One of the The Buzzwords of 2008 in The New York Times.
A style of hands-on self-education that benefits the student without concern for curriculums or the interests of schools, corporations or governments. In other words, an autodidactic approach that spurns commercialism, mass-market approaches and top-down goal-setting. Coined by Jim Groom, an “instructional technologist” at the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg, Va.
Of course, I agree with the sentiment. This is the revolution in progress that will transform our culture’s notion of learning. I do have two concerns with Groom’s definition:
- Autodidact suggests that the student is learning in isolation. Learning is social. We need be clear that the learner is in charge but the primary resource for learning is other people.
- Maybe it’s just me, but the punk label conjures up images of rebels sporting studded collars and Doc Martens hob-nail boots. I expect self-directed learning to become the norm in corporations and governments. We need a term that includes the folks in suits and blue collars. Maybe informal learning or natural learning will do.
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To be fair, I think that is the NYT’s definition. See here:
http://bavatuesdays.com/the-glass-bees/
And here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edupunk
Autodidact just implies it’s achieved without the means of exams, doesn’t it?.
Punk were a very social movement when it started with an extreme focus on exactly informal learning – The EduPunk label is fine with me being a former front-screeaamer in a punk band – “And we mean it maaaaan!”
And yes Jay, it was with safety pins in face, rebelling and rioting all day – all skills I learned in that period of my life is actually quite handy in my present life working in a large enterprise!
All the fun in my youth helped me in my Master degree on Youth Sub-Cultures – and all the organisational work we had to do “fighting establishment” helps me everyday in my job as Change Manager in a corporate IS department.
I’m not sure I agree Jay. “Edupunk” has the advantage that it is jarring and memorable but also intuitively comprehensible. “Autodidact” although accurate is unfortunately too posh and often misunderstood (as above). It simply means “self taught” which is not the same as “learning alone” (shoulders of giants and all that).
I also have to admit that I like the idea of the punk ethos (which is essentially, “challenge everything!”) permeating into the learning space.
Put a saftey pin through Descartes’ nose and he becomes cool again.
On a related note:
http://reedlearning.blogspot.com/2009/01/heart-of-learning-is-question.html
Hugh, thanks for correcting me on “autodidact.” My issue with Edupunk is that it’s going to alienate people we need to have on board.
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