Monthly Archives: March 2017

journal article – Lingering on Aoki’s bridge

My technotheology article finally comes out. From the Journal of Curriculum Theorizing. Here’s the abstract:

Ted Tetsuo Aoki (1919-2012) was a Japanese-Canadian educator who spoke compellingly against the technological-instrumental implementation of curriculum found within the business-consumer model of education. In his greater mission of understanding curriculum and instruction, Aoki has tried new modes of interpretation, seeing curriculum as currere, praxis, ideology, as plan, as lived. One possibility implied in Aoki’s work is inhabiting the space in-between materiality and spirituality, more specifically between technology and theology. As Aoki might ask: how we can linger on the bridge between technology and theology? The purpose of using the bridge metaphor, is to discern lines of movement in Aoki’s writings which bridges technology and theology. We are asked to pause, delay ourselves in true conversations and discern Aoki as a possible curricular techno-theologian. Within this reconceptualization, we may understand the way Aoki’s curricular possibilities allow us to dwell in a technological world which does not default into instrumentalization. Link below.

Lingering on Aoki’s bridge: Conceptualizing Ted Aoki as Curricular Technotheologian

 

Connected Learning Hackathon @ UBC

Yesterday (March 4), I had the privilege to participate in the Connected Learning Hackathon as part of the Sky, Water, Earth project. Here’s the blurb from the website:

Sky, Water, Earth is a collection of informal learning activities that evoke a sense of wonder about the planet we live on and beyond, through astronomy, marine biology, and the intersection between the two. Sky, Water, Earth takes the form of a career preparation initiative for youths aged 17-24 who are interested in the field of science. The initiative encourages youths to follow their passion and through a variety of activities helps them build competencies employers value. Youths who are fully engaged are awarded with unique real-life opportunities that provide additional in-depth experiences and further expand their personal and professional networks. These opportunities bring forward-thinking students closer to success in their academic and professional careers.

More interestingly, from an educational technology perspective, this project ” is a joint initiative between the Faculty of Education at UBC, the Vancouver Aquarium Marine Science Centre, and the HR MacMillan Space Centre. Sky, Water, Earth will be facilitated online using edX Edge and an emerging connected learning website called LRNG.org.”

I think the notion of ‘connected learning’ as a self-curated playlist of learning activities is fascinating, and warrants further study (at least by myself). So I found myself participating in the connected learning hackathon, along with fellow educators to help design and create several lessons for the learning playlist.

Looking forward to following the progress of this project.