Comments on: Ephipany of an Educator http://e-poche.net/2006/11/28/ephipany-of-an-educator/ under the influence of epoche Thu, 08 Jan 2009 20:41:37 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Aaron http://e-poche.net/2006/11/28/ephipany-of-an-educator/#comment-16655 Aaron Sun, 10 Dec 2006 03:09:37 +0000 http://e-poche.net/?p=286#comment-16655 What are the qualities of an institutional setting? To characterize that, I only have to go on what I have experienced thus far: medium-to-large universities here in Japan and in the U.S.: political, bureaucratic, hierarchical, fairly rigid places where change is slow. Case in point: recently another teacher and I wanted to use a plug-in modular activity on the university Moodle that isn't installed on the current system. The installation process - start to finish - would take 10 to 15 min. Yet, we would most likely have to wait months - even up to a year - to get it installed. While I imagine there are perfectly sound reasons for this, such impediments to fluidity happen daily in large institutions, and are reflected in the way curricula are designed. In the <a href="http://e-poche.net/?p=286#comment-14642" rel="nofollow">comment above</a>, I was referring to a political aspect of institutional education, namely that religion and spirituality don't belong in the curriculum. While I can understand the reasoning for religion being barred, the failure to deal with the second is a huge mistake in my opinion. When you separate spirituality from the learning process, students get schooled. When you include it, learners can develop fully, moving toward greater compassion and autonomy. What are the qualities of an institutional setting? To characterize that, I only have to go on what I have experienced thus far: medium-to-large universities here in Japan and in the U.S.: political, bureaucratic, hierarchical, fairly rigid places where change is slow.

Case in point: recently another teacher and I wanted to use a plug-in modular activity on the university Moodle that isn’t installed on the current system. The installation process - start to finish - would take 10 to 15 min. Yet, we would most likely have to wait months - even up to a year - to get it installed. While I imagine there are perfectly sound reasons for this, such impediments to fluidity happen daily in large institutions, and are reflected in the way curricula are designed.

In the comment above, I was referring to a political aspect of institutional education, namely that religion and spirituality don’t belong in the curriculum. While I can understand the reasoning for religion being barred, the failure to deal with the second is a huge mistake in my opinion. When you separate spirituality from the learning process, students get schooled. When you include it, learners can develop fully, moving toward greater compassion and autonomy.

]]> By: Marco Polo http://e-poche.net/2006/11/28/ephipany-of-an-educator/#comment-16499 Marco Polo Sat, 09 Dec 2006 05:55:10 +0000 http://e-poche.net/?p=286#comment-16499 This is the second time recently that you've used the phrase "in an institutional setting". I'd be interested to hear/read what you think the qualities of such a setting are. I get the impression you are using the phrase as shorthand for certain limitations, impositions, constraints, "realities". This is the second time recently that you’ve used the phrase “in an institutional setting”. I’d be interested to hear/read what you think the qualities of such a setting are. I get the impression you are using the phrase as shorthand for certain limitations, impositions, constraints, “realities”.

]]> By: Aaron http://e-poche.net/2006/11/28/ephipany-of-an-educator/#comment-14642 Aaron Tue, 28 Nov 2006 23:44:14 +0000 http://e-poche.net/?p=286#comment-14642 I doubt it. But I don't interpret this case as a nerd becoming an artist, but rather a nerd who breaks through and understands the other side of the Tao. His consciousness has expanded and now he accesses both, leading to new insights. This is the place where spirituality and science meet. How do our practices as educators lead people toward such an understanding? Can we be spiritual without being spiritual? I think this is necessary when dealing with the topic in an institutional setting. I doubt it. But I don’t interpret this case as a nerd becoming an artist, but rather a nerd who breaks through and understands the other side of the Tao. His consciousness has expanded and now he accesses both, leading to new insights. This is the place where spirituality and science meet.

How do our practices as educators lead people toward such an understanding? Can we be spiritual without being spiritual? I think this is necessary when dealing with the topic in an institutional setting.

]]> By: Marco Polo http://e-poche.net/2006/11/28/ephipany-of-an-educator/#comment-14528 Marco Polo Tue, 28 Nov 2006 09:00:05 +0000 http://e-poche.net/?p=286#comment-14528 Kinda fun. I wonder if there's a movie of an epiphany of an artist who become a nerd...? Kinda fun. I wonder if there’s a movie of an epiphany of an artist who become a nerd…?

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