Comments on: More from Jonathan Levy http://www.speedofcreativity.org/2005/10/25/more-from-jonathan-levy/ Sun, 12 Oct 2008 11:09:51 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 By: Wesley Fryer http://www.speedofcreativity.org/2005/10/25/more-from-jonathan-levy/#comment-424 Wesley Fryer Tue, 14 Feb 2006 05:02:41 +0000 http://www.speedofcreativity.org/?p=407#comment-424 I think education should follow the lead of business in some ways, but not in all. Politicians seem to assume that if technology makes educational experiences as the transmission of content from the mouth of the teacher into the mind of the learner more efficient, then success will have been achieved. In order for an educational experience to be authentic and valuable, I think it has to be much more than merely efficient. I do agree with the idea that we need more communication and dialog between business and education. I am concerned the business community is not understanding what the emphasis on high stakes testing is doing to the development of 21st century literacy skills, however. I think many in business think they can get both when they harp on testing, but my experiences in our public schools have suggested otherwise. I think education should follow the lead of business in some ways, but not in all. Politicians seem to assume that if technology makes educational experiences as the transmission of content from the mouth of the teacher into the mind of the learner more efficient, then success will have been achieved. In order for an educational experience to be authentic and valuable, I think it has to be much more than merely efficient. I do agree with the idea that we need more communication and dialog between business and education. I am concerned the business community is not understanding what the emphasis on high stakes testing is doing to the development of 21st century literacy skills, however. I think many in business think they can get both when they harp on testing, but my experiences in our public schools have suggested otherwise.

]]> By: Jonathon Levy http://www.speedofcreativity.org/2005/10/25/more-from-jonathan-levy/#comment-404 Jonathon Levy Sat, 11 Feb 2006 17:27:56 +0000 http://www.speedofcreativity.org/?p=407#comment-404 Nice series of posts. With regard to the academy, I spent twenty years at Cornell and four at Harvard. I know that the academy needs to start thinking and behaving the same way that corporate America does. I have written on the academic change theme (see my website www.JonathonLevy.com). The same model also applies to economic empowerment, especially in developing nations. But I have also learned that it is easier pull a rope than to push one. Corporations know they need to change to survive; universities and governkments resist change. You can't boil the ocean. I believe that once the model is fully employed in the corporate world others will follow. Nice series of posts. With regard to the academy, I spent twenty years at Cornell and four at Harvard. I know that the academy needs to start thinking and behaving the same way that corporate America does. I have written on the academic change theme (see my website http://www.JonathonLevy.com). The same model also applies to economic empowerment, especially in developing nations. But I have also learned that it is easier pull a rope than to push one. Corporations know they need to change to survive; universities and governkments resist change. You can’t boil the ocean. I believe that once the model is fully employed in the corporate world others will follow.

]]> By: Wesley Fryer http://www.speedofcreativity.org/2005/10/25/more-from-jonathan-levy/#comment-74 Wesley Fryer Sat, 29 Oct 2005 23:47:21 +0000 http://www.speedofcreativity.org/?p=407#comment-74 I have still not sorted out my responses to Levy's presentations, they certainly WERE thought provoking. The eLearning solution that he demoed from the Monitor Group that they just completed for CISCO was so over the top in terms of its complexity and content that it really left me (and I think many other attendees) feeling overwhelmed and intimidated. Yes, corporate America can do that, when you have the resources of a company like CISCO, but what about the rest of us? Unfortunately he did not address this. I found the part about universities possibly leaving their training perspectives behind very thought provoking as well. We certainly do much more preparation "just in case" rather than "just in time" at the university level. That is the nature of the beast, however-- and maybe he is right that this is what will continue to differentiate corporate from higher education training. I don't know. I agree with you that education can and probably should be viewed more holistically rather than as "us" and "them." Resource issues definitely contribute to this. The interaction versus content debate for corporate DE solutions was very interesting too. This fits in with what I have written elsewhere about authentic education, and goes with theories espoused by John Dewey, Paulo Freire, and others. Education doesn't become "ours" until we hook it to our existing schemata and experiences. So the interactive element in any potentially educational experience is vital. This is true in both corporate arenas and in higher ed. The needs in both areas are closer than what Levy might portray, but I think he is accurate in observing the wide gap which exists between those worlds currently. Maybe we'll all build more bridges between them in the months and years to come. I have still not sorted out my responses to Levy’s presentations, they certainly WERE thought provoking. The eLearning solution that he demoed from the Monitor Group that they just completed for CISCO was so over the top in terms of its complexity and content that it really left me (and I think many other attendees) feeling overwhelmed and intimidated. Yes, corporate America can do that, when you have the resources of a company like CISCO, but what about the rest of us? Unfortunately he did not address this.

I found the part about universities possibly leaving their training perspectives behind very thought provoking as well. We certainly do much more preparation “just in case” rather than “just in time” at the university level. That is the nature of the beast, however– and maybe he is right that this is what will continue to differentiate corporate from higher education training. I don’t know. I agree with you that education can and probably should be viewed more holistically rather than as “us” and “them.” Resource issues definitely contribute to this. The interaction versus content debate for corporate DE solutions was very interesting too. This fits in with what I have written elsewhere about authentic education, and goes with theories espoused by John Dewey, Paulo Freire, and others. Education doesn’t become “ours” until we hook it to our existing schemata and experiences. So the interactive element in any potentially educational experience is vital. This is true in both corporate arenas and in higher ed. The needs in both areas are closer than what Levy might portray, but I think he is accurate in observing the wide gap which exists between those worlds currently. Maybe we’ll all build more bridges between them in the months and years to come.

]]> By: Christian Long http://www.speedofcreativity.org/2005/10/25/more-from-jonathan-levy/#comment-64 Christian Long Wed, 26 Oct 2005 18:44:33 +0000 http://www.speedofcreativity.org/?p=407#comment-64 Wesley: Thanks for sharing info re: Levy's recent presentation, and the notes you took throughout his session. Fascinating ideas at play. I was struck by 2 concepts: 1) It struck me that the 'school of the future' should not be distinguished by whether or not it is 'corporate' or 'academic', but it should co-mingle the big picture with the real skills/experiences required by the learner (or 'subject matter expert' as Levy calls them). Everything he talked about feel powerful when placed within the context of the traditional school as well...and the need to separate learning via the type of institution rather than the innate process itself seems a backward step, although a forward step for business if they follow his lead. 2) I was struck by what you put in this post when he suggested that if business does make this shift, that universities (and schools) can let go of the 'training' aspect and go back to their roots. Just when I thought I saw some daylight in his ideas for education as a whole, it strikes me that he's only speaking on behalf of one group...without any cross-over to the student before he enters a business/organization. Again, while I see that Levy is making a point to a specific audience, I truly believe that he is missing an opportunity to let go of the us vs. them concept. Instead, I think his arguements are most valuable when they are levied against ALL forms of learning, regardless of setting. It is my true conviction that the relevance of school or training on any level will increase over time as learning itself is seen as an "anytime/anyplace/customized content" placed within a larger context experience. I think Levy is onto something. I just wish he hadn't rebuilt a wall that schools and all learners need so desperately take down. Wesley: Thanks for sharing info re: Levy’s recent presentation, and the notes you took throughout his session. Fascinating ideas at play. I was struck by 2 concepts: 1) It struck me that the ’school of the future’ should not be distinguished by whether or not it is ‘corporate’ or ‘academic’, but it should co-mingle the big picture with the real skills/experiences required by the learner (or ’subject matter expert’ as Levy calls them). Everything he talked about feel powerful when placed within the context of the traditional school as well…and the need to separate learning via the type of institution rather than the innate process itself seems a backward step, although a forward step for business if they follow his lead. 2) I was struck by what you put in this post when he suggested that if business does make this shift, that universities (and schools) can let go of the ‘training’ aspect and go back to their roots. Just when I thought I saw some daylight in his ideas for education as a whole, it strikes me that he’s only speaking on behalf of one group…without any cross-over to the student before he enters a business/organization. Again, while I see that Levy is making a point to a specific audience, I truly believe that he is missing an opportunity to let go of the us vs. them concept. Instead, I think his arguements are most valuable when they are levied against ALL forms of learning, regardless of setting. It is my true conviction that the relevance of school or training on any level will increase over time as learning itself is seen as an “anytime/anyplace/customized content” placed within a larger context experience. I think Levy is onto something. I just wish he hadn’t rebuilt a wall that schools and all learners need so desperately take down.

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