I was just listening to this wonderful online presentation by Nancy White
Nancy, as always brilliant and inspiring, talked about the connective possibilities that the Net has enabled us, but the point that really caught my attention was when she talked about emergence x control. This is an issue we are always struggling with, trying to find the balance, trying to find the best way to motivate the groups we work with to tap into their creativity, but facing the challenges of the institutional boundaries.
Barbara Dieu mentioned that,
“Control happens in the curriculum, in the rules, in the teachers’room – emergence happens in the classroom and we must be aware of it when it happens and ride the wave.”
Emergence will only arise if we are sensible and can perceive what’s around us. Having the control part doesn’t mean we can just follow rules and plans and not let inspiration, innovation, perspiration, creativity emerge from our personal bonds and experiences. We need to stop with the excuses of control to let our students’ creative minds blossom.
By the end of the presentation Nancy poked the audience with a question:
“We are influencers, the tight rope walkers. What should we start doing? What should we stop doing?”
What´s next for you as an educator, professional, human being? What should you start and stop doing?
Here’s one resource shared by Nancy worth checking. It all about openness and emergence.
http://cogdogblog.com/stuff/etug11/
Leave a Reply