Champions Vs. Resisters: Coaxing The Dragon Over The Wall

I’ve been traveling over the past little while and have met with several organizations and universities regarding distance education, e-learning, and technology in the classroom “stuff”. I gotta tell ya, I’m seeing a lot of fear out here.

The predominant themes of these discussions seem to fall into two categories: The Champions and The Resistors. Visions of “West Side Story” come to mind. Only this is serious life altering business with futures, children, big monies, and egos at stake. Unfortunately, there will be no elaborate musical number to wrap the story and no one goes home feeling good and fruitful. The lines are drawn and apparently no one is budging.

I’m hearing talk about change from both sides. There does seem to be a lot of talk. Talk of change. Talk of enlightenment. Talk of distance education, technology, training, and (by some) educational revolution. Yep, there is a lot of talk. More words than I can count. Big words. Little words. Smart sounding words… expensive $5 words. The kind of words you have to look up. Words that make you go, “Huh?”

But talk with no action is just the wind that extinguishes the ever powerful dragon’s flame of hope. (Psychedelic, man – in prose only).

The change agent form of the dragon has gone weak.  It’s scared and isn’t coming out for anyone or anything.  This is a problem that no one seems to be addressing.  Who is the dragon’s advocate?  Who is the change agent’s coach?  So far, no one.

So the talk continues and nothing of any great consequence happens.  The discussions, the meetings, the committee’s, and the feelings both sides have about it all. If you’ve read my other articles here, “All You Need is Love! Really?” you’ll fully understand where I think “feelings” go in this technology discussion.  If you haven’t, go over there now.  It’ll help.  It’ll clarify.

It appears, from my meetings, that more are becoming aware that there has to be some DE and Tech change at their institutions but there is such a fear in questioning if you are obsolete that a lot of heel-digging of justification has occurred.  A Lot . Much. Mucho. In other words, “Somebody had put Baby in the corner!”

Here is a tidy chart I created to summarize what I witnessed this last week.  The participants are from universities (private and public) and a number of corporations (small to large) – in other words I had the privilege of access to a lot of relevant folks.  It’s a good cross cut of who “we” – both Champions and Resisters – are.

We could all jump up and down and justify why our corners are right.  In every single instance, in every bit of conversation, in every eye-roll, deep sigh, and sip of water I witnessed resignation of spirit for the fight.  The rooms took on very tangible smell of passion, once fueled by determination and a sense of ‘right vs. wrong’, waning in the twilight of the day.  The same sad perfume of roses spent, wilting at the edges and past their prime.

What has happened?  Where is tomorrow?  Who is fighting for it? What will it take to resurrect the dragon of determination and coax it over the wall towards growth, expansion, and hope for education? What happened to our dragon?

I don’t propose to have all of the answers but I am brave enough to offer the dragon some treats.  Maybe a pat on the head and a map. My belief is that if we reframe the conversation and allow both parties to be right and wrong, simultaneously, we create an environment of potential  – the very place dragons love to frolic and thrive because, as we all learned from a particular children’s movie, not all dragons are mean.  Some just want love.

I propose a dragon friendly chart of interaction, one that takes both side’s needs and views into consideration and allows for both parties to be right while creating a workable and progressive plan.

As with any polarized environment, a happy middle ground is the goal.  There will rarely be a conversion of parties – doesn’t often happen in politics and religion and it isn’t likely to happen here either.  That’s okay.  If both sides can see the hope of the middle, and resist the urge to lock themselves behind their mental and physical doors, then the dragon might come out to play.  Dragons are powerful and have a way of changing things – let them – but first make sure it isn’t going to burn the place down due to the fuel it gains from the argumentative culture of board room, and institutional resistance, debates.

It would be very easy (and oh so very foolish) to say that all courses, all institutions, and all situations are best (let alone belong) online and in a distance education environment.  There are just some teaching moments that don’t need to be there (cardiac surgery for one).

Some things just don’t translate well – and no amount of technology whoopla is going to change that.  However, some situations and courses are very appropriate for the environment and I believe they should be appropriately placed.  It’s all a matter of good design and solid pedagogy.  It’s about coming to the table and being determined to get that dragon over the wall.

Peace and good choices.