The e-xam is simple, but it's different. You are the architects of your own future as educators, and hence, you must be visionaries. You know that educational systems must adapt in order to survive. Dr. Thornburg has indicated that schools need to be doing "different things" rather than simply doing "things differently" in order to survive. From your reading of Dr. Von Oech's book, you have learned new ways to imagine. In "Problem Solving and Computers", you have developed or honed skills and learned strategies that will be useful immediately and most certainly in the future, and you have the care and concern for your students. Define and describe a school or school system that does different things to prepare our students for the future.
Once you have completed your description, e-mail it to Dr. Thornburg at TCPD2020@aol.com and to Dr. Von Oech at roger@creativethink.com. Send your instructor a cc of your description so he can examine your reflections and return an evaluation to you and the university.
As you prepare and write this paper, review and consider the following readings, experiences and concepts. Examine the articles we have read and review the summaries you have received as e-mail. Reflect on the Hot Seat presentations you have witnessed and the compelling questions that have been asked. Examine the way schools need to be financed in the future so that equality of educational opportunity is addressed. Consider some of the different things we have done as a group (the MOO discussions and the WebBoard postings) Finally, look at the curriculum (in general or within the area you teach) and focus on the kind of learning tools and skills students need to acquire in this school of the future. You may use John Gable's E-xam as an example although you must note that he doesn't address the issue of finance.
Most importantly, be a visionary. I have tried to teach you in this class that you can construct your own ways of looking at thinking and problem solving, that you can think about your own thinking (metacognition), and that the wise use of technology offers all of us an opportunity to take risks as we problem solve our way into the next century.
Enjoy this opportunity to think about schools of the future. This e-xam is due in my e-mail inboxe on the final week of class.