The most dramatic changes in this technology, in the US particularly, but
increasingly in Britain, Australia and New Zealand, seem to be at the K-12
levels, where serious government support coincides with de-regulation and
competition in telecommunications, fees and transfer services targeted to
kids make elementary schools into world-access points for localities, and
some fairly simple technology turns local provincialism into a cosmopolitan
expression. All the Parsonian variables fall away, and we find ourselves
awesomely sophisticated in our communication with 9 year olds as peers.
This is very neat stuff, which surely transcends age, sex, space, and, soon
and ironically, time. Inclusion of all kinds defies hierarchies and embraces
much more than a post-war "new world order."
-----Original Message-----
From: owner-keyone-l@hawaii.edu [mailto:owner-keyone-l@hawaii.edu]On
Behalf Of orcad@sustainability.com
Sent: Wednesday, April 15, 1998 5:38 PM
To: keyone-l@hawaii.edu
Subject:
At 03:26 PM 98/04/13 -1000, Steve McCarty wrote:[CLIP]
>Some issues of logistics may need to be handled soon, which puts
>pressure on us to define the organization. These can be set up if they
>do not imply too many presuppositions about the nature of the
>organization. . . . Let us certainly hit the ground running when we reach
>a consensus on our direction.
Whole heartedly agree! Let's not presuppose too much . . .
>As more specific issues are addressed, purposes will tend to come into
>conflict, viz. maintaining disinterested judgement and widening
>access versus issues of economics and influence. Therefore I suggest
>starting with the most general mission, then gradually becoming more
>specialized where purposes cannot be reconciled, or where collaboration
>with other organizations would be more effective.
I'm pleased to see the recognition of potential conflict and the interest in
being open to considering multiple possibilities!
>Most general means, for example, global, inclusive access, voluntaristic,
>pan-disciplinary, at all levels of education, and at all types of
education.
>In all of these areas there is a need for online education to become a
>professional discipline based on sound pedagogical principles and
>humanistic ethics.
I think the paragraph above has the key elements to be incorporated in a
broad "general" mission of the WAOE. It gives us a starting point and from
there we can web-out and focus on particular elements including guiding
principles of the organization and exploration of various sub-group
interests.
Thanks Steve.
F.
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Dr. F. S. Crofton
Principal
The ORCAD Group Inc.
101-330 West 2nd Street
North Vancouver, B.C. V7M 1E1
ph/fax: (604) 985-8381
website: www.sustainability.com/orcad
>>>> Make 2000 the Threshold of a Peaceful, Just and Sustainable World <<<
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