At the heart of everything we DO, is education.
At the heart of COMMUNICATING what we know, is education. At the heart of acquiring and applying what we have LEARNT, is education. At the heart of IMPROVING the things we have learnt, is education.
We know that. But, do we know that for 21st century? Do we know that to deliver education for Generation M (they are so-called because – they are multi-tasking, multi-lingual, multi-cultural and multi-media savvy)? Do we know that to lay the foundation for the education system of 21st century?
I say we don’t. I say we don’t, because Generation M has plenty of distractions to deal with; I say we don’t because attention spans for learning are decreasing by day and by night. I say we don’t because other nations are striding ahead in education.
The road we took in the 20th century is like a road that must be taken to finish the education at the stated levels of literacy – starting from elementary to university. You can jump off at any point to end the journey or jump to another line to start something else. However, the jumps are difficult and the starting points are usually a second best guess.
If so, can we pick up the pieces from the 20th century education to rebuild it for the rest of the world, and, for 21st century and beyond? Can we make the starts and the ends of the line disappear? Can we embark on a journey that is without a start or an end?
I say, yes – we can. Welcome to Circle of learning.
It does not have a start or an end. But it has quadrants of learning. You can start anywhere and stop anywhere. However, know the quadrant started and remember to traverse the rest to get a sense of completion in learning and education.
By traversing the circle of learning, we get connected with all aspects of learning. It becomes easier for us to acquire and apply; communicate and collaborate; do and discover; it becomes easier for us to improve on what we have learnt. Each time we traverse the circle, we climb up the spiral. But what makes it easier?
Quadrants of learning make it easier. I name them ABCD quadrants of Circle of Learning. None of them are new to us. However, a newer understanding is necessary.
We started our journey on A-quadrant – apply & acquire quadrant in the 20th century. We did that because the pioneers of education Andrew Bell and Joseph Lancaster found ways to deliver the education to masses.
They started their journey on the B-quadrant – benchmark & begin quadrant. They benchmarked the existing education system for its merits and demerits to begin formulating new ways of delivering it.
D-quadrant – do and discover quadrant is ancient. Ancient Egyptians and Greeks started their journeys on the D-quadrant. Fathers taught their sons their trade secrets by making them do what they did. Mothers taught their daughters skills that required keeping the house running and the families prospering.
Let’s fast forward to modern times.
We could not have stepped into space or taken off to understand the universe, if it had not been for the famous laws of gravitational forces discovered by Sir Issac Newton. We could not have understood the galaxies or the forces of nature or the birth of the universe if it had not been for the passionate works done by Albert Einstein on light – the father of modern physics. They started their journey on the D-quadrant.
Let’s fast forward to now.
The Generation M of the 21st century is starting their journey on the C-quadrant – connect and collaborate quadrant. The birth of the internet has taken a totally new meaning for Generation M. The websites, wikis, blogs, forums, chats and social networks have found their rightful place on the internet to connect Generation M in many different ways. We know now that they are at the stepping stone to collaborate differently.
So why can’t we harness this energy to deliver the education rather than the distraction? Why can’t we commute the circle of learning to connect with everyone, and, with every aspect of learning? Why can’t we say good-bye to line and welcome the circle?
The ABCD quadrants are yours. The circle is yours. What is inside the circle is yours. What is outside the circle is for you to make it yours; Expand the circle of learning as much as you want, and, whenever you want it and however you want it; there is no stopping you – once you are on it.
Leave the line and commute the circle to connect; Leave the line and commute the circle to collaborate; Leave the line and commute the circle of learning.
At the heart of everything we do is Circle of Learning.