Perceptive outlooks
A perceptive outlook informs wise action across education, business and community activity. Conceptual principles are generated which help guide different ways of acting. To promote the dialogue required a number of different perspectives follow.
Perspective # 1 - Balance and direction
In recent times antennae have become hypersensitive to
the uncertainty of challenging times. As a consequence,
calls for conformity to alleviate the unease have become
seductive. The notion that one size fits all has had a field day.
In this scenario, arguments for prescriptive programs
accompanied by standardized accountability measures
have acquired persuasive appeal.
The 'chair' of conformity, compliance and competition,
depicted in the diagram opposite, has become full, some
people would say it has overflowed. With the 'chair' of curiosity, creativity and community downplayed.
Perhaps the two 'chairs' need to be balanced in their significance? Or, may be a rapidly changing world demands a shift towards curiosity, creativity and community. 'Questions in action' articulated in this website energize curiosity and provoke imagination and creativity.
Changing paradigms
Ask a new question, and in so doing change the basis on which old questions have been framed - true across education, business and community activities?
Perspective # 2 - Changing the paradigm
No two people or communities are the same. They differ in expectation and aspiration, they represent different personalities and ways of behaving, and they possess varied talents and interests. The knowledge, capabilities and cultural values they enjoy are diverse. One size does not fit all.
Ken Robinson puts the challenge for education succinctly.
“The fact is that given the challenges we face, education doesn't need to be reformed -- it needs to be transformed. The key to this transformation is not to standardize education, but to personalize it, to build achievement on discovering the individual talents of each child, to put students in an environment where they want to learn and where they can naturally discover their true passions".
To follow this dialogue click the links below.
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Changing education paradigms by Sir Kenneth Robinson Sir Ken Robinson RSA Animate
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How to escape education's death valley bySir Ken Robinson How to escape education's death valley
Perspective # 3 - Walking on two legs
Inquiry-based action or skill development is a false dichotomy. Conversations about where the emphasis should be placed often leads to animated debate.
Instead of polarized argument around a false dichotomy, it might be better to pursue how they are mutually supportive and interdependent. The diagram opposite outlines some of the interrelationships with clear distinctions between the two 'legs'.
A key issue is timing. Depending upon need and circumstance, capabilities developed through continuous programs of study may be sufficient for them to be applied in inquiry projects and activities. At other times focused attention may need to be given to enhance development of specific capabilities before they are adequate for application to inquiry work. That said, ongoing development of capabilities must not be left to chance.
The issue is one of balance. Either/or thinking is unhelpful. It detracts from building and appreciating the creativity of schoolteachers and community facilitators to enable and support people to 'walk on two-legs'. Walking on one leg is ill-advised and unsustainable!!!
Changing the conversation
Ask a new question, and in so doing change the basis on which old questions have been framed - true across education, business and community activities?
Perspective # 4 - Impact of assessment
Development and appraisal of progress has three interdependent dimensions.
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Assessment 'As' growth - which is integral to ongoing inquiry activities. 'How well is the work going and how could it be improved'?
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Assessment 'Of' growth - which focuses on achievement at particular moments in time. 'What has been achieved and how well has it been accomplished'?
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Assessment 'For' growth - which diagnoses issues, problems and areas for further work. 'What is needed and what needs to be done next'?
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When assessment 'As' growth is the leading factor the other two aspects assume supportive roles. The balance that accrues helps to prevent inappropriate skewness or distraction in how all three aspects are applied. True - irrespective of whether the activities are in education, business or the community?
"We need to get out of the valleys and up onto the mountain tops to perceive ways forward".
"There is nothing so practical as a good philosophy in determining ways forward".
Recent articles
Click the links below for articles relevant to this website.
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Freestone, M. & Mason, J. (2019). Questions in Smart Digital Environments. Front. Educ., 04 October 2019 https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2019.00098
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Freestone, M. & Mason, J. (2021). Co-construction of question-led inquiries. In Rodrigo, M. m. T. et al. (Eds.) Proceedings of the 29th International Conference on Computers in Education. Asia-Pacific Society for Computers in Education. Click here to access.
Freestone, M. & Mason, J. (2022). Questions and appraisal of curiosity, E. Brooks et al., (Eds) DLI 2021, LNICST 435, pp 1-17. Institute for Computer Sciences, Social Informatics and Telecommunication Engineering. Springer. http://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-06675-7_16
Freestone, M., Khan,K., & Mason, J. (2023). Question sense, inquiry, and inventiveness. Prospects Journal, Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11125-023-09634-z
Books by author
Questions, curiosity, inquiry, inventiveness, collaboration, cooperation, learning, teaching, expertise, talents, community, development, challenge, co-design, co-construction