Swiss Cheese Knowledge Gaps

This nugget of cheesy thinkery came from hearing Sal Khan speak at the BETT show. He talked about kids having “Swiss Cheese gaps” in their knowledge, and needing a growth mindset to close them.

To understand education culture, talk to the kids who are subject to it and see what they see. My experience of school was one of establishing my position in a “smartness pecking order” for each subject. This smartness somehow seemed a pre-destined attribute. That’s what I (and I assume bijillions of other kids) assumed to be true. This is why I found this metaphor helpful, as it allows me to see my knowledge gap as within my control. With that in mind, there has never been a better time to acquire knowledge…