I always find this kind of keynote the hardest to blog – David is talking about the use of technology in education, and stating that we don’t do anything like enough to exploit its full potential. He seems to be saying in the nicest possible way that we really aren’t very good at innovation in the education sector – perhaps specifically in the HE sector, as he is reflecting on how primary school teaching has changed, making the pupils the centre of the teaching experience – no longer does the teacher act as the ‘expert’, but as a facilitator for the students.
Of course, this is not a novel observation, but perhaps shows that these ideas have not filtered through to HE.
David Puttnam suggesting that resources will start introducing pay walls for their ‘best’ or most detailed information – in the way the FT do, and the Wall Street Journal is doing now it has retreated from its ‘everything for free’ idea. This is at odds with quite a bit of opinion in this area (there was an interesting discussion in the Guardian’s Media podcast a couple of weeks ago about the future of paid for content).
David noting that he has recently invested in a second screen for his PC – now uses one for email and communication, and the other for ‘data’ and information – and it has transformed his life. This is interesting, perhaps I should think about it for my own desk…
David has several times mentioned the resistance to innovation and change that he has encountered. He is talking about his experience in a parliamentary committee (House of Lords) and how they end up using their hands because of the lack of visual aids – and reflecting on the fact that the Chancellor of the Exchequer can’t use visual aids when presenting (for example) on the budget – and that this is then ‘spun’ by analysts and media organisations, who can use visual aids to interpret what the Chancellor is saying – so it isn’t a ‘neutral’ issue.
David now reflecting on how far Singapore and South Korea are ahead of the UK, and how they understand the link between great infrastructure and innovation.
If we don’t invest in technology infrastructure, we risk delivering a second class education in the future. Unversities and Colleges are in the position to be able to influence and change the future.
Questions
Q: Is there any evidence that we have a better workforce or society through investment in the Open University?
A: Avoiding the question of a ‘better society’, what we have managed to do is keep up with changes in the workplace. 15 years ago there was a large organised workforce (factories etc.) who didn’t need flexibility. Now (for example) the vast majority of the workforce need some level of IT skills. Although we may not have a workforce fit for the 21st Century, we at least have a workforce fit for the late 20th Century. Although we have made good inroads, it isn’t enough, and not all the right direction for where we need to go next.
