Good Monday morning,
Since I’ve sent two wild idea e-mails, I do want to send you ideas that have more immediacy! Although these are not directly related to selecting AA students, they will impact selection. When we changed to electronic submission we discussed these issues so there may seem to be nothing new. For example, the pandemic has changed the way technology is being used in education and some of the usage will continue from this time forth.
There is much discussion right now about even going back to college in the fall—even if it is opened virtually. Health issues, cost of education and reevaluating potential career and education requirements seem to be the main topics about which I read and listen to on podcasts—even one TED talk.
Teachers are talking about several things—relationships—human contact seems to head the list.
What’s not being talked about enough is how to teach effectively with technology. But, of course, effective teachers has have always been the crux of good schools. (That’s one of the reasons I think good teaching, as through Khan academy and ultimately the Holodeck, will evolve.). For years, businesses have used technology successfully. International teaching and learning and sharing information have been ongoing for so many of the large companies.
Assessment will be a major development. Should I mention that there will be/is major push-back from the current anti-intellectualism populist movement?
SAT. ACT testing will resume in June according to their Website. So, there will be 2021 grads who could be eligible to apply.
Broadband for all! Until all schools, homes, individuals have access to broadband connection, all the computers and other tools that are being handed to students to learn from home won’t be helpful; the learning gap will continue to expand.
For the near future, I’m thinking that the current selection process can be used with a few modifications.
For the long term, technology gurus, which include game developers, computer program/apps developers, business technology practicioners (not CEOs but those who use distance technology for doing work), on-line college/high school teachers, should be assembled to envision technology in the next 10, 15, 25 years.
In fact, getting them together might be too cumbersome—have one-on-one ZOOM interviews or surveys or ??? Get a sense from each one and synthesize to know how OFE should use it to renew itself and how soon should it happen.
Once you get a sense of how education is going to be delivered, then will be a better time to decide what OFE will be going forward.
President Boren often tells the story of going to the Oklahoma Teacher of the Year presentation and noting how pathetic it was. Taking that motivation, he created a recognition using the current education system and improved it by recognizing its best parts. OFE challenge will be to take what comes in the next few years and develop a way to recognize students/teachers/ professors who may be using what we might call non-traditional ways to teach and learn. If it’s still called public education, It’s in the playing field of the OFE.
I don’t know if this is helpful to the Foundation but I know these are ideas that are being discussed in many education venues.—AND it must be noted that with DeVos dismantleing of so many education programs, there probably will be quite a bit of restructuring when that administration is gone.
KD
Rachel and Teresa,
What an interesting invitation!—And I’m not being cynical. Conference Call?? How passé 🤣 Sure you don’t want to ZOOM? I would be able to visit with you all next Thursday—my calendar is sooo busy!!🤓😂 I’m going to preface our conversation with the following so you get a sense of what I’ve been thinking about and talking with others. There are pros and cons for all of this but mostly it comes down to accepting a drastic change that is difficult to wrap one’s mind around. It’s not going to be there when schools reopen but it’s evolving more quickly than I imagined.
The first thing that came to my mind was to show a scene of the Holodeck from Star Trek, the Second Generation. I’ve been a science fiction fan since Buck Rogers so it’s no surprise that I was one of the original trekkies (I actually went to conventions to see the cast!!Did you ever watch the 2014 concert—there’s more than one—that featured Michael Jackson (after his death) that was a hologram? I watched it on YouTube.
I first used the holodeck in a speech in 2005 after reading an article in Popular Mechanics about the prototype of the holodeck that was being designed. During those first speeches I gave to student teachers, I told them that if education changed as drastically in the 40 years that they might be in education as it did in the 40 years that I was in education, the holodeck would be a reality. At that time, I first said in 75 years and then it was down to 50 years—ahh, but now????
and the question I had for them was: “Would students choose to come to your classroom?”
In March when schools didn’t reopen after spring break, I began a conversation with ‘furloughed’ teachers, asking them this: “When schools are reopened, what should education look like?? Let’s don’t go back to the “same old same old.”
What I learned is that the conversation is already underway in various parts of the education world. As stated in my first e-mail, although schools will eventually reopen, change is happening—technology (ZOOMING—who knew that word 3 months ago?) has already changed the culture and schools/education will follow.
Many if not most Texas universities are going to be on-line this fall—discussion is still underway for how high school and elementary will look. The suggestions are fascinating.
Ok, there’s my preface. I’ll give it more thought and I’d welcome your questions before we visit next week.
Live long and prosper.
🖖 😃.
KD
