David C. Kinsey Dialogue Series University of Massachusetts, Amherst, 2001 On April 27, 2001, LDI President Jan Visser was the third annual speaker in the David Kinsey Dialogue Series, organized by the (CIE) at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. Visser's contribution in this framework also included a workshop, on April 28, 2001, on the Reinvention of Learning. Below are abstracts of the 2001 David Kinsey Lecture; information about the David Kinsey Dialogue Series (as well as about the man in whose memory it is being organized); and the full text of the paper presented in the lecture series.
1) Presentation on Landscaping the Learning Environment to Create a Home for the Complex Mind.
Abstract:
The starting point of the presentation is a definition of human learning as a dialogic and social phenomenon. The same definition posits 'constructive interaction with change' as the overall purpose of human learning. I argue - based on research, and taking a retrospective look at my experience in developing the conditions of learning around the globe - that such things as the acquisition of specific skills and mastery of particular fields of knowledge are part of a more comprehensive perspective. They start making sense within that larger context and are at risk of losing their meaning if no proper attention is paid to that overall setting. The metaphor of a landscape is used to highlight important aspects of the overall context in which human learning evolves. The learning landscape can be seen as made-up of various sub-landscapes, which include - but are not limited to - the media landscape, the socio-cultural organization landscape, and the instructional landscape. Integrity within and among those various landscapes is an essential feature of the learning landscape.
Existing discourse about learning emphasizes its relation to instruction. However, existing instructional practice tends to see the human mind as the end-point of the learning process rather than as its active ingredient. It also tends to look at the mind as uniform across individuals. It furthermore looks at the mind as an expression of the individual, paying little to no attention to mind as an expression of the feelings, perceptions, and the capability to think and will on the part of communities that learn. I thus contend that a more complete vision of mind is required, arguing that the development of such a vision goes hand-in-hand with creating the conditions of learning in terms of the variety of landscapes referred to above, while doing so in an integral and holistic fashion. Stated differently, the development of our humanity is contingent upon the development of a broader conceptual framework for both the human mind and its habitat.
2) Workshop on The Reinvention of Learning.
Abstract:
The workshop at UMass, Amherst, drew on LDI's experience in running 'Reinvention of Learning' workshops in different parts of the world, normally over periods of several days. The Amherst worshop was a scaled down version of the regular format with a reduced number, and more limited scope, of the various items normally included in the program. The morning session on Saturday April 28 was used to actively engage participants, through exercises and discussion, in mind expansion regarding the issues raised in the presentation the day before. While that session had a structured character, the lunch period that followed it as well as the afternoon were used for individual and small-group consultation. The objective of such consultation was to explore how research and development work undertaken at UMass Amherst in general, and CIE in particular, could contribute to the mission and vision of the Learning Development Institute, and how practical ways could be found for the building of partnership.
3) Information about David Kinsey; the David Kinsey Dialogue Series; and CIE
The following information was provided by the Center for International Education (CIE) at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst:
David Kinsey was a professor at the Center for International Education , specializing in the areas of alternative forms of community development, participatory and action research, creativity and evaluation, and adult literacy. David's thinking was formative to how CIE views these areas, and influenced students who are now academics and community activists in the US and abroad. As a memorial, a fund for a speaker series was established to bring to campus individuals who represent the interest areas and the nature of David's work.
will be the third time it is organized. The first guest speaker was Colombian sociologist Orlando Fals-Borda, one of the founders of Participatory Action Research, and a world leader in alternative community empowerment. The second speaker in the David C. Kinsey Dialogue Series was Irish anthropologist Eileen Kane, the founder of the first anthropology department in Ireland, and a highly respected author and lecturer.
The Center for International Education (CIE) was established in 1969 as a graduate academic and research organization committed to promoting participatory research and evaluation in development settings. In its teaching, research, and programs, CIE strives to link international and domestic activities, and to promote constant dialogue between theory and practice. CIE has a long and successful history in designing, implementing, and evaluating educational initiatives in Asia, Africa, and Latin America.
4) Full PDF text of the 2001 paper published in the David Kinsey Dialogue Series.
Landscaping the Learning Environment to Create a Home for the Complex Mind is the title of the paper authored by Jan Visser for the David Kinsey Dialogue Series. It was published as Number 3 in the series by the Center for International Education, School of Education, University of Amherst, Amherst, Massachusetts. The publication date is 2001. Printed copies are available from the Center of International Education at the (production) cost of $ 3.-- (excluding costs of shipment).
5) The PowerPoint slides used during the presentation on April 27, 2001
The above paper was presented at UMass Amherst on April 27, 2001, using a series of illustrative PowerPoint slides.