Then there are the larger issue and events and it's some of those that are the focus of this post. Impossible to list them all due to time and space, but the ones that follows are certainly front of mind right now. I suspect that this will be a regular post with some issues and events staying on the list and others fading away into history or a small dark corner of my mind.
I have a lot of interests, personal and academic. This blog is mostly for those things of personal interest that make me go hmmm... For the academic interests, most of them can be found on my professional blog Thoughts from the Field on my consulting Web site Birch Hollow Consulting. But just to be contrary today, I'm going to list them all to get started. I will cross post when I want to share all of those hmmms...
So let's start with those big things that are personally making me go hmmm...
- Climate Change - as I look out my office window on to a verdant front lawn on the 19th of January, I have what we are in for weather wise and its associated impacts and costs. We're supposed to get our first real snowfall of the winter tomorrow (10-15 cm forecasted), while globally the weather over the last few months (and years) has gone wild - droughts, floods, atmospheric rivers, weather bombs - Mother Nature is isn't going to take it anymore The socioeconomic, political, infrastructure and human cost are massive and will continue to be. Grocery stores here have signs apologizing for a lack of produce due to weather and food security is an issue for many - and that's in the First World!
- Healthcare - the system isn't working the way the we want it to and fundamental change is needed. Efforts are being made but they have to be apolitical and focussed on results. The amazing frontline health workers provide incredible care in a system that sometimes seems to work against them. More to say on this too.
- U.S. Politics - Why did it take 15 rounds of voting to elect a Speaker of the House who had to sell his political soul to get the job? Why is a congressman who seems incapable of telling any truth still holding his seat? Why are debunked conspiracy theorists holding positions of power? Why isn't the former president (you know who I mean) not in jail? If they don't sort themselves fairly quickly and focus on their job, settle on a debt ceiling and budget that is not based on revenge, then the lights will be going out all over the World.
- War in Ukraine - geopolitics is indeed a murky place most days, but this is cut and dry - Russia has invaded a sovereign nation regardless of past history and connections. The World has an obligation to do all it can to correct this wrong. All it takes for Evil to prosper is...
I don't want to write a tome today, so here are my current academic interests:
- Appreciative Inquiry - in my doctoral work focussed on organizational change and culture I used an Appreciative Inquiry approach to develop models for change. I like AI as it focuses on the positive and what it working well and stops organizations from getting bogged down in the bad. David Cooperrider is the father of AI and it is worth taking a look at his research.
- Artificial Intelligence - There's been a lot of talk about applications such as ChatGPT and how they are going to ruin education by letting students easily cheat. The advent of AIs like ChatGPT are an opportunity for a change in learning and assessment and really look forward to exploring the opportunities further. Plus the fact that two of my interests both have the same acronym is enough to make any one go hmmm...
- Competency- Based Learning - has been a passion of mine for years. By developing learning environments focussing on competencies and what students need and allowing them to learn and demonstrate skills and knowledge directly, is for me the best way to learn. A lot of work for educators but a better learning experience for students. I'll definitely be writing more on this and possibly even on how all three of my academic interests might come together.
So there we are. Hmmm...
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