Its a strange feeling, to come to an epiphany so seemingly obvious the the elation of its discovery is overshadowed by the humility that everyone else on the planet might already know it. And yet despite that, I feel the need to discuss this most recent revelation of mine. With apologies, let us begin.
The past few months have been rich with various events for me. The Games Learning and Society conference. The Learning Design Summer Camp. My first masters class - The Ethics of Science and Technology. And earlier this week, the Designs on eLearning conference. Though each event (or class) has been an interesting experience and valuable for multiple reasons, one common thread has permeated them all. The diversity of perspectives.
There is something to be said for gathering together and sharing ideas with those like you - people who think about, struggle with, and understand the challenges you face. But increasingly I'm wondering if there is more to be said about sharing ideas with those who are nothing like you at all.
In reflecting back on the some of the most enjoyable, thought provoking, inspiring professional conversations I've had over the past few months, a majority of them have occurred with people who came from a different place than I did. Different backgrounds. Different academic fields. Different job responsibilities. Different schools. Different countries. Different rules, different challenges, and ultimately different goals. It is only a common interest, or perhaps more appropriately a curiosity in something that bridges the differences just enough to bring people together and begin conversations.
And the eye opening potential of those conversations is tremendous.
This idea is not new or original. It was articulated months ago by The Brainy Gamer. It was articulated in class on Wednesday, by Professor Steve Walton and at the Designs on eLearning conference by Dr. Thylias Moss. It is the reason why, as a culture, we value diversity. It should be, as I mentioned before, so obvious that it can hardly be considered a revelation. Yet somehow... something feels new today. As if for the first time I understand something I had thought I'd known for my entire professional life.
Does it mean I'm no longer interested in perspectives similar to my own? Far from it.
Maybe I need to spend more time thinking outside of my own world. Maybe I crave a level of thinking that homogenous perspectives no longer afford. Or maybe thinking out loud of a friday afternoon just leads to incoherent drivel.
Regardless, it does mean something. Now to figure out what...
The past few months have been rich with various events for me. The Games Learning and Society conference. The Learning Design Summer Camp. My first masters class - The Ethics of Science and Technology. And earlier this week, the Designs on eLearning conference. Though each event (or class) has been an interesting experience and valuable for multiple reasons, one common thread has permeated them all. The diversity of perspectives.
There is something to be said for gathering together and sharing ideas with those like you - people who think about, struggle with, and understand the challenges you face. But increasingly I'm wondering if there is more to be said about sharing ideas with those who are nothing like you at all.
In reflecting back on the some of the most enjoyable, thought provoking, inspiring professional conversations I've had over the past few months, a majority of them have occurred with people who came from a different place than I did. Different backgrounds. Different academic fields. Different job responsibilities. Different schools. Different countries. Different rules, different challenges, and ultimately different goals. It is only a common interest, or perhaps more appropriately a curiosity in something that bridges the differences just enough to bring people together and begin conversations.
And the eye opening potential of those conversations is tremendous.
This idea is not new or original. It was articulated months ago by The Brainy Gamer. It was articulated in class on Wednesday, by Professor Steve Walton and at the Designs on eLearning conference by Dr. Thylias Moss. It is the reason why, as a culture, we value diversity. It should be, as I mentioned before, so obvious that it can hardly be considered a revelation. Yet somehow... something feels new today. As if for the first time I understand something I had thought I'd known for my entire professional life.
Does it mean I'm no longer interested in perspectives similar to my own? Far from it.
Maybe I need to spend more time thinking outside of my own world. Maybe I crave a level of thinking that homogenous perspectives no longer afford. Or maybe thinking out loud of a friday afternoon just leads to incoherent drivel.
Regardless, it does mean something. Now to figure out what...
I totally agree.
Oddly, I don't think I understand how much has changed until I talk to people outside my hyper tech bubble.
I actually find it energizing because I know the impact is larger than I may have thought, but I may have an idea where to go next.