Lindy Ideas in Education
I went down a rabbit hole searching for lindy ideas in education that have stood the test of time as a means to understanding them better. But what is Lindy Effect?
This term, coined by Benoit Mandelbrot and most recently studied by Nassim Taleb, states that the longer an idea has been around, the longer it is likely to stick around in the future.
The Lindy Effect teaches us that non-perishable things (books, ideas, concepts) age in reverse. This means that things that have survived for a longer time might probabilistically live longer.
According to the Lindy Effect, a concept from 500 years ago is highly likely to be better in the long run than one presented only 5 years ago. Of course, this will highly depend upon the context.
I went down a rabbit hole searching for ideas in education that have stood the test of time as a means to understanding them better. Here’s what I found:
5 Lindy Ideas in Education:
1. Learning by doing
Learning by doing is Lindy.
So is learning by mimicry and play. In preliterate hunter-gatherer societies, parents taught their kids the basic survival skills by practicing them themselves, and whenever possible, inserting an element of play in the process.
2. The Socratic Method
The Socratic Method is Lindy.
It goes back 25 centuries. With the Socratic Method, students lead the discussion and questioning. The teacher's role is to ensure the discussion advances regardless of the particular direction the discussion takes.
3. Teaching through entertainment
Teaching through entertainment is Lindy.
Enforcing learning is not Lindy. Back in the 5th century BC, the goal was to engage, impress, and entertain pupils using philosophy and rhetoric.
“Education is the kindling of a flame, not the filling of a vessel.” — Socrates
4. One-room schoolhouses
One-room schoolhouses are Lindy.
In the 18th and 19th centuries, many kids attended one-room schoolhouses where they learned in small, mixed aged groups. Microschools are the reinvention of one-room schoolhouses.
I explain microschools here.
5. The teacher as a facilitator
The teacher as a facilitator is Lindy.
“I cannot teach anybody anything. I can only make them think”― Socrates
Rather than conveying knowledge, teachers back then facilitated questions and dialogue until students arrived at their own understanding.
I expand on these ideas on this Show and Tell episode with David Perell. We explore how education has evolved over the past…25 CENTURIES! And use the Lindy Effect to predict what educational methods are likely to stick around for the long run.
You can watch the episode here, or listen to it on Spotify here.
I explore ideas like this in Fab Fridays, my newsletter on childhood education and new ways to learn.
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