Youth Futures: Leapfrogging from Century 18 to Century 21 For: GYPL Integrative Seminar 03 November 07 Arthur Harkins John Moravec

The New Context Paradigm Increasing importance of creative human capital Increasing rates of change Increasingly inaccurate predictions Increasing need to create preferred futures Increasing sense that kids must share creation of new futures with adults

Increasing importance of creative human capital

Increasing rates of change

Increasingly inaccurate predictions

Increasing need to create preferred futures

Increasing sense that kids must share creation of new futures with adults

…also… Today’s kids participate in an increasingly globalized world Industrial society has given way to the knowledge-based society …which is already starting to transition to an innovation and creativity society

Today’s kids participate in an increasingly globalized world

Industrial society has given way to the knowledge-based society

…which is already starting to transition to an innovation and creativity society

Which paradigm do we place our kids in?

Which paradigm do we place our kids in?

First Proposition Set Kids are vastly under-utilized as human capital Kids can be brought into full relationship with the exploding knowledge/innovation economy Advanced educational technology will be required “ New” Workforce incorporating kids will be more creative and much larger than present workforce “ Shadow Schools” are one approach to the re-integration of children, adults, and the economy

Kids are vastly under-utilized as human capital

Kids can be brought into full relationship with the exploding knowledge/innovation economy

Advanced educational technology will be required

“ New” Workforce incorporating kids will be more creative and much larger than present workforce

“ Shadow Schools” are one approach to the re-integration of children, adults, and the economy

Legacy: USA Century 18 Farming/agriculture economy Family based enterprises Kids learned at home Kids worked at home Kids were engaged cross-generationally Adults could learn from kids Kids contributed at all economic levels

Farming/agriculture economy

Family based enterprises

Kids learned at home

Kids worked at home

Kids were engaged cross-generationally

Adults could learn from kids

Kids contributed at all economic levels

Legacy: USA Centuries Late 19th- Mid-20th Industrial economy Job/wage/salary based enterprises Kids learned increasingly at schools Kids worked at low level, sometimes dangerous jobs Kids were engaged cross-generationally as chattel, hirelings, or de facto (and de jure ) slaves Kids learned from adults within division of age and labor formats Kids still contributed at all economic levels

Industrial economy

Job/wage/salary based enterprises

Kids learned increasingly at schools

Kids worked at low level, sometimes dangerous jobs

Kids were engaged cross-generationally as chattel, hirelings, or de facto (and de jure ) slaves

Kids learned from adults within division of age and labor formats

Kids still contributed at all economic levels

Lasting Legacy Effects: USA Century 21 Emerging knowledge/innovation economy is stunted Integrated activities between adults/kids are highly limited Kids and adults learn less and less from each other Adults anxious about/fear learning from kids Kids separated from adults, following legacy industrial economy model Kids work mainly at menial tasks Kids still contribute to all economic levels, but at far lower levels than possible, feasible, and desirable

Emerging knowledge/innovation economy is stunted

Integrated activities between adults/kids are highly limited

Kids and adults learn less and less from each other

Adults anxious about/fear learning from kids

Kids separated from adults, following legacy industrial economy model

Kids work mainly at menial tasks

Kids still contribute to all economic levels, but at far lower levels than possible, feasible, and desirable

Moving from Legacy Millstones to New Futures

Leapfrogging… means leadership rather than catching up. means using advanced (wireless) technologies to assist students and teachers technologies permit moving from memorization to creative and innovative knowledge production

means leadership rather than catching up.

means using advanced (wireless) technologies to assist students and teachers

technologies permit moving from memorization to creative and innovative knowledge production

“ New” Workforce Effects: USA Century 21 - Leapfrog Emerging knowledge/innovation economy can get a quantum boost Integrated activities can partner kids with adults Adults are eager to learn from kids Kids and adults learn more about each other Kids and adults partner and collaborate, teaching to and learning from each other Kids work increasingly at creative tasks Kids still contribute to all economic levels, but with better distribution of effort than in the past

Emerging knowledge/innovation economy can get a quantum boost

Integrated activities can partner kids with adults

Adults are eager to learn from kids

Kids and adults learn more about each other

Kids and adults partner and collaborate, teaching to and learning from each other

Kids work increasingly at creative tasks

Kids still contribute to all economic levels, but with better distribution of effort than in the past

What’s it Going to Take? Voluntary establishment of “Shadow Schools” Voluntary participation by kids and adults Screened volunteers representing retired staff, graduate students, professionals, etc. Donations and grants for insurance costs, food, transportation

Voluntary establishment of “Shadow Schools”

Voluntary participation by kids and adults

Screened volunteers representing retired staff, graduate students, professionals, etc.

Donations and grants for insurance costs, food, transportation

What Should be Avoided? Pressures on NCLB-strapped teachers Pressures on adults and kids to participate Competition with legacy school functions and personnel Race, class, and attitude challenges Low expectations and standards Undue fanfare

Pressures on NCLB-strapped teachers

Pressures on adults and kids to participate

Competition with legacy school functions and personnel

Race, class, and attitude challenges

Low expectations and standards

Undue fanfare

What Should be Sought? (Leapfrog!) Top-flight volunteers from all appropriate sectors Use of latest technologies, including Beta devices and software from partnering companies Excellent Web connectivity among Shadow Schools Collaborative relationships with similar schools in the US and abroad

Top-flight volunteers from all appropriate sectors

Use of latest technologies, including Beta devices and software from partnering companies

Excellent Web connectivity among Shadow Schools

Collaborative relationships with similar schools in the US and abroad

Second Proposition Set Mirror the creative workforce first and foremost Functionality first and foremost Technology supports reliable functionality Every kid and adult a Creative Every kid and adult an Innovator NO FAILURES Global leadership from Day 1

Mirror the creative workforce first and foremost

Functionality first and foremost

Technology supports reliable functionality

Every kid and adult a Creative

Every kid and adult an Innovator

NO FAILURES

Global leadership from Day 1

What is Our Role Today? Discuss merits/problems Discuss enhancements Discuss alternatives Discuss implementation scenarios Discuss early planning options Discuss involvement of school partners Discuss involvement of industry, business partners Discuss involvement of technology collaborators Discuss help from funding sources for insurance, food, transportation

Discuss merits/problems

Discuss enhancements

Discuss alternatives

Discuss implementation scenarios

Discuss early planning options

Discuss involvement of school partners

Discuss involvement of industry, business partners

Discuss involvement of technology collaborators

Discuss help from funding sources for insurance, food, transportation

Some Questions Is “Shadow Schools” the right language? How about “Innovation Institutes” (or “Creativity Labs” or “Creativity Centers”)? Can/should the U of M and other colleges get involved as collaborators? Should a Web entity be established for creativity and innovation among kids/adults and their collaborators?

Is “Shadow Schools” the right language?

How about “Innovation Institutes” (or “Creativity Labs” or “Creativity Centers”)?

Can/should the U of M and other colleges get involved as collaborators?

Should a Web entity be established for creativity and innovation among kids/adults and their collaborators?

Which Would You Rather See in the Next 5 Years? Kids starting corporations with adults or kids learning to despise “smart people?” Kids working for Microsoft and Google or kids running drugs? Kids looking forward to exciting futures or kids awaiting death or prison? Kids who can change the world for the better or kids dismissed by the world?

Kids starting corporations with adults or kids learning to despise “smart people?”

Kids working for Microsoft and Google or kids running drugs?

Kids looking forward to exciting futures or kids awaiting death or prison?

Kids who can change the world for the better or kids dismissed by the world?

Responses – Fire Away!!