SUBJECT: Assignment #3, Summary Paper #3 Course: MCTE670-Learning Theory & Computer Applications Textbook: School's Out: A Radical New Formula for the Revitalization of America's Educational System Lewis J. Perelman (1993) Professor: Dr. Steve Terrell Student: Leanne C. Boyd Usercode: boydl ( boydl@scis.acast.nova.edu ) Due date: November 23, 1997 Response to _School's Out_ Throughout the reading of this book, _School's Out_, by Lewis J. Perelman, a memory haunted me. I remembered the Seventies, saturated with missions and scary premonitions of the future. I remember Toffler, and _Future Shock_, and wondering how things could ever, ever change that much. But, I also remember BELIEVING. My outstanding comment concerning _School's Out_ is much the same as it was for the words of Seymour Papert: Perelman is a prophet of modern times. As such, he should receive proper recognition for the wisdom within his pages. However, even biblical teaching warn that a prophet is never well received in his own land. So, it came as no surprise to me that, when Perelman discussed the reception of new ideas concerning radical measures that are necessary in "Education" and learning, foreign turfs are either more open to ratifying these changes or have already begun to do so. The other outstanding line of thought introduced in this book is the indelibly knitted-together aspect of learning and economics. I have seen this coming during the three years + that I have spent online, professionally and academically. Seeing these things in printed form sent cold, sobering chills down my spine. There were a handful of statements and issues presented by Perelman that stood out from the plethoric crowd of data and intellectual guesses. I spent hours researching a few of Perelman's prophecies, and began to try and tie them to utterly current events in order to try and determine exactly how much of his educational foretelling might be exactly "in tune" with "to-the-minute" history. This, in itself, became a small model for at least Perelman's nomenclature of what is going on. HYPERLEARNING is indeed, HERE. It becomes apparent, when studying and _learning_ online, that the information age WAS just a transitional period and we are now smack in the center of the AGE OF KNOWLEDGE. There is so much knowledge to be perused, that it CANNOT all be perused. We're not talking about just automation, but a growing new form of intelligence. This will empower not just learning but the whole economic structure of the world. Perelman is correct when he states that we can no longer look at REFORM in Education, but that Education must be REPLACED altogether. The root of this reform is simple: when economies dictate, the individual will conform to produce his own, in-built set of skills and knowledge. He will do this, or die. This new era is bringing a level of COMPETITION in the workplace -- and therefore the learning place -- the likes of which, has never been seen. The Measure of Human Competence: Not What You Remember, But What You Understand Perelman points out that in the next century, the data technology will put a "lifetime of information in the palm of your hand." (p. 48). I would go further and state that it will put the *totality* of information in the palm of your hand, or a George Jetson-type two-inch computer module on your wrist. It might even require a "god-knows-what" chip that, once embedded in the human organism, will allow instant access to a knowledge database toward which a thought pattern is directed. The logistics aren't important. What is important, as Perelman points out, is that in the world of Hyperlearning (HL), the measure of one's human competence will not be in what is remembered, but in what a person UNDERSTANDS. (p. 48). Hyperlearning and Connectedness: Many-Dimensional Learning The very prefix, HYPER, denotes a multi-dimensionality that has never existed before this age. In the term "hypermedia," it's easy to see that with the advent of sophisticated hardware and software, we have been immersed in the beginnings of this new technology for quite a number of years. These multiple media have been primarily for information RETRIEVAL. When we jump into definitions for HL, it is a huge leap! Hyperlearning implies a multiplicity of "many- dimensional connections." (p. 48). The important definition to start getting hold of here, however, is that of CONNECTEDNESS -- or, the ability to link all these bits of information into a structure that human brain cells can understand. In this new mode of learning, we need to "extract knowledge, insight, understanding, and skill from a maze of information and experiences." (p. 48). Only in this form of learning are people able to utilize immediate information and apply it to imperative needs. This is currently called "on demand," or "just in time" learning. Even the names describe the urgency of new technologies and economies! Understanding the distinction, therefore, between only hypermedia and the more comprehensive hyperlearning, is essential. It is the former that INFORMS. It is the latter that EMPOWERS. Why is the entity of empowerment so central? We MUST keep in mind that the velocity of the workplace is brutal! For the unprepared, it can be deadly. Today's work force must devour new knowledge and implement it more rapidly than their rivals. PERIOD. New knowledge accelerates things and impels immediate delivery of service. The financial capital required to produce a commodity or perform a service is reduced in a uniform way, by condensing the time to achieve new knowledge. This is called the "economy of speed" -- and it is more than a theoretical advantage over one's rival! In a world where information and knowledge are infinite, the economy of speed is showing itself to be the ultimate competitive advantage.(Fred, 1997). Nature Extracts a Price for Self-Deception Over the past few years, during my return to Academia, I have noticed an interesting trend in people I meet. Those who are embracing new technologies, I call the "Do-ers." There are many more that have a billion excuses for not using a computer, or even thinking about them. I call these the "Don't-ers." They "hate computers," "don't see a use for computers," "don't use a computer but it's okay for some folks," or even, "DON'T use 'em...computers are the Devil's tools." Many will cite the extraordinary problems brought on by the computerized age and leave you feeling like your use of a computer is equal to the personal chopping down of 200 acres of virgin rainforest! When approached with the notion that "[the] same technology that is transforming work offers the new learning systems to solve the problems it creates (p. 50)," these Don't-ers adopt a facial expression akin to a glazed donut! Perelman has a word of wisdom for this situation: "If there is an iron law of economics it is that nature extracts a price for self-deception." (p. 87). If, in your discussions with the Don't-ers, you go a step further (as I have done in several classroom presentations) and begin to explain that these methods are turning "School" and "Education" into extinct breeds, these same stuffy pedagogues turn rampant. I personally have experienced what amounted to "boos and hisses," and fully expected to receive a turn-of-the-century, theatrical tomato in the face. The reality of HL is highly offensive to some! I guess it is normal to come up fighting when one has been informed of his/her own demise! But, to put one's face in the sand and turn an ostrich-eye away from the reality, is very much the height of self-deception. The price that will be extracted, of course, is death by something that, to me, is the most horrible deaths of all: ENTROPY. "School" has been headed that way, anyway -- down a pathway to extinction. I guess it just irks me that some of these old dinosaurs don't HAVE to die, but could be an effective part of the revitalization efforts that are going on! Charles L. Fred, President of International Learning Systems, Golden, Colorado, talks about those companies that have begun to revitalize. He states, "By integrating learning into the way they work, they continuously increase skills and knowledge through reinforcement on the job. Not only have they joined the race to proficiency -- they define it." (Fred, 1997). This is a far cry from burying one's head in the sand, hoping that the monstrous beast will soon thunder away! A more pathetic vision is one of a disintegrating dish of jelly, grasping its stubborn and terrified denial like a medal while it quivers on the wayside of humanity's greatest knowledge adventure. How far has this damage of self-deception gone, for America? How extensive is the damage, based on reliable and realistic data? One very recent indicator comes from the data being collected for the January, 1998, Convocation of governmental, industry and academic representatives, who will meet in Berkeley, California. Harris Miller, president of the Information Technology Association of America, is a chief sponsor of the upcoming meeting. He states, "In the knowledge revolution, skilled people are our basic raw material." (Cox News Service, 1997). This sounds very much like Perelman's projection that knowledge will become the international economic standard and the basis of commerce! The same Convocation data includes a report by the Commerce Department's Office of Technology Policy, which recently warned that between 1994 and 2005, more than one million new jobs will be created in the United States for computer scientists, engineers and programmers. This is an average of more than 95,000 new jobs per year. However, colleges and universities are currently churning out less than 25,000 computer science graduates per year! This is a shortfall of 70,000 workers -- each and every year! As pointed out previously, since information technology is an _enabling_ technology that affects the entire economy, our inadequacy to meet the burgeoning demand for information technology professionals could very well have severe consequences for America's job creation, not to mention our competitiveness and economic growth. (Cox News Service, 1997). The impact of this statement harbors a nightmare, both for current workers scurrying to keep pace with daily changes, and for our children, who will be left with the flotsam and jetsam of our decisions and efforts, if they are incorrectly made. So much better if we, as Perelman suggests, begin to influence mighty changes. Then the inheritance of our children will be, not bobbing shards of good intent, but treasures. Polarization of the Haves and the Have-Nots There were many new lines of thought in this book, as well as finely detailed explanations of things I have thought to be true for many years. One such concept had to do with the "Haves" and the "Have-Nots" of the REFORMERS of traditional School. This one item of prophecy by Perelman, alone, made a huge impact in my own thinking. I am sure that he is as delighted as I am, with recent information concerning the wealthy-to-poor breakdown of access to technology! Perelman stated: "Within America, the continuance of business-as- usual education reformism promises only to magnify the polarization of haves and have-nots. The well-off will gain rapidly expanding access to the tools and media of hyperlearning no matter what public education policies the country pursues. Those with the right jobs in the right communities will soon get the technologies to liberate them from the thrall of schooling." (p. 120). Exciting recent headlines indicate that there are many "in power" who are finally starting to see the urgency of the technological age and are beginning to ask for massive change. The long-held ideas that computerized learning was only for the well-to-do are being changed rapidly. First of all, the costs of the new technology are quickly coming down. Secondly, there are many grassroots entities that have taken this particular bull by the horns. It would appear that soon, the concept of the in-classroom textbook will undergo dramatic change. "What began as an off-the- cuff remark by the chairman of the Texas Board of Education now has state officials seriously examining whether to give all public school students laptops instead of textbooks," the New York Times recently reported. (New York Times News Service, 1997). The Texas Board is considering $1.8 billion in costs for textbooks over the next six years. [The chairman, Dr. Jack] Christie contends that, given the technology improvements that have caused the price of computers to drop, it may be cheaper to lease a laptop for each of the state's 3.7 million students -- not to mention, more innovative! Christie is so serious about this issue that he plans to make a legislative presentation of his idea in January. State Senator Teel Bivins, chairman of the Senate Education Committee, says "the concept already has a broad kind of authorization: when the state education code was rewritten in 1995, 'textbook' was defined as a system of instructional material that conveys information to the student, including electronic devices." (New York Times News Service, 1997). The most interesting point of this revealing article actually takes the words of Perelman and expands them. This is perhaps one of the only underestimated issues that I found in studying current events and comparing them to the projections of Perelman: "Christie also sees school- distributed laptops as a way to close the technology gap between wealthy and indigent students. 'Whether they're in the poorest section of town or the wealthiest,' he said, 'they're going to have an equal shot. All of a sudden everyone starts at the same starting line. I truly believe it's going to occur within the next six years. Why not make the investment now?'" (New York Times News Service, 1997). Perhaps, in the growing understanding of worldwide learning and economics, at least the ages-old class structure will begin to break down, within the parameters of the new technology. The offerings may be more evenly spread than any of us could have hoped for! With widespread access to new media via actual replacement of tools within traditional schools, the beginning of necessary change is at hand. Perelman says that, "[The] new world order is no empty slogan but an imperative for learning on a scale and at a pace unprecedented in human history." (p. 120). There are many, even within the boundaries of School, who see the impending disaster, if equal access across the "classes" (categorized in terms of personal wealth) is not made available. The story of the Texas School Board stands as an example of this. Reading between the lines of the New York Times article, however, it's easy to surmise that Christie's stand was not an easy one. Perelman shows us that "[m]ultimedia technology makes schooling obsolete and therefore school choice irrelevant. HL technology offers students of all ages the right choice: the freedom to learn anything, anytime, anywhere, in the way that works best for each individual and family. But making this technological potential real for everyone requires a vastly more aggressive commitment to research, development, and commercial implementation of the new technology for learning." (p. 214). Because the public and other sectors see technology as being highly expensive, the stand taken by those crying for revolution in learning will be a very difficult one. This "aggressive commitment" will be the central driving force if change is indeed to occur. The Technology Gap and the Irrelevant Classroom As evidenced by the previous data concerning the lack of technical college graduates, we see that the central failure of the formal education and training arena is faulty and declining _productivity_. School, at the college level, most probably continues to be a very _efficient_ undertaking, from the student, teacher, and administrative viewpoints. We've got to understand that productivity is much more than just efficiency. The prerequisite for any kind of productivity has GOT to be relevance. (p. 98). If the eventual product of the current system is so lacking in relevant offerings for those entering the marketplace, then it has sealed its doom, and the graduated person is no better off than when he/she began. The hours of costly schooling led to...nowhere. The core issue here is that we must make learning more relevant and useful. If there is a premiere statement made in the whole of Perelman's book, it is that "[p]roductivity is crucial to any economy because it is the essential source of wealth and progress." (p. 99). I see this as the bottom line because of one reason. Perelman also suggests that productivity is linked to performance. Examples, for instance, of an objective assessment of working abilities by hyperlearning technology are "notable for their precise and effective focus on performance rather than history." (p. 296). This, for me, cut right to the quick of the matter. Once we understand that the new technology IS A FOCUS ON PERFORMANCE, then we can lay aside tired and dead allegiance to historical models that no longer serve us well, or serve us at all. If there is any question left in pondering the importance of relevance or of performance as it is fitting in today's world, we should pay attention to one company that is involved in both economics and in creating new models for learning. Charles Fred of International Learning Systems, states, "Our research describes a pattern that we see unfolding in companies that perform fast and deliver service in real-time. These companies comprise the defining elements, traits, characteristics and behaviors common to organizations and companies that lead the race to proficiency." (Fred, 1997). So, we see that the link from hyperlearning leads from issues of relevance and performance to, ultimately, the crucial topic of proficiency. What "real-time," "proficient" institutions or individuals could Mr. Fred be referring to? I am sure that there is a multitude to be held as models. However, one such community was recently reported to be asserting their talents in a very relevant, very real situation. There is a high tech community in Camden, Maine, where some famous "techie" residents are finding ways to put the new technologies into action. They are telecommuters. They are people like John Sculley (former CEO of Apple Computer), Bob Metcalfe (founder of 3Com and inventor of Ethernet), and Tom DeMarco (president of Atlantic Systems Guild and a noted software engineering theorist). They aren't just talking about issues outlined in books like Perelman's -- they are living proof that relevant use of technology is already being enacted. Camden shows us that "...the idea that the Internet not only makes possible participation in virtual communities, but that telecommuting enables people to live in tightly knit real-world communities (like Camden), and not have to withdraw from the economy or sacrifice top-notch job opportunities." (Kirsner, 1997). For me, this article not only brought realistic support to Perelman's words, but also gave great hope for the future -- again, for those who will make the commitment to make it happen. Plunging Into the Future: Stark Naked, Ignorant and Mute? Perelman paints a drastic picture. We are living in an age of the _unprecedented_. Knowledge is exploding, and almost everything we currently know is new. He states that "Our future is drastically different from our past, or anyone else's past." (p. 279). This is brand new ground we are breaking! It puts to rest the modern slang phrase of "Been there, done that." How can we possibly persist in demanding that the education we've been dishing out, shriveled in tradition, could ever hope to prove adequate to prepare our children or, indeed, our selves, to live in an _unprecedented_ environment? Perelman then warns us, "But we cannot survive by plunging into the future stark naked, ignorant, and mute. The only tools we have to build and maintain the future are in the kit of the past." (p. 279). The old adage concerning "the lessons of history" seems to hold true even while defining the criterion for new technology! (As well as the other old saying about bath water and babies...) I think we should review the familiar gifts of education. "Education prepares people for the future by arming them with the knowledge, virtues, and traditions of the past -- the 'tried and true,'" says Perelman. That was valid because nothing ever changed for eons at a stretch! The future WAS the past. One could embrace the challenges and duties of the rest of his/her life by studying the knowledge and abilities of those who had gone before." (p. 278). Traditionally, this has been excellent training ground for a fruitful life. Slowly, over the past few decades, this has become less and less true. Certainly, the 20th-century expectation of landing in a perfect job with benefits and longstanding (or even "until death do us part") status, is GONE. Learning the skills given to us by lineage or by history no longer suffices in the making fruitful of our lives. So, what are the answers? Again, we must look to history to hack out the path to our future. It really is right in front of our noses. "...[T]he precedent for radically reinventing education can be found in America's own history." Historians show us that the clue to our competitive prosperity in the industrial age was this country's singular educational system. We used resourceful and selective borrowing and unique schemes to develop a totally new breed of educational system. "It was focused on the practical, vocational needs of an industrial economy and a democratic society." (p. 339). It seems that one of Perelman's main proclamations is that America (and the rest of the planet) is being called upon to perform, once more, at that level of ingenuity. As I read this book, my main question was: How many are committed to not just these standards of excellence, but to the endurance needed for what boils down to plain, hard work? The Credentialing Game Having just completed my undergraduate degree as an adult learner, I know single-handedly what kind of commitment and endurance is needed to take on a radically different learning mode after 40+ years of previous endeavors. The choices seem infinite but in reality are tightly controlled by the institutions that receive remuneration from YOUR blood, sweat and tears. Credentialing, without a doubt, is a game. If I am to judge by my student loan, it is a game as expensive as the purchase of a home! As with all else in the defining factors of human existence, things seem to always end up being deciphered in the terms of the "gold standard." Whether that means meaningless sandwiched quarters, bills of multi-color nationalities, or perhaps, rarely, even real gold (!) -- it still boils down to the "almighty buck." What does my Bachelor's degree mean, in the revealing light of Perelman's words? Moreover, what will my Master's degree, embedded in the ungainly marriage of "Computing Technology in Education," mean? Perelman's journey into these subjects, at times, left me with little hope that what I have been doing has been correct. This led me back down memory lane to the 1960s, in Boulder, Colorado, where the world of the "Hippie" vision for humanity flourished. The battle cry was "Down the Institution!" and I sure couldn't see the reason for the academic degree! Age, time, and the era of downsizing led me to thoughts of infiltrating from within, as it led so many of my peers. Reading Perelman's lines made for a somewhat scary revelation, as it seemed to dump my recent, complicated-sometimes-formidable years of education, right into the gutter. Perelman absolutely states that "[d]iplomas are awarded for classroom seat time in the form of credit hours...to get the diploma, you and/or the taxpayers have to pay for a school or college for time attended, not for the value of service received." He also emphatically indicates that "the only learning the credentialing game requires is learning how to play the game itself." (p. 297). Frightening moments ensued as I remembered all of the undergraduate scenarios where it was evident that the only reason I was there, was to pay the almighty buck to the all-powerful School to receive "THAT" piece of paper. The rules sometimes were extremely absurd. My pride, on the other hand, upon receiving that (essential, useless, stupid, brilliant -- take your pick) piece of paper, was immense. It wasn't the new learning or the academic excellence that mattered. It was simply the accomplishment of a dream of a lifetime, buoyed by a seemingly eternal edict in my family that intelligent people, of course, became "degreed." For me, it was also the well-executed job, and a bit of egoistic self-praise for having done it better than anyone else. The mountain was there, and I had arrived at a place in my life where I _could_ climb it -- just because I could. The sense of accomplishment is an essential portion of the learning process, I firmly believe, and one that is somewhat ignored by Perelman. That which is remembered, for instance, most probably WAS understood. Very little of "crammed knowledge" for an exam is understood, or remembered. I also believe there IS a place for the tried and true, for the historical comparison to those who have sought the learning path before you. There IS a place for scholarly learning, for the sake of the continuance of historically sound education...education that is unfettered by modern, hurried, frantic ties to planet-wide economy. Somehow, although I thoroughly recognize the truths in Perelman's writings, and I support him whole-heartedly in discerning the necessity for the making of new paths -- somehow ONLY attaching learning to economics cheapens the sensuality and spiritual fulfillment of scholarly quests. [pause for breath.] *THAT* discourse was my right- brained artist's reaction to this reading and this breathless lap of research! When one's first love has always been the illustrated book, with its glossy, deep- weighted paper, its rich and vibrating inks, and its heady publisher's aroma wafting from virgin, unopened pages -- then it is safe to assume that there will always be a cove of safety for my soul within the academic fortress. But, the left-brained, digitally-enticed, electronic, CYBORG side of my nature acknowledges every particle of truth within Perelman's pages. The totality of my being screams that there must be a way of preserving the best aspects of both worlds! _School's Out_ states that "increasingly the gain will be measured and rewarded not by the intensity or duration of the effort but by the value of its product." (p. 81). Ironically, my personal goals in this arena have long been Pre-Perelman, and have embraced the value-of-product concept for all my lifetime. My own standards demand that the final product will be nothing less than excellent. My own appraisal of my work never includes the time or effort, but only the final outcome. Perelman's book has succeeded in doing one thing, very well. I now fully recognize that my earliest goals have not changed. I've always wanted to reach children with the illustrated beauty of any subject. For the years of my undergraduate degree, I have toyed around the edges of my strong electronic abilities, looking for a means to meld art with science. I now have an insight that this not only can be done, but it can be done with a higher set of standards than I had thought. Perhaps my State of Colorado is somewhat advanced in the instituting of methods for new learning. Our Governor Romer is one of the strongest advocates for distance learning and is highly involved in the Western Governors University. This is composed of 15 western states and Guam. Robert C. Albrecht is chief academic officer for the WGU -- this 'virtual university' that plans to teach by means of video courses, tutorials via the Internet, and other technologies. He says that WGU believes there is a considerable demand for competency-based degrees. (Chronicle of Higher Education, 1997). Reading between the lines, this artist/cyborg brain of mine automatically connects the "competency" factor with the increasing artistic demands of creating such dynamic content. If we are at a point, as Perelman warns, where "[l]earning and schooling are on a collision course [and where r]eport cards, grades, SATs, diplomas, degrees are all phony claptrap," then Perelman is right in advising us to "Celebrate and invest in learning with passion and confidence." (p. 337). For me, this simply means that I can appreciate (or gloat over) my own foresight in joining the digital revolution as early as 1987, while also keeping the best of what the academic world has done for me. In stretching my imagination and abilities to the limit, it seems important to keep track of not only the best of the "on-demand" culture, but also of tradition and history. Conclusion: Future Shock is HERE Looking back over my personal pathway, I realize that meeting up with Toffler and _Future Shock_ was a very good thing. I now not only remember BELIEVING, I am also very thankful that my level of belief was quite deep. It made it much simpler, in the reading of _School's Out_, when the realization dawned on me that _we have arrived_. SHOCKingly, it is no longer FUTURE Shock... It is NOW Shock. "Everyman" (Traditional ed., historical, literary) or "Everyperson" (Digital age, HL, politically correct) Must deal with that. --- REFERENCES Chronicle of Higher Education. (1997). Rethinking the role of the professor in an age of high-tech tools. In: The Chronicle of Higher Education: Colloquy. Website last modified: September 30, 1997. [Online]. Available: http://chronicle.com/colloquy/97/unbundle/background.htm Cox News Service. (1997). Major industries will need more high-tech workers. San Jose Mercury News: September 29, 1997. [Online]. Available: http://www.sjmercury.com/gmsv/breaking/docs/074400.htm Fred, Charles L., President, International Learning Systems, Inc. (ILS). (1997). The RACE to proficiency. Website modified: August 18, 1997. ILS, Inc.: Golden, CO. [Online]. Available: http://www.ilsinc.com/article.htm Kirsner, Scott. (1997). Milking the Net to go back in time. Internet news from Wired News, Wired Ventures Inc.: October 24, 1997. [Online]. Available: http://www.wired.com/news/news/business/story/7988.html New York Times News Service. (1997). Texas may drop all textbooks for laptops. San Jose Mercury News: November 18, 1997. [Online]. Available: http://www.sjmercury.com/gmsv/breaking/docs/070734.htm Perelman, Lewis J. (1993). _School's out: A radical new formula for the revitalization of America's educational system_. New York, N.Y.: Avon Books/The Hearst Corp.