Is the Scholomance a good school?

from Pop Pedagogy · host The Open Learning Collective

In this episode of Pop Pedagogy, Nichole and Melissa dive into A Deadly Education by Naomi Novik, exploring the unique world of the Scholomance—a self-run, perilous school for young wizards where survival is the ultimate graduation requirement. With no teachers and only a magical algorithm to guide them, students must rely on their own skills, alliances, and instincts to make it through. Nichole and Melissa discuss the implications of a school run by an "algorithm," comparing it to AI in education today, and unpack themes of hidden curriculum, survival-based learning, and the need for human facilitation in teaching. Tune in for an insightful look at what happens when education is left to technology and how it impacts students' learning, community, and growth.

Episode metadata supplied by the publisher feed · Published Nov 8, 2024

Embed this episode

Attribution link and audio player

What this episode covers

In this episode of Pop Pedagogy, Nichole and Melissa explore A Deadly Education by Naomi Novik, which follows students at the Scholomance—a dangerous, self-regulating school for young wizards with no teachers or supervisors. They discuss how the school is controlled by a ”magical algorithm” that distributes spells and assignments according to students’ affinities, though it often fails to consider individual needs, especially for students with unique abilities like the protagonist, El. The conversation covers educational themes like rote learning versus experiential learning, the importance of community and peer support in learning, and the parallels between the Scholomance’s algorithmic structure and modern AI-driven education tools. Nichole and Melissa also compare the Scholomance’s hidden curriculum, which inadvertently teaches survival through unexpected encounters, to traditional education systems, highlighting the potential gaps left by automated, unmonitored teaching. They conclude by rating the Scholomance as a ”keep trying” institution—effective in reducing outside threats to students, but limited by its lack of human oversight. The episode ends with a reflection on AI and education ethics, as well as a teaser for the season recap episode.