Act!ve Learning and Olympic Yearning

I am having an absolutely wonderful time delving into the subject of active learning. Just when I was about to forget what delicious detective work academic writing can be! Emboldened with the priceless insights of a local research partner I am preparing a presentation for the International Conference on Active Learning 2012, to be held in Malaysia's historic city of Melaka (also spelled Malacca) on September 18-20. 

But first, in honour of the Olympics, a multimedia interlude, thanks to the IOC and the wonders of YouTube. Why? We'll get there. The reason is in the final paragraph, but think about it first. That's active learning for you. (Update: The IOC generously shares the opportunity to do their marketing for them, but not to embed their videos elsewhere, so it must be accessed on YouTube. Hmmmm.)

Active learning is a tantalizing concept that, although not always mentioned by name, permeates a great deal of current ideas on learning and - if I dare use the word - pedagogy. (In fact, if we are to split hairs, its role in andragogy is perhaps even more noteworthy - but to avoid splitting hairs let's just call it learning.) As my own day-to-day work is increasingly moving away from "teaching" and towards "training", the idea of active learning makes a comfortable perch for getting some perspective. 

There is of course the small matter of opposites: if learning is not active, then what is it? Some would argue that is learning is not active, it is not learning at all. Now there's a little Zen koan to ponder. While there is substantial evidence that much information can be absorbed in a focused, passive state, active involvement seems to offer a more guaranteed return on educational investment. 

I am particularly relishing Stern & Huber's Active Learning for Students and Teachers: Reports from Eight Countries. Even more than the reports themselves, I am enjoying the fact that they were commissioned by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). This says a great deal about the way active learning is viewed: as a tool for economic, social and political empowerment and cooperation within and beyond borders. As an individual who straddles the first and third worlds (at least enough to feel justified in using this triply taboo terminology), I notice that the reports all hail from a handful of the most developed nations. The implications are... well, they certainly are worth thinking about.

And that brings us to the video embedded above. It is quite awe-inspiring to partake in the most interactive Olympic Games yet. With its wide coverage on social media and "free" coverage on YouTube, London 2012 certainly does go Citius, Altius, Fortius*. The promo video above made me smile, because it does give a snapshot of life in an emerging economy, and the vibrant innovation that is such a proud trademark of the so-called developing nations. But, being in an emerging economy myself, it took me a while to access the video. And I am one of the lucky ones who can afford the trappings to do so. The video is charming, but it overestimates the wealth, and certainly the bandwidth, that is available beyond the high walls of the developed nations, even as their economies crumble. When it comes to learning, education, pedagogy, call it what you will, the real question is, what will level that playing field? If active learning can do it, I'm all in.

*The larger-than-ever reach of these Games are attracting a lot of attention from conspiracy theorists. My rabbit-trail started with a video of a UFO sighting over the opening ceremony...

Reference: 
D. Stern and G.L. Huber, “Active Learning for Students and Teachers: Reports from Eight Countries”, OECD, Peter Lang Paris 1997. Retrieved from http://www.deanproject.eu/turkish/pdfs/23004.pdf.

TEDx KL 2012: Interdependence. 14.07.2012

I get pre-emptive goosebumps whenever I hear the theme music at the beginning of a TED Talk. And I am not alone in this: countless internet users around the world have shared in the illumination of these moving online presentations that are changing the art of public speaking. TED Talks are not about rhetoric, but about Ideas Worth Spreading. With their ideas worth spreading, TED presenters break every rule in the Toastmasters book. Yet they move us as a species so much that we have watched them more than 500 million times. 

Image: TEDx KL

No wonder that followers around the world have jumped at the opportunity to independently organize TED events of their own. Dubbed TEDx, these events embrace the TED principles and follow shared guidelines, but are organized entirely by their local communities, with the blessings (and listings) of TED proper. Upcoming events can be found at the TEDx listings, which also include links to live streaming TEDx events. Past TEDx Talks are archived on the TEDx YouTube channel.

It was a very pleasant surprise to find out that a TEDx event is on its way to Kuala Lumpur. TEDx KL 2012: Interdependence boasts a lineup of esteemed international guest speakers, but even more intriguing to me is the rich mix of fascinating Malaysians from the fields of technology, business, science, the arts and miscellanea. The full listing of illustrious and inspiring presenters can be found at on the TEDx KL Speakers page, along with brief bios of each. I for one can't wait to hear and see them (and presumably the most enlightened audience in town) in action. With over a week to go, there is always the playlist of TEDx KL past to stir the blood. 

TEDx KL 2012 can be found at www.tedxkl.com. The event will take place at the Temple of Fine Arts in Brickfields, Kuala Lumpur (see map) on Saturday, 14 July from just after noon. Tickets are RM100 online, or RM130 at the door.