Ed3 Issue #35: So Many Questions
Hello web3 and educator frens,
Questions, questions, so many questions. Albert Einstein said, “The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing.” Curiosity is an especially important skill in the world of web3. There are so many new terms and ideas being introduced that it can get overwhelming to keep up.
The landscape of the future of the internet is becoming more clear. We should all be asking questions about how it will function in our lives. How will our systems look? This will apply across all industries from healthcare, government, energy, and more.
This all ties back to education. Our job is to design conditions that allow our students to thrive. A fundamental understanding to do this is the discipline of “futures thinking.” This helps us what Alvin Toffler called our “possible, probable, and preferable futures.” These are important lenses that help us access new knowledge to guide our educational design.
My hope is that if you have been digging into the resources I have been sharing in the previous thirty-four issues of this newsletter you have some questions. If not, I am here to help with some questions of my own and I found some relevant resources to share with you.
🏫 Web3 founder writes about the impact of decentralization on our school structures
🎧 Podcast episode from The BBC breaking down the metaverse into simple ideas
📽 Video about the term “VUCA” and why it is important for educators to understand what this means
🧑🎨 Newsletter article about learning design and how it will change in the future
Will Decentralization Eliminate Schools?
Photo provided by mpeck.eth
I have previously shared articles by Mike Peck and ones he co-wrote with Vriti Saraf. As co-founders of the Ed3 DAO* they have a unique insight into the impact of the future of the internet on education. They have written about the impact of DAOs on education models as well as the ways web3 will have a positive impact on education.
This article by Mike Peck dives deeper into the topic of decentralization. Mike has a deep understanding of learning architecture and he brings a comprehensive understanding of how these structures will be impacted. This article is a great way to get curious about how the structures we take for granted will shift in the future.
*Full disclosure I work as the community growth lead at the Ed3 DAO
Still Not Sure Why People Are Talking About the Metaverse?
Photo provided by BBC News
We’ve all been inundated by metaverse talk. But it never hurts to revisit the topic to make sure you have all your bases covered. This podcast episode by BBC reviews the foundational principles of the metaverse in an easy-to-understand and factual way.
There are numerous interpretations of what the metaverse may and may not be. I find that in each summary and analysis I discover new things. Part of being curious is remaining humble. Realizing you don’t know everything and that blindspots still remain.
Do You Know What VUCA Means?
Kevin Bushweller & Emma Patti Harris/Education Week
This video doesn’t relate directly to web3, but I find it extremely important. If you have an interest in web3 then you have an interest in the future. Along with that future visioning, you have an understanding of how volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous it is.
“VUCA”, an acronym with roots in military planning has a major role in how we design and plan in our schools. While it became a little trendy during the immediate months after the COVID-19 pandemic, it is a concept that we need to keep at the forefront of our thinking as we continue to navigate these times.
How Design Will Change in the Future?
Graphic by Dr. Philippa Hardman
The role of the learning designer has changed significantly in recent years due to the proliferation of technology and the shift toward online learning. With the increasing use of digital tools in education, learning designers are now responsible for designing and developing a wider range of learning experiences. As a result, learning designers now need a more diverse set of skills, including expertise in instructional design, multimedia production, and technology. (Text generated by chatGPT edited by me)
This newsletter article is subtitled “How to get & stay ahead of the learning design game in a post-AI world.” As my AI-generated paragraph above demonstrates, tools like chatGPT have major implications on how we design learning experiences. It is crucial that we as educators critically examine these tools to best understand how to incorporate them into our instruction.
Thank you for stopping by for another issue of my web3🤝education newsletter. If you’re on LinkedIn you can check out a version of this newsletter on my LinkedIn page and give me a follow. You can also link to all my work by checking out my blog or give me a follow on Twitter.