Everyone's familiar with the good 'ol Aussie icon the 'Sao' right?? Well here's some interesting Sao facts...
Over 100 years ago the Sao biscuit was released and marketed for sale in Australia. The slogan for the Sao biscuit in the early 1900's was... "Often buttered, never bettered" and was most often served dry or with a slather of butter. By the 1950's consumers began to be experimental with the Sao biscuit and crab or salmon paste became quite a popular topping. As the 60's rolled in a new slogan for the Sao biscuit was released into the market: "Whatever the topping, you can't beat a Sao for a snack" (Information collated from Arnott's Australia)
Ah... yes! Many a fond memory of the 'Sao' as our Sunday afternoon visits with Gran and Pa would often involve some kind of 'Sao snack'. Today's savoury biscuits have changed so much since then and although the Sao still remains a popular Aussie icon (over 7 million packets sold per annum) but to which generations are they popular?
Since the introduction of Arnott's 'Shapes' in the 50's, (back then a biscuit cut into the shape of a potato chip which by '74 had evolved into the flat cracker we know today) Arnott's have truly hit the savoury jackpot by growing from strength to strength with more taste sensations than ever before! In a short period of time the 'Original Shape' has become just one of 17 different offerings with over a whopping 53 million packets consumed by Australians per annum! (Information collated from Arnott's Australia)
The 'catch cry': "Flavours of the world" vs "You can't beat a Sao for a snack" has a lot to be said about it.
If I was able to travel back in time to the early 1900's, taking a packet of Barbecue Shapes with me and had the chance to share them around for afternoon tea, how would they be received? I mean it would be an explosion of taste for those who have never tasted anything like it before considering that dry Sao's were a preferred snack! And... most likely, too overpowering for them to the extent that they would possibly screw up their noses and spit them out.
Similarly, if we served up dry Sao's to the younger generations they might say something like: "are you trying to kill us" or "what are these things, cardboard?"
Somehow over time we have become more and more desensitised - not only in taste but really in everything that we are involved with and exposed to. Sensationalism speaks loud and says that it has to be better and bigger than ever before! "Out with the old and in with the new" - we want more and more an more out of everything. Where once upon a time it was a marvel to fly, now it's hardly even acknowledged.
A Sao no longer does it for the younger generations and I'm trying to think of what Arnott's are going to do when a Barbecue Shape no longer makes the grade - maybe a 3 course meal, exploding biscuit, I'm not sure?
How does all of this relate to us as learning managers and in particular with managing e learning? The current education system and teaching methodologies as they stand no longer do it. Kids are bored, I know mine are. They often come home from school and say: "school was boring today", "I hate learning my times tables or "maths is boring". What about this one: "We did spelling today and I couldn't concentrate". I'm waiting for the teachers to say that my kids have a learning disorder or I should get them assessed for A.D.D. It couldn't be that the teachers of today have a teaching disorder? Have you ever stopped yourself to ask why this is? Why are our kids bored? I'm not suggesting that we as learning managers wrap our learners up in cotton wool and exclude them from a little self discipline or a persistence opportunity but what I am saying is that their ways are not ours ways. The sooner we get this into our heads the sooner we can truly teach them.
I find it hard to sit at a computer and concentrate with music playing in the background but my kids don't. I can't watch television and play iPod games at the same time but my kids can and it amazes me. It's no wonder that rote learning times tables is so mundane and boring! When I was younger I just sat there in the class while we all recited... 1 X 2 is 2, 2 X 2 is 4, 3 X 2 is 6 without even thinking about it - there were no times table apps available or games to play! With all of the technological advancements of which our children are accustomed to, why are we using the same teaching methodologies that were used on us?
Earlier this year I visited a school that was still using blackboards to teach from, I just about fell over - it was like being in a time warp and watching some kind of horror movie! The classroom that I visited was set up just the way that I remember classrooms to be 30 years ago. I had to stop myself from crawling over to the corner, lying in the foetal position and sucking my thumb!
The younger generations have been born with what I would like to call 'super sensory abilities'. I have experimented with my own children when it comes to doing their homework and know that in order for them to stay focused and learn they need multi sensory stimulation simultaneously. The use and incorporation of modern information and communication technology is a great way to achieve this. It's something that is second nature to them, they 'get it' and relate well to it. One of my sons recently created a multimedia presentation using digital images, text and music for his after school entertainment. He was pleased with himself and took it to school to show his class. Why couldn't this be used to learn spelling words? Instead he often comes home with his head held low and says: here's my list of words. Study, cover, write and check. study, cover, write and check. study, cover, write and check - boring!
As a 'new generation' of learning managers we cannot afford to fall into the the trap of offering the younger generations 'Saos' when they want 'Barbecue Shapes'. By doing so we will not only fail ourselves but more importantly we will fail those in whom we have been given the charge and great responsibility to teach.
No comments:
Post a Comment