If the world DOES fall into social and indecent chaos, I want to be in Dave Pollard's camp!
His uplifting article titled "In the year 2045..." was timely to the current discussion on our changing social fabric worldwide!
Perhaps I'll listen and take notes with Tony Delroy tonight when he talks with his guest about Pain Management! ;op
Thursday, February 10, 2005
Knowledge workers - the millenial academic?
Pink's article in Wired on the left brain-right brain paradigm, tells us that '... Peter Drucker gave ... professionals an enduring [endearing?], somewhat wonky, name: knowledge workers'.
Pink calls the new age of information the Conceptual Age.
This reminded me of a recent ABC Radio feature on Tony Delroy's Nightlife, with Demographer, Bernard Salt (Wednesday 9th Feb, 2005). They discussed the changing demographics of Australian society from the seachangers to the 'treechangers', helicopter kids, and more! They discussed the characteristics of the babyboomers, gen x-ers and the y generation (today's teenagers and early twentysomethings).
This is quite topical at the moment. Salt commented in reply to a talkback question that todays 'millenials' are not intersted in blue collar jobs and want to get into the business, IT, communications, etc white collar world.
What distinguished members of this group and enabled them to reap society's greatest rewards, was their 'ability to acquire and to apply theoretical and analytical knowledge.
Pink calls the new age of information the Conceptual Age.
This reminded me of a recent ABC Radio feature on Tony Delroy's Nightlife, with Demographer, Bernard Salt (Wednesday 9th Feb, 2005). They discussed the changing demographics of Australian society from the seachangers to the 'treechangers', helicopter kids, and more! They discussed the characteristics of the babyboomers, gen x-ers and the y generation (today's teenagers and early twentysomethings).
This is quite topical at the moment. Salt commented in reply to a talkback question that todays 'millenials' are not intersted in blue collar jobs and want to get into the business, IT, communications, etc white collar world.
Wednesday, February 09, 2005
The Learning Space - new ways of knowing
It's funny, I've tried to write this entry three times over the last two months - each time it comes out sort of stale... new ways of knowing using new ways of communicating? There is a lot that is new, but old ways prevail often in terms of comfort, reliability (ie. better the devil you know!), habit...all those things!
I've decided NOW to post this - gotta get the prickly fuzzies out! ;o) It was while reading this post at Weblogs in Higher Education, that I thought well, this is kind of saying how I'm feeling right now... a little frustrated, perhaps even a little jaded? Maybe jaded isn't the right word - more 'challenged' and not knowing exactly what the best tool(s) is/are to get into the swing of dealing with it! [Hmmm, sounds like a Gemini trait to me!]...
Source: Regina Russell
The same goes for those of us hoping to push the bounds of our job descriptions, particularly in academia. What will the millenial academic be like? What will drive them? What will they strive for? Who will they look to? History? The future? The here and now?
I think, with this second, more considered, wave of e-learning particularly, we have a great opportunity to explore new ground in light of our pedagogies and practices in teaching and learning. We're on the verge of new discoveried... that's if we don't drown under the growing weight of administrative tasks and job descriptions which read more like video player instructions!
OK, maybe it's not that bad, but managing these frustrations is important if we are all to perform our duties and still feel creative and enthusiastic about our work/professions. As an ed designer, it's important to transcend these frustrations to be able to work with teaching academics on developing possibilities that can enhance their students' learning. I'm all for opening the curtains and sliding the window open a little to let in the fresh air, rather than saying don't open the window the fumes will come in!
I've decided NOW to post this - gotta get the prickly fuzzies out! ;o) It was while reading this post at Weblogs in Higher Education, that I thought well, this is kind of saying how I'm feeling right now... a little frustrated, perhaps even a little jaded? Maybe jaded isn't the right word - more 'challenged' and not knowing exactly what the best tool(s) is/are to get into the swing of dealing with it! [Hmmm, sounds like a Gemini trait to me!]...
Source: Regina Russell
...bloggers stretch their own job descriptions, making new things normal a bit at a time...
The same goes for those of us hoping to push the bounds of our job descriptions, particularly in academia. What will the millenial academic be like? What will drive them? What will they strive for? Who will they look to? History? The future? The here and now?
I think, with this second, more considered, wave of e-learning particularly, we have a great opportunity to explore new ground in light of our pedagogies and practices in teaching and learning. We're on the verge of new discoveried... that's if we don't drown under the growing weight of administrative tasks and job descriptions which read more like video player instructions!
OK, maybe it's not that bad, but managing these frustrations is important if we are all to perform our duties and still feel creative and enthusiastic about our work/professions. As an ed designer, it's important to transcend these frustrations to be able to work with teaching academics on developing possibilities that can enhance their students' learning. I'm all for opening the curtains and sliding the window open a little to let in the fresh air, rather than saying don't open the window the fumes will come in!
Friday, October 22, 2004
Action research methodology in designing for active learning
I am continuing with the notion of action research and action learning. I have found the characteristics of educational design and the work of an educational designer (ED) to be similar to the action research process. You take a small task, you workshop it, you devise methods to support the task, you design for that task, you evaluate then make improvements - all in collaboration with others such as the content expert/academics, multimedia developers, etc.
So too with a problem, for example, designing an online unit to be delivered to local Australian students as well as students based in Singapore. One issue that may arise might be that the student group is mainly mature age students who have not studied in a long while, nor used computers to a great extent. So again, the ED refines the problem - breaking it down into its components for consideration; review materials to assist in getting to know that problem; devise methods to approach the problem; discuss the problem with others; and so on...!
Action research and action learning are similar too. In a big picture too, educational design is not just about developing materials then closing the door. In the convoluted dynamic process the ED establishes and builds on their relationship with others like the academic, the librarian, the graphic artist, etc. A network of skills, experience and learning come together and are strengthened over time (mostly over many development cycles too). The ED also aims to influence others like the academic - the lecturer or tutor - to consider online and multimedia approaches learning and teaching approaches. The ED hopes to change another's way of thinking and doing - for the better!
This aligns with the bigger picture outcomes of action research and action learning - to change a situation, to resolve wider issues, to create positive change and to promote ownership through participation, sharing and responsibility.
I have included a link (click on the post title) to an article I co-wrote with Dr Umesh Sharma, Education Faculty at Monash, where we attempted to document the action research/action learning processes we took to develop his unit online. Our aim was to try to capture those intangible elements that often get lost once the word 'product' is used!
We would very much welcome your comments, criticisms and questions relating to the use of action research and our paper. Cheers!
So too with a problem, for example, designing an online unit to be delivered to local Australian students as well as students based in Singapore. One issue that may arise might be that the student group is mainly mature age students who have not studied in a long while, nor used computers to a great extent. So again, the ED refines the problem - breaking it down into its components for consideration; review materials to assist in getting to know that problem; devise methods to approach the problem; discuss the problem with others; and so on...!
Action research and action learning are similar too. In a big picture too, educational design is not just about developing materials then closing the door. In the convoluted dynamic process the ED establishes and builds on their relationship with others like the academic, the librarian, the graphic artist, etc. A network of skills, experience and learning come together and are strengthened over time (mostly over many development cycles too). The ED also aims to influence others like the academic - the lecturer or tutor - to consider online and multimedia approaches learning and teaching approaches. The ED hopes to change another's way of thinking and doing - for the better!
This aligns with the bigger picture outcomes of action research and action learning - to change a situation, to resolve wider issues, to create positive change and to promote ownership through participation, sharing and responsibility.
I have included a link (click on the post title) to an article I co-wrote with Dr Umesh Sharma, Education Faculty at Monash, where we attempted to document the action research/action learning processes we took to develop his unit online. Our aim was to try to capture those intangible elements that often get lost once the word 'product' is used!
We would very much welcome your comments, criticisms and questions relating to the use of action research and our paper. Cheers!
Friday, September 24, 2004
Embodying experience in order to learn...
I've been on leave these last three weeks in Malaysia (although one week has been 'work') and have travelled to various parts in that time. What an experience! To me, it redefines experience in many ways and I haven't yet thought how, but I feel it. I guess I still need to distil this experience, or more correctly, myriad experiences!
In terms of my week of work in KL, it feels less like 'work' (with it's connotations of hard, tiring, etc) and more about experience (I chose to immerse myself, to reflect and provide input, etc). I have gained some great insights into my own psyche from such experience, although limited in terms of time (which I equate with depth of experience I guess...)
In relation to my work in educational design it has spurred my creativity in terms of my thinking. That is I have begun to redefine my thoughts in relation to this experience. In terms of gaining further personal insights, I guess it is safer for me to say that it is I who has changed from this experience - I cannot talk for the experiences of another!
BUT...we often do this, we undertake to define the experiences of others, that is attempting to define the space of another, rather than beginning with ourselves. of course I generalise and I see this beyond the individual level, more in cultures, groups, teams, cohorts, whoever they might be.
So what can I do with my experiences and my further insights into my experiences? Well, LEARN! What does that mean? A good friend of mine, Kaya, discussed a concept known as a Cannon of Creativity. The diagram is shown below (made with my crude hands, with apologies to Jacob Moreno!)...
This really talks to me in a similar way as Kemmis and McTaggart's Action Research cycle of 'moments'. So, in order to generate some understanding of a context in which you might be exposed to (eg. being in Malaysia for three weeks), there is I feel, much benefit in immersing oneself in an experience. Not to find out about external stuff, more internal stuff - what does this do to ME???
The learning however, can then become enculturated in many different ways. In my ed design work, I can revisit these experiences in a range of different ways which will inform aspects of my work. Such ways may include empathy with the context/position/life of another, or more pragmatically, taking on board comments that provide me with other options and directions in my way of working (eg. streamlining a certain way of doing things).
This word ENCULTURATION has begun to take on more meaning for me. I think it's because I have a sense that some are inclined to gather up an experience in which they have remained OUTSIDE. To me, one cannot understand processes and experiences by doing this - by NOT becoming immersed or affected in some way.
I would like to explore this term enculturation more and would like to hear the thoughts of others on this. Right now though, it's Friday afternoon and I'm fully aware of my thirst for a cold beer or the like! ;o)
In terms of my week of work in KL, it feels less like 'work' (with it's connotations of hard, tiring, etc) and more about experience (I chose to immerse myself, to reflect and provide input, etc). I have gained some great insights into my own psyche from such experience, although limited in terms of time (which I equate with depth of experience I guess...)
In relation to my work in educational design it has spurred my creativity in terms of my thinking. That is I have begun to redefine my thoughts in relation to this experience. In terms of gaining further personal insights, I guess it is safer for me to say that it is I who has changed from this experience - I cannot talk for the experiences of another!
BUT...we often do this, we undertake to define the experiences of others, that is attempting to define the space of another, rather than beginning with ourselves. of course I generalise and I see this beyond the individual level, more in cultures, groups, teams, cohorts, whoever they might be.
So what can I do with my experiences and my further insights into my experiences? Well, LEARN! What does that mean? A good friend of mine, Kaya, discussed a concept known as a Cannon of Creativity. The diagram is shown below (made with my crude hands, with apologies to Jacob Moreno!)...
This really talks to me in a similar way as Kemmis and McTaggart's Action Research cycle of 'moments'. So, in order to generate some understanding of a context in which you might be exposed to (eg. being in Malaysia for three weeks), there is I feel, much benefit in immersing oneself in an experience. Not to find out about external stuff, more internal stuff - what does this do to ME???
The learning however, can then become enculturated in many different ways. In my ed design work, I can revisit these experiences in a range of different ways which will inform aspects of my work. Such ways may include empathy with the context/position/life of another, or more pragmatically, taking on board comments that provide me with other options and directions in my way of working (eg. streamlining a certain way of doing things).
This word ENCULTURATION has begun to take on more meaning for me. I think it's because I have a sense that some are inclined to gather up an experience in which they have remained OUTSIDE. To me, one cannot understand processes and experiences by doing this - by NOT becoming immersed or affected in some way.
I would like to explore this term enculturation more and would like to hear the thoughts of others on this. Right now though, it's Friday afternoon and I'm fully aware of my thirst for a cold beer or the like! ;o)
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