I’ve been thinking a lot about the nature and purpose of education. What it is that we want to foster in students, the environment that we want to create. But also, what are the things that affect the student experience and our epistemological approach. What explicit and what is hidden under the surface? Re-thinking or further developing ideas from The purpose of education?
Part of this has been triggered by the work I am doing with the Anti-racism in learning technology group, part by reading. My reading list includes Ruha Benjamin, Paolo Freire, bell hooks, Jesse Stommell and Virginia Eubanks amongst others.
I have used the New Metaphors tool to think through my ideas. I have used a selection of the 50 statements and some of the 100 images. In the video I talk through my thinking. Please use the comments to share your thoughts. Listen to the audio only.
Video (11mins)
Sam
A couple of random thoughts.
You might want to (if you have not already) look at Marcia Baxter Magolda’s material about self-authorship.
For example:
https://collab.its.virginia.edu/access/content/group/e4988829-79dd-4614-8f78-5f4de7aa2b32/Library/Articles/Magolda-2007-New_Directions_for_Teaching_and_Learning.pdf
In law New Zealand universities need to be the critic and conscience of society.
http://www.criticandconscience.org.nz/
That is a great purpose of education!
Best Peter
I get what you are saying here. Is it time to reboot higher education? We have changed, even if we are not ready to admit it yet. We have merged worlds and changed the boundaries and in some ways, we have also changed some of the things that were set in stone. The boundaries of where we learn have mixed into physical and virtual and I think it would be good to really think about the purpose of higher education, who is it for? How should it happen and what are we representing now? I guess overall we have a cultural mountain to climb and this does include the ‘critical conscience’ mentioned by Peter above. I found that really interesting and it all adds to the mix.
We need to start a “Thinking Club”…
Thinking club, count me in! 🙂 The struggle is trying to balance pushing forward these new ideas with what happens on the ground.
Love the post and video Sam.
Shall we have a monthly “philosophy” club starting in the new year?
Absolutely here for a philosophy club, yes – especially when so much of work can be picking apart what isn’t working, it feels very refreshing to think about what could be, and what meaningful educational futurism might feel like.