This podcast is in response to Sean and Stephan's 'Casting the Net' podcast on the 4th of April in which I discuss the time it takes to listen to podcasts, the value of collective knowledge making and how to ensure reflectiveness.
Dear Sean and Stephan,
Samples of the two thinkers I mentioned are:
1.Helen Chen: In a 2005 online article, ‘Reflection in an Always-on Learning Environment: Has It Been Turned Off?’ in Campus Technology, Helen Chen from Stanford University raises a question being asked and investigated by adult educators in many parts of the world. She concludes:
'The issue is not just about providing time to reflect, but recognizing that reflection for the purpose of learning is a skill that needs to be taught, possibly through an apprenticeship model… it is our responsibility to help them (future graduates) make meaningful and lasting connections as they live their frenetic lifestyles.'
She also says:
'Blogs and e-portfolios are two examples of the social software tools that might scaffold more reflection… in the process gaining access to self-reflection and a sense of audience, or how others make meaning. The adaptation of these, and other emerging social software tools, has great promise for encouraging the development of intellectual coherence and integrative capacities in our future graduates.'
2. Daniel Pink: As you probably know, he is one of the guest speakers at this year’s e-Learning Guild 2006 Annual Gathering in Boston. He states:
'Today, the defining skills of the previous era – the metaphorically ‘left brain’ capabilities that powered the Information Age – are necessary but no longer sufficient. And the capabilities we once disdained or thought frivolous – the metaphorically ‘right brain’ qualities of inventiveness, empathy, joyfulness and meaning – increasingly will determine who flourishes and flounders. For individuals, families, (communities) and organisations, professional success and personal fulfilment now require a whole new mind.'
Or, as one reviewer of Pink’s latest book, A Whole New Mind, elaborates:
'We are entering the Conceptual Age and to prepare for it we need to improve six essential abilities. They are: Design, Story, Symphony, Empathy, Play and Meaning.'
I value these two thinkers because they take us back to the most primary questions of all: Why are we doing all this? With the largesse of resources at our fingertips, what vision of society propels all our efforts? What sort of world are we trying to create? Hopefully, a more democratic, humane, compassionate, optimistic and inclusive one. Wow, I’ve gone on, haven’t I?
Some of your thoughts reminded me of Ivan Illich, the deschooling debates and other discussions around liberatory education movements. Thanks again for keeping these conversations going at 'Casting the Net' podcast, http://castingthenetpodcast.blogspot.com/2006/04/casting-net-podcast-001-4th-of-april.html,
Delia.
