A visionary document put out by UNESCO stated ‘Nobody should be excluded from knowledge societies, where knowledge is a public good, available to each and every individual.’ Standing in the way of that vision is education’s failure to democratize knowledge. The rich-get-richer story of modern times is as true for education as for the economy; those who enter with more knowledge leave with disproportionately more. In the meantime, a free, plentiful and equalizing resource—students’ capacity to work creatively with ideas—remains underdeveloped. Taking advantage of this resource requires that education adopt cultural norms that are prevalent in innovative, knowledge-creating organizations of all sorts: collective responsibility for community, not simply personal knowledge; sustained idea improvement; a “surpassing ourselves” mindset; and students taking charge at levels customarily reserved for teachers, curriculum, and technology designers. This class will function as a workshop to advance innovative knowledge practices and digital media attuned to UNESCO’s vision of an inclusive knowledge society.
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Traditional Land Acknowledgement |