Image Credit: Testar Logistics; CC Licence
I was away sunning myself last week, so I missed, the predicted and inevitable announcement regarding the abolition of the Becta, QCDA and the GTCE, and unsurprisingly, the social networks, mail-lists and forums have been buzzing and there have been some excellent blog posts covering a broad range of viewpoints, reflecting on the new, and unfamiliar landscape as it emerges.
Whist there has been a fair bit of hand wringing, and some folks wanting to take action to 'save' these bodies'; irrespective of their merits or otherwise; now that it has happened, it is important to recognise that we have a 'clean slate'. Not necessarily a bad thing, because all interested in learning, especially in the formal and compulsory education sectors now have the opportunity to significantly shape the future direction of how technology augments learning.
Now, the question is how are we to approach this; as a blank canvas or a painting by numbers exercise? The latter is the easy option and in my opinion doomed to failure, resulting in a poor pastiche, (see image above), of what has gone before.
The challenge is to bring together all stakeholders to work on a broad canvas, rather than each individually and meticulously trying to keep within the boundaries of their allocated areas. The grass roots conferences, movements and networks have a key role to play but they cannot do it by themselves, other stakeholders need to be involved; Naace, Edugeek, Mirandanet, JISC, Futurelab and the startups and commercial companies who wish to operate in education. I am sure there are many others I have missed; who may wish to add themselves in the comments below.
To conclude, many styles and approaches will be needed, Constructivist, Futurist, Abstract Expressionism, Conceptual, Impressionist, Super Realist, Folk Art, Surrealism and Graffiti. Any more?
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