Learning Intention: Make an Impact It's the Learn-Now catch phrase...no matter what educational changes or standards occur. AEO Ltd and Learn-Now live and breathe all things digital and educational that we can... But with much discussion around Digital Generations, I can't help but tune into our very newest generation and 'keep up with them'. With 4 year old daughter Katelyn, I'm becoming increasingly stunned by the entrepreneurial spirit she's showing, alongside a resounding spirited passion to make an impact... Where's the digital in that - up front?
Lighten Up The Emphasis On 'Digital'... I think such emphasis on the 'digital' references with youth aged generations needs to lighten up. Granted, Katelyn's future is a huge unknown and we know that many of her potential jobs aren't even thought of yet...but let's not forget the timeless passion of some potential roles - to help others, to run ones' own business, make the world a better place no matter how small the engagement... In a timeless fashion, Katelyn, is exhibiting the same entrepreneurial spirit stemming from one of her great-grandfathers (died aged 98 in 2008)... She likens herself to Youth Enterprise teams aged 8-10 that she hears in action in Learn-Now and affiliated projects.
She's set herself on a mission to 'get money', not just for herself, but to also help others. Getting a job has become a self possessed interest - starting with collecting the eggs - her first paid job. She knows her dollars, is working out that several silver coins can bring the same benefits as the gold coins and size is relative to value...with NZ 's coin dimensions at least. But digitally? Mostly just a wealth of DVDs, home movies, photos, Skype and YouTube galore...
Skills Beyond The Digital
It's just under 10 years before Katelyn can tweet, blog or communicate her entrepreneurial missions and marketing... or in whatever tool's far more effective than blogs, tweets and IMs. What's timeless and needs far more emphasis is the context of what's she's doing. Learning other skills for life is giving her a huge head start. The beauty of it, is that she's leading her learning now - she's strategising, setting goals and monitoring progress. She's already a reflective practitioner, has end results in mind and multi-media (despite not having a TV) is as much part of her learning as Learn-Now students aged 8-16 years old are tuned into.
Lighten Up The Emphasis On 'Digital'... I think such emphasis on the 'digital' references with youth aged generations needs to lighten up. Granted, Katelyn's future is a huge unknown and we know that many of her potential jobs aren't even thought of yet...but let's not forget the timeless passion of some potential roles - to help others, to run ones' own business, make the world a better place no matter how small the engagement... In a timeless fashion, Katelyn, is exhibiting the same entrepreneurial spirit stemming from one of her great-grandfathers (died aged 98 in 2008)... She likens herself to Youth Enterprise teams aged 8-10 that she hears in action in Learn-Now and affiliated projects.
She's set herself on a mission to 'get money', not just for herself, but to also help others. Getting a job has become a self possessed interest - starting with collecting the eggs - her first paid job. She knows her dollars, is working out that several silver coins can bring the same benefits as the gold coins and size is relative to value...with NZ 's coin dimensions at least. But digitally? Mostly just a wealth of DVDs, home movies, photos, Skype and YouTube galore...
Skills Beyond The Digital
It's just under 10 years before Katelyn can tweet, blog or communicate her entrepreneurial missions and marketing... or in whatever tool's far more effective than blogs, tweets and IMs. What's timeless and needs far more emphasis is the context of what's she's doing. Learning other skills for life is giving her a huge head start. The beauty of it, is that she's leading her learning now - she's strategising, setting goals and monitoring progress. She's already a reflective practitioner, has end results in mind and multi-media (despite not having a TV) is as much part of her learning as Learn-Now students aged 8-16 years old are tuned into.
Immersion and Motivation Little as she is, Little House on the Prairie is Katelyn's most sought after DVD/TV series to watch (thanks FATSO). Chance has it, that the lastest episode seen, sees 'Mary Ingalls' assessing the financial plight of her family, when father Charles finds himself out of work. Katelyn wants the debt explained, that's turning to custard at the Ingalls' local store. Mary chooses no longer to attend school,, but to work for what will be $1 a week full time, sewing with a local seamstress. Mary's rewarded with a bonus 75c for extra effort and commitment. This was the mid '70's...
Katelyn's soaked the working ethic storyline up and within a stunned few moments has engineered herself a job (with conditions!) and come the following Monday, a bank account and online access to her account. She's already tuned into earning interest... Immersion was accidental, but milked to the hilt, and she led it all, amidst a steady stream of questions. She wants to fill another Operation Christmas Child (shoe) box - with her own money 'for a baby who won't get a Christmas present from her Mum, because she can't work and has no money'. Sadly, the shoe box collection was weeks ago, but she's brainstorming an alternative.
Making An Impact or Making A Difference
It comes in so many forms. Today, the education sector drives this home in terms of learning, with digital references. It's so much more... Katelyn's nailing it. If this is her at 4, how will schools tap this when she's 5? 10? Digital or not... No doubting about it though, we'll be digital and be sure it'll be that that'll take her global. "5 year old exports goods and services to Australia and Uganda..." Perhaps she'll lead a Learn-Now team in FBFKids? Perhaps she'll go to Uganda and look after abandoned babies, when she too is 18, like Lucy (left), beaming her experience as a cybertrip back to others?
It comes in so many forms. Today, the education sector drives this home in terms of learning, with digital references. It's so much more... Katelyn's nailing it. If this is her at 4, how will schools tap this when she's 5? 10? Digital or not... No doubting about it though, we'll be digital and be sure it'll be that that'll take her global. "5 year old exports goods and services to Australia and Uganda..." Perhaps she'll lead a Learn-Now team in FBFKids? Perhaps she'll go to Uganda and look after abandoned babies, when she too is 18, like Lucy (left), beaming her experience as a cybertrip back to others?
Immerse, motivate and enable kids to make an impact...
It'll go some way to creating a great sense of worth and global empathy.
Right now - life around us needs that, sadly...more than ever.
Social technologies will make it possible.
Understanding life's potentials and pitfalls first, is worth pursuing.
PS: ...thanks to Larry Bock (Sept 2010) and a sleepless night, I pursued this interest a little more after writing this. Who else presents a similar case? Says Larry " The chance to make a difference -- the opportunity to leave things just a little better than the way we found them -- when you think about it, that's what really drives most of us throughout life. Our kids are no different". Read more from Larry... I rest my case ;)
