STEM and the Sacred

"Sacred plum trees from Dazaifu Tenmangu, a shrine in Fukuoka Prefecture that honors the god of learning, will be donated to a high school in the city of Fukushima in an initiative to boost the morale of students who have struggled through the March 2011 disasters." here

This is remarkable and touching story. Could a gift of trees boost the morale of American (read non-Native) students? Although several species of trees are protected, such as Redwoods, they are hardly sacred. American culture simply struggles to view trees, earth and river as having any intrinsic value.

Perhaps our pedagogical system needs a turn towards the sacred? Instead of an instrumental purpose, where Americans are taught to look at a tree or river simply in terms of what one can do with it, we could, instead, focus on life's inherent sacredness. This would mean a shift in the new emphasis on STEM. Instead of preparing legions for corporations, we would prepare students to live in a new world. Science would be taught with an emphasis on the interconnectedness of all life and inherent value and wonder of all species (emphasis biodiversity, biocentrism);  Technology would focus on youth learning to find solutions to today's global ecological, food security and energy problems; Engineering would focus on green technologies; and Math would focus on learning a language in which we can discuss the underlying mystery and unity of the cosmos. This new approach to STEM would be anchored in assisting youth to appreciate the sacredness of the universe we inhabit and how to assume the role of earth friendly stewards.    

The New Interest in Vocational Education

There seems to be a new and growing interest in vocational education founded on STEM. This is certainly understandable, given the fact that so many of today's college graduates are unable to find jobs. Couple that with the media's feature articles popping up on  Yahoo and elsewhere informing us that there are jobs that pay well but don't require a degree and one can understand the resurgence (here). 

In the past, vocational education (read "shop and cooking classes") were places where schools dumped minorities, English learners, students with behavior (or attitude) problems, and those with disabilities (here). At some point society became aware that this practice was a civil rights issue. Then vocational education went out of fashion.

According to Cohen and Besharov (2002) "vocational education lost popularity in the United States due to an increased emphasis on academic skills and a belief in college for all, coupled with a perception that vocational education was becoming an educational backwater for the disadvantaged." Here 

The problem, though, with stove piping youth towards vocational education is the quality of the vocational education may not serve youth's future interests. Are they being prepared for one particular job? Or will they have the skills to adapt to a changing workplace? And what about issues such as citizenship, the search for the meaning of life, learning to examine life, and developing a refined taste in order to enjoy a lifetime of learning in the areas of the arts? Or the development of emotional intelligence, social skills, leadership, critical thinking, interpersonal skills, ethical reflection, and creative thinking? Isn't there a danger that the arts and humanities will become limited to the upper classes who can afford to "indulge" in them at places such as Harvard and Yale while the lower classes focus on plumbing and carpentry?

But let us back up a moment and look at the changing workforce. In the last few years the field of architecture and drafting went from being a sought after career to one of high unemployment. In the future, though, it will no doubt experience a resurgence through 3-D printing. Imagine an item, perhaps an antique, that you cannot buy. But you could go to a draftsman and have it drawn, and then go to the local hardware store where the drawings would be fed into a 3-D printer and made. If this transpires, droves of youth, infatuated with 3-D printing, will no doubt enroll in drafting and architecture classes. Now imagine a little further down the line. Someone invents a digital camera that photographs the item and produces a ready 3-D image that can be electronically sent to the printer. The result - lots of folks out of work.

Instead of looking at preparing individuals for one particular career, vocational education programs must incorporate other disciplinary approaches, including the humanities, to educating youth. Isn't it time we explored the connections between career, business, science, social science, the arts, and humanities (here)?

Using the Film "Elysium" in Education

The film Elysium, created by Neill Blomkamp, "takes place on both a ravaged Earth and a luxurious space habitat called Elysium. It explores political and sociological themes such as immigration, overpopulation, transhumanism, health care, exploitation, and class issues." (*)

"Elysium or the Elysian Fields (Ancient Greek: Ἠλύσιον πεδίον, Ēlýsion pedíon) is a conception of the afterlife that developed over time and was maintained by certain Greek religious and philosophical sects and cults. Initially separate from the realm of Hades, admission was initially reserved for mortals related to the gods and other heroes. Later, it expanded to include those chosen by the gods, the righteous, and the heroic, where they would remain after death, to live a blessed and happy life, and indulging in whatever employment they had enjoyed in life." (*)

As educators, how can we use this film to explore the aforementioned issues?  Questions for discussion, research and reports might include:


* The film portrays two very different existences. Has the film made us more aware of the differences in existence between suburban gated communities and life in low-income inner city neighborhoods?


* The film portrays barren landscapes on earth, devoid of water while those on Elysium enjoy lush gardens and swimming pools. In the near future, much of the earth will experience desertification. Millions will be on the move to escape droughts. How does the film explore tensions between these two realities? What obligation, if any, do wealthier countries with water have towards areas that are experiencing drought and poverty?


* Is health care a human right? Should those with means have better health care than those without? How is this portrayed in the film?


* What rights and protections should workers have? How is this portrayed in the film?


Join the discussion at Wiser.org here

Bilingualism

"If you want to learn another language and become fluent, you may have to change the way you behave in small but sometimes significant ways, specifically how you sort things into categories and what you notice."

New research by Aneta Pavlenko examines the affects of bilingualism on us. Learn more at NPR here

Let's discuss:

How does learning another language, or growing-up bilingual, change who you are? Do we see the world differently through another language? Can we gain new perspectives? How important is it to speak more than one language in the 21st century? What about by 2050? Join the discussion at Wiser here.