This essay provides an optimistic, hopeful perspective for how the educational and political processes of the United States, and the world, will evolve in response to the technological developments in electronic communication and information processing. Since the essay was written seven years ago, many of the predictions have begun to be realized and many of the intentional learning applications described have yet to be adopted or embraced by the established educational structure.

The essay claims that developments in technology have made information more easily accessible and, within this context, new theories and developments more quickly disseminated. In response to this burst in accessible real-time data and, inevitably, opinions, a focus on critical thinking that will aid the learner in sifting through data to discern its quality and validity will become even more crucial than it is today. Additionally, the essay provides the framework for new learning models that expand upon the distance learning methods currently utilized and embraces their flexibility with unique enthusiasm.

While embracing the virtual classroom and providing a rich framework for this "coffee shop classroom", the essay also shows adaptations that can be applied to the existing pedagogy in traditional learning institutions so that they may evolve with the technology that has so greatly changed the landscape of the learning community. The learning community is reaching out to the workplace as "factories are likely to become more like universities" because the internet age is forcing nearly all workforces to become more learning intensive.

The outlines provided to the Postmodern University scenario decry a need for a flexible, multicultural, adaptive pedagogy that promotes problem based learning, learning communities and the maximization of both the students, the teachers and the information technology delivery models that deliver the information to the learner, whether that learner be the student or the teacher/tutor who is expected to continue their learning process as well.

Comment

While the standards defined in the scenario provided do much to provide a framework for improving our education, I have a two pronged response to the essay:

1. I believe that the essay was unique and timely, especially reading it this many years later, and find that much of the predicted evolution has been embraced. However…
2. The main point that I read from the essay is not so much about the method of delivery for education as it is about the need for a richer, deeper meaning to be engendered by the educational process and this feat, albeit a noble one, is one that must be made with a tremendous amount of intentionality and fervor. It will require that the underlying structures of our capitalist, discipline specific education structure will change. I have pragmatic reservations about the potential for this change in any expedient manner. Nevertheless, I am willing to work towards it….

The Greater Expectations report provides a vivid description of the current educational system along with some keys to potentially succesful reform in education that would enable students and teachers alike to receive a richer, broader, more fulfilling experience as learners in our society. The report establishes a set of guidelines for all levels of the learning establishment and broadens the scope of the current pedagogy as it invites all learners to treat life as a continuing expedition into a quest for continuing education. Additionally, this quest is directed with a focus on culturally responsive, technologically adaptive and personally defined learning methods and assessment that comply with broad, yet rich, standards. These directives resonate clearly for me in the statement "the key to successful reform is a clear focus on the kinds of learning that students need for a complex world."

One major distinction between the current educational shitstem and the vision of the Greater Expectations report is the ambitious focus on critical thinking and a liberal, multi-discipline model of higher education that provides culturally diverse preparation and exploration for the real-world experience. Additionally, the report defines the responsibility for these modifications as one shared by all sectors of our society. The process by which our educational delivery model will be improved relies on students, educators, politicians, parents, voters, everyone. The report explains how each of us can provide support for the models of the New Academy and details the specific modifications and benefits of these changes.

Comments:

One question that came up for me as I read the report was: "How do we assess Standards in a qualitative way so that the goals of the report are not lost in the measurement of their success?" The trend towards standardizing everything in education has both exploded and imploded in the last decade. All schools receive funding based on some set of standardized means of assessment and therefore, has found means of massaging their results. Inevitably, opponents of standardization cry that the unique potential of an individual is lost when measured with the Standards rod. How do we develop a richer curriculum that welcomes diversity and at the same time measures it with Standards?

Second Question: "By developing a pedagogy that promotes a broader understanding of society and the self, and delivers data and experiential inquiry into many disciplines, are we not making the educational process more challenging?" I say, "Yes" and with this realization comes the pragmatic question of, "Will this deter learners?"

I believe that the development of learning communities has always involved individuals with the intention of creating an environment that fosters a broad range of develoipment and inquiry. However, human nature, I believe, is rather impatient and for most, the learning process is seen as a stepping stone to the journey that they want to take as opposed to being in itself, the learning process, the journey. This brings to the forefront of my internal discussion the practicality of the Greater Expectations vision. I think that the practical resolution to the goals outlined in the report will create learning communities in both directions. As technology and society evolve, so too will the educational systems. Some will become more focused and discipline intensive, while others will invest in themselves with the task of exploring a broaderer scope of intentional learning and continuing critical inquiry.