Tuesday, June 19, 2012

@CathyNDavidson - "If we 'Can' be replaced by a computer screen, we should be!"

Here is a wonderful article by Cathy Davidson about our core dilemma as educators: Like many industries, we are close to being "Dangerously Irrelevant." 


The subscript to this is about leadership and how we collectively communicate the relative value of teachers. What systems (of development, altruism, vision, collaboration, etc.) can we put in place that amplify a teacher's influence and extend his/her reach beyond the normal parameters of a school day? 

Can we continue to expect deference and esteem from the past? Or, do we need to accept the challenge and deliver powerful learning experiences, resulting in our new status update: Irreplaceable.

Monday, June 18, 2012

Working to be "Knowledge-Able" (Or, "Let Them Leave with Questions")

As you may know, I'm a huge fan of Michael Wesch. His work has not only influenced the way I think about technology and media, but he has also significantly influenced the way I teach.

Below, he discusses our institutional need to transform from organizations that focus on knowledge to organizations that focus on helping students be "knowledge-able." The full article can be accessed here.



What are the opportunities before us? How can we reform our institutions from ones that focus on "knowing" the right answers to ones that seek important questions?

Friday, June 15, 2012

Of Purpose, Community, and People

"In times where there's a lot of stress, it's desperately important that we find deep things to anchor on, that aren't just ephemeral." Peter Senge



How can leaders leverage technology to develop and share purpose, encourage the development of community, and help people reach their potentials as opposed to inadvertently allowing catalytic nature of technology to geographically dis-aggregate and ideologically divide us?