Remember Page Two?
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy series, by Douglas Adams, is delightfully silly reading that I highly recommend. Page 2 of the Hitchhiker's Guide has the words DON'T PANIC in big bold letters, and instructions to refer to page 2 when in doubt... This is a philosophy I hope learners in the new paradigm will adopt as they transition between old and new modes of learning. And like everything else in life, it gets easier with more practice!
Philosophy Summary
- The professor doesn't know ALL the answers...
- Create a community of self-directed learners with a spirit of teamwork and collaboration.
- Encourage students to identify and act upon their own learning needs
- Active learner participation and involvement.
- Giving and sharing of resources, skills, knowledge.
- Really current (WWW) reading and resources.
- Take new risks: go where you've never 'gone' before.
- NO wimps and NO whiners. There is TOO much to learn and learning is incompatible with cowardice, whining, and complaining. (Yes, learning takes EFFORT on the learner's part and is sometimes hard...)
- Creative thinking. Criticial thinking. Form educated opinions, then defend them.
- Almost paperless courses... (save trees and help our environment). -- still a goal although this is our weak point, thus far...
- Make it FUN -- learning is easier that way!