I have asked the college and K-12 educators who are AED Scholars to offer suggestions as to how to sustain the Agenda for Education in a Democracy. Audrey Kleinsasser of the University of Wyoming has offered the following ideas about how the AED Scholars could contribute to the future of the agenda. Her ideas follow:
5-8-12
AED response from Audrey Kleinsasser
dakota@uwyo.edu
My Thoughts about the AED Scholars Group and Next Steps:
Of course we want to keep going!
I would see the upcoming NNER conference in Denver as the ideal place and time for a substantial AED scholars meeting. Perhaps a planning group of 2-3 folks could offer a not-too-complicated agenda that includes socializing, some discussion (and not just chest-beating over the sad state of U.S. public education), and some next steps.
Further, I think the AED scholars group needs to be tied more closely to NNER activities. Why isn’t this group more directly involved in the Summer Symposium? That’s one possibility. Why not look for a way to create two or three regional symposia, with AED scholars taking the lead? I suspect the new NNER executive director will have plenty to do, but none the less, I would include working with the AED scholars to the job description. Maybe it’s a kind of revolve in/revolve out commitment for two-year terms, something the NNER director helps orchestrate.
Last, I would offer the observation that just about everyone in this group has a full time job and is likely busier than the average K-12 or higher education person. While the intent of the 2009 white paper development was a sincere one, it was one of the most contrived experiences I’ve participated in as an academic and perhaps the least engaging. It took me straight back to graduate school, though even in graduate school, I was not so devoid of ideas that I needed someone to assign me a topic to develop. I’d like to aim a little higher than that. I submit the following modest suggestion as a starting point that might engage AED scholars and others throughout the NNER.
We have the NNER website and regular newsletters. Both always need high quality submissions. Why not ask AED scholars to submit some kind of writing (not terribly long and not written for an exclusive audience) that reflects current work/current issues, at least one item over the course of a year, October – September. Then, those items could be collected and discussed during theannual NNER meeting in early fall. We could create two sharing opportunities: first, a closed AED scholars' session, and then, an open session for any conference participant who is interested in participating.
I am confident that even a modest commitment such as the one suggested above could grow into one or more valuable and vibrant initiatives. However, if we don’t meet and if we don’t communicate, there’s not much chance of anything happening.
Finally, know that I will participate and contribute to whatever the group decides is a worthy contribution to the Agenda for Education in a Democracy. Thank you for the opportunity to opt in and to offer a few suggestions!
The Scholars group certainly offers one means by which the values represented by the Agenda for Education in a Democracy can continue to help guide and grow the quality of the nation's educational initiatives. Additional thoughts will be shared as time passes -- what are your ideas?
5-8-12
AED response from Audrey Kleinsasser
dakota@uwyo.edu
My Thoughts about the AED Scholars Group and Next Steps:
1. First, yes, the group needs to keep going and I want to participate.
2. Second, what should we be up to and how to go about it?
Of course we want to keep going!
I would see the upcoming NNER conference in Denver as the ideal place and time for a substantial AED scholars meeting. Perhaps a planning group of 2-3 folks could offer a not-too-complicated agenda that includes socializing, some discussion (and not just chest-beating over the sad state of U.S. public education), and some next steps.
Further, I think the AED scholars group needs to be tied more closely to NNER activities. Why isn’t this group more directly involved in the Summer Symposium? That’s one possibility. Why not look for a way to create two or three regional symposia, with AED scholars taking the lead? I suspect the new NNER executive director will have plenty to do, but none the less, I would include working with the AED scholars to the job description. Maybe it’s a kind of revolve in/revolve out commitment for two-year terms, something the NNER director helps orchestrate.
Last, I would offer the observation that just about everyone in this group has a full time job and is likely busier than the average K-12 or higher education person. While the intent of the 2009 white paper development was a sincere one, it was one of the most contrived experiences I’ve participated in as an academic and perhaps the least engaging. It took me straight back to graduate school, though even in graduate school, I was not so devoid of ideas that I needed someone to assign me a topic to develop. I’d like to aim a little higher than that. I submit the following modest suggestion as a starting point that might engage AED scholars and others throughout the NNER.
We have the NNER website and regular newsletters. Both always need high quality submissions. Why not ask AED scholars to submit some kind of writing (not terribly long and not written for an exclusive audience) that reflects current work/current issues, at least one item over the course of a year, October – September. Then, those items could be collected and discussed during theannual NNER meeting in early fall. We could create two sharing opportunities: first, a closed AED scholars' session, and then, an open session for any conference participant who is interested in participating.
I am confident that even a modest commitment such as the one suggested above could grow into one or more valuable and vibrant initiatives. However, if we don’t meet and if we don’t communicate, there’s not much chance of anything happening.
Finally, know that I will participate and contribute to whatever the group decides is a worthy contribution to the Agenda for Education in a Democracy. Thank you for the opportunity to opt in and to offer a few suggestions!
The Scholars group certainly offers one means by which the values represented by the Agenda for Education in a Democracy can continue to help guide and grow the quality of the nation's educational initiatives. Additional thoughts will be shared as time passes -- what are your ideas?