Hutchins, Liz Coleman, and You

Earlier this term, there was some doubt among the members of the Forum as to whether a group of 25 students, when focused on self-directed inquiry and discussion, could ever engage in discourse about big ideas in a coherent, effective way. After last Thursday's discussion on Hutchins, all doubts have vanished from my mind and from the minds of many in the Forum.

Our discussion, though initially slow, quickly gained momentum and almost everyone was able to contribute significantly. The most relevant and thought-provoking ideas in the text were weighed carefully and thoughtfully, and even when our conversation turned to doubt about the efficacy of such ideas, we hit upon some key questions that will provide important paths of inquiry.

A tough act to follow, but I at least am very confident in our ability to do so. If we can perfect the art of discussion (which we seem poised to do, given everyone's obvious talent as demonstrated last week), we can create a space where no problem is too big to tackle. We must, however, keep in mind the real-world incarnations and ramifications of these philosophies that we discuss, lest we lose the direction provided by our original question: what can we begin to do about this?

When I say we, I actually mean me, and I also mean you. You and I have to ask ourselves this question, and to be most effective, you and I should begin to see the discussions in this class in the context of this question.

So, things to keep in mind for the upcoming discussion:
-The more we abide by the high standard of objective discussion that we have set for ourselves, the more we actually weigh ideas collectively rather than adding them individually to a pile in the middle of the room, the more we can make of this.
-The power of the Forum is in the collective strength of the individual voices that exist within the Forum. Variety of opinion is our most valuable currency, so let everyone have a chance to participate and contribute. Why put 25 people in a room so they can listen to five have a conversation?
-The applications of the ideas we discuss have tangible outcomes and consequences in our world. Make yourself aware of them. Find out why these ideas matter to everyone, but also see why they matter to you. We will give you as many resources as we can, as well as relevant news, but it is up to you to read it or add your own input. We would benefit immensely from your input, so post links on the Wiki, comments on the Blog, and bring issues to the class.

This week's discussion will be on the ideas that Liz Coleman presented in her talk to the Forum, how they relate to Hutchins' ideas, and how these ideas could impact our education system as a whole. We hope to continue to discuss some questions from last week, as there were some that are essential and deserve further deliberation.

See you in Barn 209,
SF