The Echoes of Downton Abbey
Mark Putnam | 8 Comments | Posted: January 14, 2013
Societal change is difficult to describe, much less interpret accurately.
Posts with the "technology" tag:
The Road Ahead: Learning is Central
Mark Putnam | 7 Comments | Posted: October 22, 2012
For me, the relationship between teacher and student, master and apprentice, and parent and child, is the base element of learning. To be sure, the nature of those relationships changes through the course of lifespan development.
The Road Ahead: Cost, Price, Productivity and Affordability
Mark Putnam | 10 Comments | Posted: October 8, 2012
What we do as a residential liberal arts college is inherently expensive. Our aim is to provide the time and space necessary for well-prepared students and well-prepared faculty to engage in a shared experience of teaching and learning…Colleges and universities are not passing the full cost of operations on to students and families, nor have they ever done so. We simply can’t. Instead we are constantly refining how we do things and continually seeking the support of generous individuals, corporations and foundations to offset cost increases that cannot be fully supported by price increases.
The Road Ahead: In Search of a Free Ride
Mark Putnam | 8 Comments | Posted: September 5, 2012
In 1999, Columbia University and five prestigious partner organizations created a for-profit education company called Fathom. The initial partners included The London School of Economics and Political Science, Cambridge University Press, The British Library, The Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of Natural History and The New York Public Library. Other equally powerful partners joined the enterprise with the goal of launching a web environment that would be the hub of knowledge and education on the internet.
The Road Ahead: Evolutionary or Revolutionary?
Mark Putnam | 5 Comments | Posted: August 13, 2012
I think there is something much deeper behind this resistance to change, and it’s not the bureaucracy – it’s the market. The difference for the market is a distinction between models of learning that are primarily relational vs. transactional; models of learning that are formative vs. summative; and models of learning that pursue knowledge vs. certify credentials.
Do We Understand Each Other?
Mark Putnam | 13 Comments | Posted: November 2, 2011
One of the areas I have been most fascinated with is language. My years of studying German and Greek are a great distance in the rearview mirror, and useful only in remembering a few words, phrases and ideas. Yet I am fascinated with the ways in which language is reshaping the way we experience the world today. As isolation continues to fade with technology, telecommunication and social networking, it’s easy to assume the need for language ability also is fading.
Science in the Public Interest
Mark Putnam | 18 Comments | Posted: April 13, 2011
I was never encouraged to study science. It’s a disappointment I carry to this day. I really don’t know why this was the case for me. It’s true my family was not particularly oriented toward science. In fact, I don’t know anyone in my immediate or extended family who has an educational or professional background in science. I recall the teachers I had in secondary school for science classes were not very inspiring. In my experience, science was mostly about memorization. I do remember dissecting a frog in biology class, but that’s about it. I also had an earth science teacher who was entertaining as a lecturer, but there was little for me to do beyond listening, recording and remembering – at least for the test.
The Power of Affiliation
Mark Putnam | 11 Comments | Posted: January 17, 2011
We are witnessing the formation of communities that transcend traditional loyalties in national citizenship or political ideology resulting in increased regional and global tensions. This kind of realignment presents increasing challenges as relationships rooted in history, language and culture are no longer located geographically, but nurtured and developed globally through technology. If identity is no longer associated with lines on a map, but through affinity and affiliation, how will this impact our understanding of a society?
About the Author
I'm the lucky individual who carries the title, 21st president of Central College in Pella, Iowa. My wife Tammy and I have two beautiful daughters, Emma and Greta. Passionate about higher education and the issues facing it and the world today, I hope to invoke an engaging conversation with all who are ready to dig in, make a difference and build for the future. Share your thoughts. I'm listening and interested.
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