1. Vision for Education: The Caperton-Papert Platform Prepared for EDER 689.41 Dr. Garth Benson March 7, 2002 Prepared by: Lewis Callahan, Sandra Osborne, Chuck Payne

2. We will consider and begin a discussion of the paper: Vision for Education: The Caperton-Papert Platform, By Seymour Papert and Gaston Caperton The essay was written for the 91st annual National Governors' Association meeting held in St. Louis, Missouri in August of 1999 and can be found at the URL: http://www.papert.org/articles/Vision_for_education.html On the next few slides we have included our thoughts, and questions that you may wish to consider, in response to this article. http://www.papert.org/articles/Vision_for_education.html Vision for Education: The Caperton-Papert Platform

3. The Information Age The authors assert that "the information society" both requires and makes possible new forms of education. n Does the advent of an ‘information society’ make our present education system obsolete? n Are schools in general becoming obsolete? Are the present goals of education becoming obsolete? What is Caperton’s & Papert’s goal for education?

4. The Vision Caperton and Papert claim that the advent of new information technologies both makes possible and requires new forms of education, but that society has been very slow in implementing these new forms, primarily due to a shortage of bold realistic vision.

5. From Vision to Plan Our Thoughts The authors begin to address the issue of lack of vision in the school system. They also take their message directly to the politicians, so they should get credit for circulating their ideas in circles of power and influence. However...

6. From Vision to Plan Our Thoughts n A vision must be viewed in the proper perspective- and that is within the realm of strategic planning. n Within a strategic planning context, a vision is the “North Star” so to speak. It is the long-term superordinate direction provider, that is created by leaders with the thoughtful input of employees and other stakeholder groups. n Short-term goals (0-1 years), if met, should leave an organization closer to its middle-range goals (one to five), and these in turn, move an organization closer to accomplishing its long-term (five to eight year) goals. n Successful accomplishment of several long-term goals, should theoretically, culminate in the successful realization of a vision.

7. The Issue The implication of the foregoing is, of course, that a vision without a credible strategic planning framework is just a dream with no place to go and no one to take it there.

8. Your Impression Aside from general platitudes, does the Caperton- Papert paper leave you with the impression that their vision has been conceived within a broader strategic framework, or is it a warm fuzzy wish?

9. Consider n Do Caperton and Papert view the vision as an inclusionary process? If so, how do they view that process? n Do the figures presented by Caperton and Papert inspire confidence? In other words, are they solid enough to push for and win political, corporate, and public support ? The power behind a vision or a mission statement is certainly not just the words as anyone can create a fancy window dressing, but rather in the process of participation. Participation tends to beget “buy in” and support.

10. In Relation to Virginia Richardson’s article “Significant and Worthwhile Change in Teaching Practice” n Could the lack of vision and resulting inadequacies in the present school system that Papert and Caperton assert in their article be solved by Virginia Richardson’s conception of teacher change in her article “Significant and Worthwhile Change in Teaching Practice”? n Compare the views of teacher / school change presented in these two articles. n Are these articles (Richardson and Caperton-Papert) essentially identifying the same problem? If the problems identified in the two articles are related, are the solutions presented related ?

11. Habermasian Worldviews Where does this article fit? Empirical-analytic Situational-interperative Critical-theoretic or Post Modernism

12. Our Thoughts n Richardson’s linking of research to teacher practice could help to better facilitate change, but I think that Caperton and Papert are suggesting something beyond what Richardson has in mind. n They are looking at a radically different school environment, a system change, that is part of yet beyond the practice of individual teachers. n This article suggests an educational model that is built on independence, self-initiative, and curiosity on the part of the learner. This is learner-centered education at its best and although we may want to head in that direction few teachers can imagine what their role would be in such a model.

13. More Thoughts n The article partially falls in the Critical Theory school of thought in that it seeks to identify the underlying structures of the present education system and looks at quite a radical shift in the institution of the school in order to prepare students for what they view to be a new information society. This involves shifting education to help citizens develop their own vision of themselves and their society. However, the emphasis in the article on ‘vision’ and examples of self-directed learning also bring in elements of an SI perspective. This article takes a critical look at how we do school and how we envision technology facilitating learning. It calls us to evaluate our present concept of what is “good” education and “good teaching”.

14. More About the Authors Seymour Papert - Professor considered the world's foremost expert on how technology can provide new ways to learn. n http://www.papert.com/ http://www.papert.com/ William Gaston Caperton III - Former Governor of the U.S. State of West Virginia n http://www.wvculture.org/history/caperton.html http://www.wvculture.org/history/caperton.html