a creative universe
TEACHERS
Darth Vader: “I've been waiting for you, Obi-Wan. We meet again, at last. The circle is now complete. When I left you, I was but the learner; now *I* am the master." (1)
Guru, master, maestro, sensei, or just plain teacher - a role played by many in a variety of spheres within our cultures and society, and a role that has throughout time, been revered. From disciples to their messiah, and devotees to their guru, student to a teacher, and child to a parent, the idea of revering an elder and learning from them to emulate and potentially exceed them in the future is a common thread that runs throughout all cultures.
Whether it is for spiritual-religious piety, or to attain higher skill in an art-form or physical activity, or study and learn and practice a range of techniques to perfection, to gain knowledge for self empowerment, or in order to repeat the cycle in becoming a teacher oneself, or just the naive idolising of media hyped heroes and schlebs that we hope to emulate, in the hope of enhancing our life experience, seeking ever higher levels of gratification for our hedonistic lifestyles - through the myriad of forms the relationship takes in our societies, there are still common threads tying the teacher - student relationship, and learning experience together.
The master - someone who has highly developed skill and practice in technique, and has mastered all components of theory and praxis, and made notable achievements in the practice and actioning of accumulated knowledge. It is not merely retaining information, and communicating knowledge about the subject, but the ability to implement knowledge in practice, through some form of physical action.
An interesting question is whether or not the recognition of mastery can truly be made objectively, as we see today through the media, it has become in some instances, merely creating the impression of this mastery, that can lead to mass worshipping and idolisation of perceived masters - the new media induced gurus of today’s pop culture.
And the student or pupil [apt or otherwise], padawan, disciple, learner, scholar - all describe aspects of the other side of the relationship without which the master, guru or teacher would have no function. The thirst for knowledge or just fulfilling obligation - the learner navigates through a continuum of choice and duty, subjective creative ideation and indoctrination, free and original thinking to rigid dictation of techniques that ultimately constrict thought, information and knowledge processes.
The challenge: manufacturing dutiful drones to feed the political-economic system, or nurturing minds to take humanity forward to explore new possibilities, fulfilling creative potential and unfettered exploration of all aspects of the vast universe we occupy a miniscule fraction of.
The traditional approach to education has held that one needs to formally study under a teacher, master or guru, within a formally constituted environment or institution. But as witnessed in contemporary formal educational institutions across the world, where often artificial and ill-considered, or poorly designed environments, and structures, knowledge transference techniques, which in some instances are coupled with personality and political interference, or just plain brain-numbing bureaucracy, that counteract the very outcomes they are apparently designed to achieve.
In today’s mediated society new formats and experiences of the learner-teacher relationship have emerged. The roles, relationship, and the learning experience itself has become malleable, often blurring the role of learner and teacher, with the advent of more interactive technologies. The very nature of what constitutes “education” has taken on the stochastic-fractal features, that have become familiar in other spheres of the 21st century mediated globalised cultural milieu.
One of the traditional requisites was that the teacher and student needed to be in close proximity, and work within an institutionalized structured environment. This has all changed, with the explosion of digital information and communication technologies [ICTs], and in particular networked technologies and the internet in particular, the need for geographical located proximity is nullified.
Not only is remote communication over long distances possible, it also means that real time communication is not needed. Lessons and knowledge can be recorded and played back on demand, especially in multi-media formats, which augment plain text words within audio-visual footage of practical demonstrations of technique, or illustrations of knowledge in practice.
This explosion of digital ICTs has also meant that they have become very affordable, and accessible to a large number of people, meaning that they are now empowered to create and communicate their own content. We only need look at the popular sites like YouTube with the large volume of inane video footage often taken by mobile phone cameras.
Although we must also recognize that these new technologies are not pervasive and there is still an elitist aspect, where some societies are accelerating ahead at ever more rapid rates of technological advancement, to the detriment of developing societies being left behind in this technological juggernaut’s wake. The ability to utilise the new media technologies available require a level of education in their own right, bringing about a profoundly challenging proposition.
This leads us to question the future of educational processes, as the means for conducting the education and learning experience seem to have shifted into the hands of the wider masses. Yet at the same time mastery, or even basic access to these processes, remains for some unattainable.
Leading us to question, who controls or organises this new media sphere with its diverse range of potential learning experiences. Some advocate for no control and that it is merely a natural evolution of the human condition and its resulting technology. Others are concerned with the lack access to as well as education on these new technologies, and the learning of the necessary skills to be able to navigate through this morass of information, to navigate towards utilising it for some “good” or positive consequence, feeding into utilitarian knowledge processes.
We recognize new initiatives that have arisen outside of formal institutions, which are grappling with these 21st century challenges to harness the value that new media and digital ICTs facilitate in communication of ideas and knowledge transference, which has been identified as a vital trait of humankind’s progression or as some would suggest “advancement” through time.
Projects such as this portal – Pythagoras-TV, are working towards a more meaningful contribution to facilitate useful learning and teaching experiences and provide a renewed balance to the very strained teacher-learner relationship that exists in our world today.
Another notable project is the UK based School of Everything: http://schoolofeverything.com – which seeks to return to a model of education that seems more “natural”, and community based, bringing a virtual classroom environment, to the global networked village. It is apparent from the recent growth in appearance of such portals and initiatives that serious effort is being given and action applied to meet the challenges and provide sustainable solutions for the future.
The question and challenge remains though, in that who will take ownership of the quality of content, and that outcomes are achieved positively and satisfactorily, and that accreditation of qualifications derived from these new institutions will carry some form of recognizable and inherent merit, and also ensuring that what is offered is not more of a similar degeneration to populist entertainment value, and dumbing down of content, as found in the myriad of popular portals scattered across the information superhighway.
Whether new institutions will be formed to govern the new mediated education sphere, or new experts will marshal and vet content, is contentious, as we are ultimately dealing with the elusive and potential infinite realm of human though, ideas and knowledge.
Popular consensus and the widely accepted cultural norm, is that certain qualifications are needed, in order to be recognised as a true guru, master or teacher - these facets include - formally/official accredited qualification [eg certification], recognition by a formally constituted organisation or group that monitors a particular sphere of activity [eg professional organisations for engineers, architects etc], age and level of experience or achieving a minimum number of years exercising the particular activity, recognition by peers and other external groups for notable achievements or contribution to society or the positive impact on cultural life.
Even this aspect is problematic, as these days it would appear that it is not necessary to be formally qualified as a teacher or master in a particular subject, or field of activity, what seems more important is the ability to communicate to and command an audience, receiving the recognition [whether deserved or otherwise] and gather up a loyal [and paying] following of those thirsting for the knowledge equivalent of the elixir of life – how to be a “success” and live a completely “fulfilled” and holistic life in the world today.
Neo-messianic figures emerge declaring new found knowledge and technique, as we see in the myriad of self-help, DIY and “life-skills” coaches that peddle their wares on TV.
Think of the empire that Oprah Winfrey has carved out for herself, derived from being the leading lifestyle guru for middle-class America, and large parts of the world through her television talk show. Oprah has extended her reach by giving life to other media celebrity careers based on this new “lifestyle guru” approach, such as Dr Phil.
We also see actors and other media celebrities expanding their “personal brand” to include elements of the “guru”, such as Gwyneth Paltrow, with her much hyped new age lifestyle portal Goop - http://goop.com, that carries the tagline : "nourish the inner aspect". Even model Tyra Banks is now emulating other so called media moguls by moving into the media and broadcast industry, hosting her own talk show to gather a loyal following.
This trend has emerged alongside the development of media and communication technologies and the industry they fueled, looking back to the early days of this trend in the 1990’s we recognize such figures as Martha Stewart, and the longstanding leader in personal life coaching Tony Robbins. All have masterfully synthesized techniques from certain religious and spiritual gurus.
Another interesting phenomenon in the relationship between the teacher and student, disciple and guru, is when the learner becomes motivated to supersede their master, often the relationship deteriorates or becomes fraught with conflict as the student questions the technique and methods of the teacher, and begins to realise their own potential to bring their own new creative ideas and interpretations to extend the knowledge base, and application of it, to expand and enhance the sphere of activity or knowledge in which they operate.
This would seem closer to a more genuine experience of education where knowledge processes forge ahead through the myriad complexities that our human minds grapple with, within the constant communication of ideas and information, refining thought into practice and action, in an infinite dialogue fraught with noise, error, conflict, tension, chaos in the hope of creating moments of genius, sublime beauty, masterpieces, and legacy, in the hope of shaping humankind and its environment to more noble heights of civilisation.
From formal settings to informal, and the explosion of mediated experiences in today’s society, one is exposed to a range of influences and learning experiences both by choice and accident. But as Daft Punk noted on their album, which featured the track "Teachers" paying homage to a list of seminal and influential electronic musicians and djs [in essence a list of electronic music gurus], it all also comes down to “Homework” – as the old adage goes “practice makes perfect” – or so the television commercial proclaims.
Bibliography
1. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0076759/ - Star Wars - Episode IV - A New Hope, George Lucas, 1977
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phil_McGraw
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tony_Robbins
http://schoolofeverything.com
http://viiphoto.com/detailStory3.php?news_id=733
http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20178169,00.html
http://www.glamour.com/women-of-the-year/2008/tyra-banks
http://www.popsugar.com/2864854
http://www.yogadork.com/2009/02/26/gwyneth-paltrow-on-her-stressful-celebri-yoga-life-absent-plans-to-become-lifestyle-guru/
Pictures:
http://andylikesmovies.files.wordpress.com/2008/08/killbill-paimei.jpg
http://images3.wikia.com/starwars/images/d/d7/Obiwanvaderanhduel.jpg
http://luzernemusic.org/Louis%20&%20Senior%20Student%202007.jpg
http://pro.corbis.com/images/U1398850.jpg?size=67&uid=%7B51530860-9718-4742-B1E8-2D8017D2C5E8%7D
http://srichinmoyphoto.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/chinmoy-and-student.jpg
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/f/fb/Coachella-Daft-Punk-2006.jpg
http://www.china-hiking.com/tibet/F0575.jpe
http://www.dubuque.k12.ia.us/maestroandme/MaestroWEB/MaestroEp2/Maestro3Shot.jpg
http://www.sense-datum.org/tim/images/kill_bill.jpg
Guru, master, maestro, sensei, or just plain teacher - a role played by many in a variety of spheres within our cultures and society, and a role that has throughout time, been revered. From disciples to their messiah, and devotees to their guru, student to a teacher, and child to a parent, the idea of revering an elder and learning from them to emulate and potentially exceed them in the future is a common thread that runs throughout all cultures.
Whether it is for spiritual-religious piety, or to attain higher skill in an art-form or physical activity, or study and learn and practice a range of techniques to perfection, to gain knowledge for self empowerment, or in order to repeat the cycle in becoming a teacher oneself, or just the naive idolising of media hyped heroes and schlebs that we hope to emulate, in the hope of enhancing our life experience, seeking ever higher levels of gratification for our hedonistic lifestyles - through the myriad of forms the relationship takes in our societies, there are still common threads tying the teacher - student relationship, and learning experience together.
The master - someone who has highly developed skill and practice in technique, and has mastered all components of theory and praxis, and made notable achievements in the practice and actioning of accumulated knowledge. It is not merely retaining information, and communicating knowledge about the subject, but the ability to implement knowledge in practice, through some form of physical action.
An interesting question is whether or not the recognition of mastery can truly be made objectively, as we see today through the media, it has become in some instances, merely creating the impression of this mastery, that can lead to mass worshipping and idolisation of perceived masters - the new media induced gurus of today’s pop culture.
And the student or pupil [apt or otherwise], padawan, disciple, learner, scholar - all describe aspects of the other side of the relationship without which the master, guru or teacher would have no function. The thirst for knowledge or just fulfilling obligation - the learner navigates through a continuum of choice and duty, subjective creative ideation and indoctrination, free and original thinking to rigid dictation of techniques that ultimately constrict thought, information and knowledge processes.
The challenge: manufacturing dutiful drones to feed the political-economic system, or nurturing minds to take humanity forward to explore new possibilities, fulfilling creative potential and unfettered exploration of all aspects of the vast universe we occupy a miniscule fraction of.
The traditional approach to education has held that one needs to formally study under a teacher, master or guru, within a formally constituted environment or institution. But as witnessed in contemporary formal educational institutions across the world, where often artificial and ill-considered, or poorly designed environments, and structures, knowledge transference techniques, which in some instances are coupled with personality and political interference, or just plain brain-numbing bureaucracy, that counteract the very outcomes they are apparently designed to achieve.
In today’s mediated society new formats and experiences of the learner-teacher relationship have emerged. The roles, relationship, and the learning experience itself has become malleable, often blurring the role of learner and teacher, with the advent of more interactive technologies. The very nature of what constitutes “education” has taken on the stochastic-fractal features, that have become familiar in other spheres of the 21st century mediated globalised cultural milieu.
One of the traditional requisites was that the teacher and student needed to be in close proximity, and work within an institutionalized structured environment. This has all changed, with the explosion of digital information and communication technologies [ICTs], and in particular networked technologies and the internet in particular, the need for geographical located proximity is nullified.
Not only is remote communication over long distances possible, it also means that real time communication is not needed. Lessons and knowledge can be recorded and played back on demand, especially in multi-media formats, which augment plain text words within audio-visual footage of practical demonstrations of technique, or illustrations of knowledge in practice.
This explosion of digital ICTs has also meant that they have become very affordable, and accessible to a large number of people, meaning that they are now empowered to create and communicate their own content. We only need look at the popular sites like YouTube with the large volume of inane video footage often taken by mobile phone cameras.
Although we must also recognize that these new technologies are not pervasive and there is still an elitist aspect, where some societies are accelerating ahead at ever more rapid rates of technological advancement, to the detriment of developing societies being left behind in this technological juggernaut’s wake. The ability to utilise the new media technologies available require a level of education in their own right, bringing about a profoundly challenging proposition.
This leads us to question the future of educational processes, as the means for conducting the education and learning experience seem to have shifted into the hands of the wider masses. Yet at the same time mastery, or even basic access to these processes, remains for some unattainable.
Leading us to question, who controls or organises this new media sphere with its diverse range of potential learning experiences. Some advocate for no control and that it is merely a natural evolution of the human condition and its resulting technology. Others are concerned with the lack access to as well as education on these new technologies, and the learning of the necessary skills to be able to navigate through this morass of information, to navigate towards utilising it for some “good” or positive consequence, feeding into utilitarian knowledge processes.
We recognize new initiatives that have arisen outside of formal institutions, which are grappling with these 21st century challenges to harness the value that new media and digital ICTs facilitate in communication of ideas and knowledge transference, which has been identified as a vital trait of humankind’s progression or as some would suggest “advancement” through time.
Projects such as this portal – Pythagoras-TV, are working towards a more meaningful contribution to facilitate useful learning and teaching experiences and provide a renewed balance to the very strained teacher-learner relationship that exists in our world today.
Another notable project is the UK based School of Everything: http://schoolofeverything.com – which seeks to return to a model of education that seems more “natural”, and community based, bringing a virtual classroom environment, to the global networked village. It is apparent from the recent growth in appearance of such portals and initiatives that serious effort is being given and action applied to meet the challenges and provide sustainable solutions for the future.
The question and challenge remains though, in that who will take ownership of the quality of content, and that outcomes are achieved positively and satisfactorily, and that accreditation of qualifications derived from these new institutions will carry some form of recognizable and inherent merit, and also ensuring that what is offered is not more of a similar degeneration to populist entertainment value, and dumbing down of content, as found in the myriad of popular portals scattered across the information superhighway.
Whether new institutions will be formed to govern the new mediated education sphere, or new experts will marshal and vet content, is contentious, as we are ultimately dealing with the elusive and potential infinite realm of human though, ideas and knowledge.
Popular consensus and the widely accepted cultural norm, is that certain qualifications are needed, in order to be recognised as a true guru, master or teacher - these facets include - formally/official accredited qualification [eg certification], recognition by a formally constituted organisation or group that monitors a particular sphere of activity [eg professional organisations for engineers, architects etc], age and level of experience or achieving a minimum number of years exercising the particular activity, recognition by peers and other external groups for notable achievements or contribution to society or the positive impact on cultural life.
Even this aspect is problematic, as these days it would appear that it is not necessary to be formally qualified as a teacher or master in a particular subject, or field of activity, what seems more important is the ability to communicate to and command an audience, receiving the recognition [whether deserved or otherwise] and gather up a loyal [and paying] following of those thirsting for the knowledge equivalent of the elixir of life – how to be a “success” and live a completely “fulfilled” and holistic life in the world today.
Neo-messianic figures emerge declaring new found knowledge and technique, as we see in the myriad of self-help, DIY and “life-skills” coaches that peddle their wares on TV.
Think of the empire that Oprah Winfrey has carved out for herself, derived from being the leading lifestyle guru for middle-class America, and large parts of the world through her television talk show. Oprah has extended her reach by giving life to other media celebrity careers based on this new “lifestyle guru” approach, such as Dr Phil.
We also see actors and other media celebrities expanding their “personal brand” to include elements of the “guru”, such as Gwyneth Paltrow, with her much hyped new age lifestyle portal Goop - http://goop.com, that carries the tagline : "nourish the inner aspect". Even model Tyra Banks is now emulating other so called media moguls by moving into the media and broadcast industry, hosting her own talk show to gather a loyal following.
This trend has emerged alongside the development of media and communication technologies and the industry they fueled, looking back to the early days of this trend in the 1990’s we recognize such figures as Martha Stewart, and the longstanding leader in personal life coaching Tony Robbins. All have masterfully synthesized techniques from certain religious and spiritual gurus.
Another interesting phenomenon in the relationship between the teacher and student, disciple and guru, is when the learner becomes motivated to supersede their master, often the relationship deteriorates or becomes fraught with conflict as the student questions the technique and methods of the teacher, and begins to realise their own potential to bring their own new creative ideas and interpretations to extend the knowledge base, and application of it, to expand and enhance the sphere of activity or knowledge in which they operate.
This would seem closer to a more genuine experience of education where knowledge processes forge ahead through the myriad complexities that our human minds grapple with, within the constant communication of ideas and information, refining thought into practice and action, in an infinite dialogue fraught with noise, error, conflict, tension, chaos in the hope of creating moments of genius, sublime beauty, masterpieces, and legacy, in the hope of shaping humankind and its environment to more noble heights of civilisation.
From formal settings to informal, and the explosion of mediated experiences in today’s society, one is exposed to a range of influences and learning experiences both by choice and accident. But as Daft Punk noted on their album, which featured the track "Teachers" paying homage to a list of seminal and influential electronic musicians and djs [in essence a list of electronic music gurus], it all also comes down to “Homework” – as the old adage goes “practice makes perfect” – or so the television commercial proclaims.
Bibliography
1. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0076759/ - Star Wars - Episode IV - A New Hope, George Lucas, 1977
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phil_McGraw
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tony_Robbins
http://schoolofeverything.com
http://viiphoto.com/detailStory3.php?news_id=733
http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20178169,00.html
http://www.glamour.com/women-of-the-year/2008/tyra-banks
http://www.popsugar.com/2864854
http://www.yogadork.com/2009/02/26/gwyneth-paltrow-on-her-stressful-celebri-yoga-life-absent-plans-to-become-lifestyle-guru/
Pictures:
http://andylikesmovies.files.wordpress.com/2008/08/killbill-paimei.jpg
http://images3.wikia.com/starwars/images/d/d7/Obiwanvaderanhduel.jpg
http://luzernemusic.org/Louis%20&%20Senior%20Student%202007.jpg
http://pro.corbis.com/images/U1398850.jpg?size=67&uid=%7B51530860-9718-4742-B1E8-2D8017D2C5E8%7D
http://srichinmoyphoto.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/chinmoy-and-student.jpg
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/f/fb/Coachella-Daft-Punk-2006.jpg
http://www.china-hiking.com/tibet/F0575.jpe
http://www.dubuque.k12.ia.us/maestroandme/MaestroWEB/MaestroEp2/Maestro3Shot.jpg
http://www.sense-datum.org/tim/images/kill_bill.jpg
Add a Comment
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Comment by Editor-in-Chief on March 10, 2009 at 3:15pm - This critique is valid, but the edited version MASTERS OF THEIR UNIVERSE simply pushes the role of ICT in allowing better access to "more" masters and more information with which to challenge the masters. The idea that "there can only be one" (master) is a fallacy that educators buy into, especially when it is themselves they are deifying.
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Comment by Kliktrak aka Richard Smith on March 10, 2009 at 3:00pm -
This is my original version of the article I wrote for the Educate & Activate edition of Pythagoras-TV - March 2009.
An edited/synthesised version of the article is to be officially published in the edition, but I felt the original covered a range of salient points and topics worth exposing to an audience.
The following is some critique/comment already received on the original article posted above:
"You have written a well thought out statement about the relationship between teacher and learner. Today of course the keywords in RSA are Educator and Learner. This is fine in theory but the actual context (especially in the rural areas) shows that there is still the traditional understanding that teachers "hand over" knowledge (so to speak) and pupils are mere receivers of predigested stuff. I think of the great Brazilian, Paulo Freire, whose seminal book "Pedagogy of the Oppressed" still challenges the traditional Master/Disciple paradigm. Freire was extremely critical of the "banker" method of education. The teacher's role in terms of this view is that of "banking" (i.e. depositing) ideas into the minds of young people which then led to them becoming serfs and workers to serve the interests of the ruling class. It is also interesting to note that Freire's book was banned by the Apartheid regime because it was seen to be revolutionary (which it is).
Marxism, whilst critical of the "capitalist" system of education, fell into the same trap of educating people into workers to serve the interests of the state.
Teachers will always have to recognise that they will inevitably produce clones of themselves. But the point is taken. Teachers can produce disciples who lack independent thinking.
Thanks for the thought provoking article.
Rod Smith - 09 March 2009"
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