The watchman’s clock
In reading this somewhat fascinating article about watchman-clocks from Detex, I couldn’t help but think about the author’s bemusement of design and behavior in the light of education.
(For the record, yes, I have noticed those Detex key holders on walls and have wondered for years what they were. Now I know. Blessed be the Web.)
Educators are designing instruction all the time that aims to incite the appropriate behavior at the right time: hopefully on the upcoming test, Johnny marks “C” for the answer regarding the question on reading a clock.
What’s even harder is the design of instruction where there isn’t one correct answer (and perhaps likewise not one specific behavior), but where creativity plays a variable in coming up with a variety of appropriate answers. Perhaps in light of this Detex example, the “watchman” i.e., student, inscribes interesting lines on his paper slip inside the clock, by going to each station at his (or her) own prescribed time, and in his (or her) own prescribed order. While the old watchman’s slip looks like a circle (I am only guessing), the other design looks like a flower.
I think it’s a palpable, almost universal urge we have, if I posed the question, as to whether we want our kids creating perfect circles (stick to the same plan, every night) or a different design each night (the flowers, shapes, and perhaps even animal shapes) through kids inventing (e.g. constructing) their own solutions.