Let’s say a school divided their school year into five parts as follows:
All learning took place in the context of one of these general phenomena, and the children (students) learned through solving problems in these areas. That type of learning might look like these pictures.
First graders working on their projects:
2nd graders working on a wearable project
Students working outside of the classroom:
Fifth graders building and programming robots
Even a 2nd grade math class looks different:
Where are the teachers in these pictures? The children are busy learning, the role of the teacher is to facilitate not to “teach”. This type of learning works when teachers trust the kids to come to them when they need them, so the teachers can stay in the background coaching when needed. Kids naturally tend to rise to whatever you expect them to do.
How do you set up schools for this type of learning?
I just finished a week in Niger teaching African Development Universalis (ADU) students “Sensemaking, Problem Solving, and Achieving Success”
This was one of the most rewarding weeks of my life.
I got to spend 4 days with sixty 21-23 year old young adults (2 2-day classes of 30 students each). Understand that only about 2% of students in Niger get to attend university, so these are all individuals who have demonstrated a capacity of scholarship and leadership.
The newly founded ADU will have its first graduating class next year. ADU has a mission of providing young adults with the tools they need to be successful and transform the country. You may have noticed “Universalis” instead of University in the name. One thinks of Universities providing courses in specific disciplines in order to graduate students who are knowledgeable in those content areas. ADU chose the Latin Universalis because it means universal as ADU’s mission includes whole person learning. While students may take some traditional courses in literature, economics, computer science, etc. ADU will often interrupt classes for days to focus students on life skills. They invite specialists around the world to come and teach 1-2 day classes based on their areas of expertise. Students intern at outside organizations. They have trips to NGO’s, company, and government facilities to assist in projects that are national priorities. It is a unique experience.
I presented the “Sensemaking, Problem Solving, and Achieving Success” course in English. Niger is a French speaking country, and none of the students has ever been to an English speaking one. They all already speak two languages, the language of their ethnic community and French. English is their third or fourth language. Imagine taking a 2-day course in a language where you had never heard a native speaker. That’s what they did.
If you are not familiar with Niger, let me give you a little background. It is part of Francophone (French speaking) Africa, and has been an independent country since 1960. The country has traditionally relied on agriculture, but the desertification of Africa means that about 2/3 of the county is now arid desert, and in the rest, what used to be a 6-month wet/growing season is now only 3 months. The country has very few natural resources, some uranium, which France used to buy, but now with the reduction of nuclear reactors the price of uranium has dropped through the floor. Oil was discovered about 10 years ago, but the oil revenues from China, which locked up all the oil deliveries, do not seem to be making it into the Nigerien economy. Put that together with the fact that Niger has the fastest growing population in the world (the average woman having about 8 children), and also that Niger is landlocked, and you have a recipe for poverty. Niger has an annual per capita average income of $500. Yes, the average family earns $500 per YEAR.
The roads are mostly packed sand, and are congested with cars, motorcycles, camels, donkey carts, hand carts, and a few bicycles. Traffic in the city is sometimes stopped while a herd of cattle or sheep cross.
The daily temperature highs are about 90 degrees in February, but they spike to 110 degrees in March to May.
The Nigerien targeted national development sectors are energy, agriculture, and education. China is looking at Niger as one of their openings for Africa. They are pouring more than $750 million a year into projects. Niger is very strategic for the US as it is close to so many hotbeds of terrorism and the US has multiple military bases in the country. Of course, with China pouring so much money into the economy, one wonders what the future will bring. The US government has approved money for projects in the developing world, but so far, any meaningful distribution of US aid, investment, or lending to Niger is barely in the discussion stage.
With this backdrop, the students who are attending ADU are going to be the people who are going to be charged with moving the Nigerien society and economy forward. These are the young adults who are being prepared to start, lead, and manage the government, NGO, and corporate organizations.
And they seem eager for the task.
Since a portion of the class is about problem solving, an opening exercise was to ask each student to write down two things they wanted to change and what they wanted to learn in order to change them, and then we shared them with the class.
The answers that came back were
making sure everyone earns a livable wage
improving the education system so everyone has the opportunity to attend and learn
becoming self-sufficient with energy and especially sustainable energy
eliminating corruption
eliminating starvation
creating a healthcare system that works for everyone
inspiring people to become engaged in doing a good job instead of passively doing the minimum they could get away with
ensuring the equality of everyone so that no one is discriminated against.
These students are not primarily thinking about, “what’s in it for me”, they are expecting that they will carry the Nigerien society and economy on their backs.
The purpose of “Sensemaking, Problem Solving, and Achieving Success” was to show them how to do that.
Day 1 started off with practical examples where students learned that their own mindset skewed their understanding or sensemaking of specific situations; they practiced changing their way of thinking to see how that changed the way they approached problems, and discussed how to apply that to problems they were facing.
We next covered how the human mind creates patterns and then stories, how those patterns and stories were only one view of any situation, and how the students could ensure they were not trapped into acting based on a single mindset. They learned how to access diverse mindsets and avoid hidden assumptions and avoidable surprises.
The last major topic of the first day dealt with a framework for classifying problems. Since virtually any change they wanted to make involved people, and problems involving people involve solutions that emerge over time, they learned the value of preparation, diversity, and iteration, and we started working on strategies for how to initiate and lead change under those conditions.
Day 2 focused on techniques for managing change in complex adaptive systems, in other words, practically any situation that involves people:
how to prepare to iterate,
how to dominate and coopt those who will inevitable oppose you,
how to create options
how to build an organization with can thrive under change, ambiguity, and uncertainty
how to build consensus and enroll those who previously opposed you
We ended when the students described, based on their initial challenges that they presented at the beginning of day 1, how their approaches to their own challenge were going to change, how they could build a team and organization to support the changes they envision, and how they could succeed in overcoming obstacles.
It was so incredibly exciting to see the enthusiasm and transformation. The future is unpredictable. And these students are eager to embrace it.
If you would like to support ADU in their mission to mold the generation that is going to drive West Africa forward, please go to https://ilimi.org/donate/
Here is the announcement of the course at ADU:
Here are some of the students who participated in the two classes:
The students actively participated in the class. Here one student leads the class in a discussion of challenges and accomplishments.
Friday evening is a time for celebration. Here we all are dancing.
At the end, we looked at our future over the Niger River
After a 14 hour flight from NY to Johannesburg and then a two hour flight from Joburg to Cape Town, Karin and I were picked up at the Cape Town airport by Steve Thomas and Lexei of Daytrippers around 1:00 in the afternoon. If you decide you want to see Cape Town and/or wine country and/or Africa by bicycle, Steve probably knows more about routes and places of interest and off road bicycling, than anyone we met.
Because the airport is right between Cape Town and Stellenbosch, we had a 1 hour drive to the Stellenbosch wine district and our inn, The Auberge Rozendal Guesthouse. The inn grows its own organic herbs and vegetables, in addition to being a wine farm and winery. The views were beautiful, and the inn was about 4 miles from town. They also create a sipping vinegar. While you can use the vinegar for salads or cooking, the preferred way of consuming it is to sip a little and mix it around in your mouth for a minute or two before swallowing. It’s worth trying, and we purchased some and brought it home. Joerg Steibing, the hospitable owner with his wife Karin, asserts that mixing the vinegar with the saliva in your mouth creates an alkaline mixture that neutralizes acid indigestion.
Below is the view from the Inn.
On this day we did light bicycling, about 20 miles in total, visiting two vineyards and bicycling around Stellenbosch itself. The Stark Conde winery had a beautiful venue for tasting, a porch in the middle of a small lake surrounded by mountains. The Lanzerac Estate, just down the road from our inn, had an extremely interesting chocolate and wine tasting. Since they make both their own chocolates and wines, they crafted different chocolates to accentuate the tastes of the different wines, finishing with a honey wine that they say is made by only two people in the world.
Herb arrived late that night, and joined us in wine tasting over the next two days, even though he did not bicycle.
Day 2 was about 50 miles of bicycling for me, 65 for Karin. We visited about 5 wineries over the course of the day, and there were four not-to-forget experiences during the day. First, at the first vineyard, the ornaments on their Christmas tree were wine bottles. Second, Steve knew about a dirt unmarked pathway that went up and down the hills through the wine fields. All you could see were grape vines with the mountains in the distance; no cars or people. Fourth, the Ken Forrester winery had some of the best wines we tasted.
The picture below is while we were riding in the dirt path in the wine fields.
Perhaps the most memorable moment, though was the Ernie Els winery, and, yes, it is the same Ernie Els who is the golf pro. At 4:30 in the afternoon, after about 40 miles of bicycling (and no lunch), we started climbing for about 7 miles. Upon stopping, our guide Lexei realized we’d climbed the wrong hill. The ride down was much easier. We found the turnoff, and bicycled another 3 miles to the beginning of the road to the Ernie Els Winery. Unfortunately, this was about three miles up at about 8 degrees. I made about half, and just hit the wall. I walked up the final mile and a half (at 85 degrees temperature), to finally join Karin and Lexei tasting wines, with one of the most spectacular views I’d ever seen. The Ernie Els wines are great, and sitting on the winery’s porch at sunset watching the lengthening shadows of the mountains around Stellenbosch was incredible. Lexei called Steve to come pick me up in the van, and he and Karin took off for the 10 miles back to the inn. Herbie joined me with Steve, and we further enjoyed the views and the wine. This is a must; if you go to Stellenbosch, you have to go to the Ernie Els Winery, and try to get there after 4:00.
Here is the view from the Ernie Els winery:
Our daughter Rosie and her friend Grace, who we’ve known since before she was a teenager, joined us in the afternoon, although they did not bike that day.
Day 3, December 29, was about 55 miles of bicycling. The first highlight was a bike path up the Hellshoogte pass on the way to the Franshoek valley. This was a shady, winding, 15 miles up from the inn. Rose, Grace, and I all experienced a feeling of accomplishment when we reached the top. For Karin, though, this just wasn’t a challenge. Just a mile further was the incredibly beautifully designed Takara Winery. They had very good wines, but the architecture and artwork are not to be missed. Two hundred yards further is an amazing view over the Franshoek valley.
Franshoek, meaning French Corner, is filled with some of the finest restaurants in the Cape Town area, and makes wines that are more similar to French wines than the other wine valleys. Next trip, we intend to spend more time there, but we did have two memorable experiences. The Boschendal Winery has classic Dutch architecture, and we liked their wines enough that we ordered a mixed case to be sent back home. The Chamonix Winery has very good wines and a very nice restaurant with excellent food, even up to Herbie’s standards.
Here is Steve Thomas, Lexei, and Karin at the Boschendal Winery:
From Chamonix, Steve drove us to Cape Town, where we bicycled about 5 miles around the city and ended up at our hotel, The Protea Fire and Ice Hotel. This was a really in hotel. The rooms are a little small, but very interestingly designed (the glass shower is part of your bedroom), the Internet is free, and there is great people watching in the bar.
There is a lot to do in Cape Town, and we didn’t have enough time there to do all we wanted to.
On December 30, Karin and I bicycled down to the Cape of Good Hope along the coast. This is a beautiful trip, and is about 60 miles. There are a few major hills with incredible views of the coastline. Steve Thomas picked us up as the route turned inland, so we actually skipped about 20 miles. But, this allowed us to take a detour within the Cape park, to bicycle along some unmarked dirt paths through the Cape Floristic Kingdom, one of the most diverse biomes in the world. Most people think of the Cape as the spot where the Atlantic and Indian oceans meet, but technically, they meet 15 kilometers further east. In any case, while bicycling there, we ran into Ostriches and Baboons and a lot of very interesting plants and flowers.
This is what the Cape Floristic Kingdom looked like:
That same day, Rosie and Grace took a surfing lesson, and then bicycled to view the penguins, both of which they loved.
Dinner that night was at The Africa Café, which is a must if you go to Cape Town. They serve a tasting menu of native African foods, along with dance and music, and very interesting art.
December 31 was a shopping day. Not my thing, but there are a lot of good places to pick up interesting African artifacts in Cape Town. That night we had the finest dinner we had the entire vacation. Aubergine is perhaps the best restaurant in South Africa, and for New Years, they had a special tasting menu paired with wines and including native music and dancers. Grace, Rosie, and I were each invited to dance with the professionals. Aubergine was a perfect place to welcome in the New Year with family, and was probably one of the 10 best meals I’ve ever had.
January 1 was the day we decided to climb Table Mountain. Table Mountain has been declared one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World, and dominates the Cape Town skyline. We made five mistakes. Karin told us we could get breakfast at the base of the mountain, but, in fact, there was no restaurant so we climbed on the remnants of the previous day from Karin's backpack, a quick meal of old cheese and stale bread. We started about noon, so we were climbing in 85 degree weather, up a steep incline, for just under two and a half hours. We didn’t bring enough water; we had three water bottles for the five of us, and we should have brought six water bottles. We did not bring jackets, and the top is always covered with clouds and windy, so it was quite cool there. And, finally, I didn’t take vista views along the route up, even though they were gorgeous. Once on the top, you are in clouds, so there are no views of Cape Town.
Here is Herbie, Gracie, and Karin about 1/3 of the way up Table Mountain:
When you get to the top, it's still a 20 minute walk to the restaurant and cable car. That was certainly a shock. Here is what it was like at the top:
We all took the cable car down, rested at the hotel, and went out to a less than good dining experience at one of the restaurants at the Waterfront.
Among the things we really wanted to do but missed in Cape Town because we didn’t have enough time:
The Waterfront: this is a high end mall and shopping experience.
The Botanical Gardens: these are supposed to be among the finest in the world.
Robbens Island: this is where Nelson Mandela and others were imprisoned for trying to end apartheid. You need to purchase your tickets in advance, generally by about two weeks.
The night clubs: Cape Town is known for its night life.
The next entry will be on the Safari portion of the trip.
Prior to October 13 I had not, but was fortunate enough to be included in an event in Washington jointly hosted by The US State Department and that of India to further that relationship.
Some background that can set the stage:
The number of Indian students enrolled in higher education including graduate programs is roughly 100,000, second to China's nearly 200,000, but more than Korea's. Almost 1/4 of all international students in the US come from these three countries. Yet, only 3,000 US students are studying in India.
The US post secondary degree continues to be highly prized and valued. India now has 15% of their students gaining post secondary degrees, and has targeted 30% as the threshold by 2020. Typically, students in India pay between $100 and $1,000 per year.
The Obama-Singh 21st Century Knowledge Initiative, formulated between US President Barak Obama and Indian Prime Minister Manohan Singh, creates a path for higher education partnerships between US and Indian Postsecondary institutions. It provides for exchange of faculty, administrators, and postgraduate students to develop new programs of study, and promote economic development.
So, what is expected from this relationship, and what does this mean to you?
First, it will create a flurry of creativity as institutions and companies strive to create alternative models that will drive the cost of college degrees down, resulting in pressure for existing models to be more financially competitive. Second, it will make our current, traditional models more exclusive, creating greater economic tension between those who can afford those models and those that cannot. As these and newer models evolve, we are likely to see more "shopping around," and mixing and matching to make building degrees from multiple resources possible.
Another outcome is the creation of even greater global competition as the pool of qualified employees and, ultimately, knowledge workers, compete for jobs on the global front. An intended benefit is the creation of consumer populations for American goods, as well as other goods, in India and in other markets that currently offer us limited outlets for goods and services.
If India is to meet its goals, they will need an additional 1,000 universities and 50,000 colleges. That is a lot of growth, and opportunities for US institutions to participate.
American colleges and Universities have been creating remote campuses and bridging alliances with Institutions and that is likely to increase in the years ahead. If we keep the value of our degrees as high as they have been, it will be a very good outcome for our institutions, and we will benefit from the resulting innovations as well. Over the next few weeks the small grants will be announced, identifying the first few projects in the works. We'll be watching to see the results. I came away agreeing that this initiative will be a win-win, and will report to you all what we see happening over the months ahead if you are interested.
If you are interested in pursuing these opportunities, please contact us at ABA.
