I have recently read the book Our Iceberg is Melting by John Kotter. It begins with a fable of a penguin colony living peacefully on an iceberg in Antarctica. Over time, Fred, an "unusually curious and observant bird," discovers a potentially devastating problem threatening their home, one which will forever challenge their survival and possibly cause their demise (Kotter 9.)
Through this fable, the reader meets a cast of characters including Fred, Alice, Louis, Buddy, the Professor, and NoNo. Some of these characters are willing to step up and look for solutions while others serve as naysayers refusing to believe the observations Fred has collected.
Is our education iceberg melting? Judge for yourself. Here are some observations that might help guide you.
Sugata Mitra's new experiments in self-teaching
Be sure to watch until the end of the video as Sugata Mitra shares his image of classrooms of the future. Also, check out the article below that shares the story of how children in Ethiopia are beginning to learn to read without the support of a teacher.
Given Tablets but No Teachers Ethiopian Teachers Teach Themselves
Emerging technologies are exciting and will have a profound impact on our society. If we do not pay attention and change with them, however, they can lead to our demise--just ask Blockbuster, Tower Records, or Circuit City. Technology is just one of the many changes education must embrace.
How will you react? If you are concerned about the observations you are collecting and want to succeed in the time of change, I would highly suggest reading Our Iceberg is Melting with your learning community as a first step in building capacity for change.
This post is part of my Book A Month Challenge
Kotter, J. P., & Rathgeber, H. (2006). Our iceberg is melting, changing and succeeding under any conditions. St Martins Pr.
