TEDxKC - Michael Wesch - From Knowledgeable to Knowledge-Able

Summary

In this TEDxKC talk, Dr. Michael Wesch addresses the urgent need for a new educational paradigm. He uses the metaphor of a world on fire to highlight global crises and the inadequacy of current teaching methods. Wesch advocates for moving students from passive knowledge absorption to active knowledge-ability, emphasizing the importance of critical thinking and creative problem-solving in the digital age. He showcases examples of global connectivity and collaboration, urging educators to embrace technology and real-world problems to prepare students for the challenges of the 21st century.

Takeaways

• 🌍 The world is facing multiple crises, including hunger, economic, and energy crises, with a significant portion of the global population living in poverty.
• 🔥 The metaphor of the world being on fire is used to illustrate the urgent need for change in how we prepare the youth for future challenges.
• 📚 Current educational systems are criticized for not effectively engaging students or preparing them to deal with real-world problems.
• 🤔 The questions students ask often reflect a focus on grades and requirements rather than on meaningful learning and understanding.
• 📈 Surveys reveal that students are not fully engaging with assigned readings, with a significant percentage finding them irrelevant to their lives.
• 💻 The pervasive presence of technology in classrooms has created new distractions and a shift in how students interact with their educational environment.
• 🌐 The new media landscape enables global conversations and the easy dissemination of information, which challenges traditional forms of education and assessment.
• 🔑 The speaker argues for a shift from simply being knowledgeable to being knowledge-able, emphasizing the ability to find, analyze, and create information.
• 📺 Media shapes our communication and relationships, and the advent of new media requires us to rethink how we approach education and learning.
• 🎼 The power of new media is demonstrated through examples like the 'Free Hugs' campaign and the virtual choir, showing how it can facilitate global connections and collaborations.
• 🌳 The script highlights the impact of media on identity formation and the importance of critical thinking, especially in the context of advertising and societal messages.
• 🏫 The classroom environment and traditional teaching methods are critiqued for not fostering the necessary skills for students to navigate the modern world effectively.
• 🌟 The potential of new media is underscored by its ability to mobilize people for social good, as seen in the examples of Ushahidi and the response to the Dove commercial.
• 📝 The importance of embracing real-world problems in education is emphasized, along with the need for students to practice knowledge-ability through active engagement and collaboration.
• 🕊️ The Aztec story of the world on fire concludes the script with a message of hope and the power of individual and collective action to effect change.

Q & A

What is the central metaphor used by Dr. Michael Wesch to describe the current state of the world?

The central metaphor used by Dr. Michael Wesch is 'the world on fire,' symbolizing the various crises such as hunger, economic, and energy crises, as well as environmental issues like islands of trash in the oceans.

What does Dr. Wesch suggest is the current state of youth engagement in higher education?

Dr. Wesch suggests that the current state of youth engagement in higher education is lacking, as evidenced by their disinterest in class and the types of questions they ask, which are more focused on grades and requirements rather than learning and understanding.

How does Dr. Wesch describe the failure rate of university assignments in terms of relevance to students' lives?

Dr. Wesch describes a 74% failure rate, as students find only 26% of the assigned readings relevant to their lives, based on a survey conducted across the university.

What is the 'new media landscape' that Dr. Wesch refers to and how does it affect education?

The 'new media landscape' refers to the digital environment where nearly the entire body of human knowledge and digital artifacts are accessible. This affects education by making traditional teaching methods seem outdated and by providing students with easy access to information, thus requiring a shift in how knowledge is taught and acquired.

What does Dr. Wesch argue is the difference between being 'knowledgeable' and 'knowledge-able'?

Dr. Wesch argues that being 'knowledgeable' is about knowing a bunch of stuff, while being 'knowledge-able' is about being able to find, sort, analyze, criticize, and create new information and knowledge.

How does Dr. Wesch relate the changes in media to changes in relationships and society?

Dr. Wesch relates changes in media to changes in relationships and society by stating that media shape what can be said, who can say it, who can hear it, and how it can be said, thus mediating relationships and allowing us to connect with one another in different ways.

What is the significance of the Dove commercial in the context of Dr. Wesch's talk?

The Dove commercial is significant as it demonstrates the power of media to influence perceptions, particularly about beauty standards, and how media can have a negative impact on individuals, especially during critical moments of identity formation.

What example does Dr. Wesch use to illustrate the power of new media in organizing global social movements?

Dr. Wesch uses the example of 'One Man' from Sydney, who started the 'Free Hugs' campaign. This campaign went viral on YouTube, leading to thousands of events worldwide, illustrating how new media can easily connect and organize people globally.

How does Dr. Wesch describe the impact of new media on the traditional classroom environment?

Dr. Wesch describes the impact of new media on the traditional classroom by highlighting the ease of access to information and the ability to connect and collaborate globally, which makes traditional exams and lectures seem outdated and out of place.

What is the key message Dr. Wesch wants students to learn from his classroom experience?

The key message Dr. Wesch wants students to learn is to move beyond just seeking meaning and to realize that meaning is not something you find but something you create, both in themselves and in the world.

How does Dr. Wesch conclude his talk with the Aztec story, and what lesson does it impart?

Dr. Wesch concludes his talk by recounting the Aztec story where a small bird's efforts to put out a world-consuming fire inspire other animals to join in, ultimately saving the world. The lesson imparted is that even small actions can make a significant difference, and it's about doing the best one can in the face of overwhelming challenges.