secret for various reasons and the mytholgy preserved intact. Thank you Anonymous, you could not have illustrated my point better if you had been my sock puppet! These things happen, but nobody must know either the names of the people involved, nor the institutions where they studied.

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  11. Plenty of people know the details. There are several hundred people on the main support list I belong to (the location for a large proportion of the instances I've heard about) and I'm sure their local groups get to hear about them. There is also the odd book here and there about outcomes though it would be nice to see more. Part of the trouble I'm sure is that once past HE, people often lose touch with current HEers. Most move on.

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  12. I read everything on HE-UK, EO, HE-Exams and a few other lists. Whenever somebody makes claims of this sort on those lists, a little digging reveals that the case is not as advertised. I cannot imagine why universities would not wish to admit that they have allowed students in who have no A levels or GCSEs. I have spoken to many admissions officers at various universities and not one can remember a case of a student starting an academic course without any GCSEs. It's true that some get on to things like art and so on without qualifications, but this is as rare as rocking horse shit. Nor can I easily see why somebody who had qualified as a vet without passing these examinations would not wish others to know of this.

    As I say, these colleges and universities apparently exist, but the fact that they will admit home educated children onto courses in Medicine and Biology without GCSEs or A levels is a closely guarded secret. Those who graduate in this way are also presumably sworn to secrecy; at any rate they are keeping very quiet about it.

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  13. £I read everything on HE-UK, EO, HE-Exams and a few other lists."

    So are you on all HE lists? I think not or you would know otherwise.

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