Learning: Who Cares
A PhD Proposal for a Whole Human Being on a Trans-Disciplinary Compassionate Learning Journey
Have you ever called yourself a human resource? I haven’t. Yet the term is so common in our working lives we don’t even question it. The ecological emergency we find ourselves in today stems from the proliferation of a system which has prioritised economic concerns over and above society. For a long time, this system falsely imagined that nature is an externality. We humans have equally suffered from being in education systems which falsely imagine that our lives outside the classroom or workplace can be separated from it.
You are not a resource — you are a whole human being.
Strong and stable operations which do not allow parts of their organisation to become weak are needed to be better able to respond, withstand or counteract external pressures. In discussions of sustainability, and now during the COVID-19 pandemic, organisations like using the word resilience. Resilient healthcare systems, resilient businesses, resilient people. Resilience is the sanitised term for the ability to deal with more shit, to be able to continue in uncertainty, to create solutions which reduce the amount of shit to deal with.
I want an education system that cares about individuals as whole human beings.
Compassion can and should be taught as a tool for leading a good life, together with the tools of emotional resilience, learning with heart, hands and body, curiosity, creativity, gratitude, and how to love oneself. These are not add-ons to an existing curriculum, the medium is the message. How can we teach compassion if we are not practising it ourselves?
Foundations First
This is a learning journey founded upon holistic health, growing emotional resilience, relationship repair, curiosity, creativity, connection, intimacy and confidence to fail. It’s a journey started in carefully tended soils of compassion, gratitude, joy and love.
- Sustainability of the self: You are only as strong as your own foundations, however fortified — check-in regularly… Environmental foundations (nature), social foundations (relations), household/economic (food, shelter, $)
- Love what I’m doing
- Understand why I’m studying subjects
- Nature heals and teaches
- Creativity and Play
Don’t try to figure out what the world needs, find what makes you feel wonderful. What gladdens your heart enriches you and your riches enrich our world. How you dance the dance of integrating these in life is up to you.
Research Focus
Commonly, PhD students begin their programme with a research proposal. They develop their proposal during the first year and present it to a committee who decide whether or not to give the PhD candidate’s research the go-ahead.
Starting Title:
Learning: Who Cares? Educational Values for 21st Century Learning.
- Emergency preparedness of higher education institutions.
- Compassion — how / is compassion in current education systems valued today?
- Ecological principles — what are the basic principles of ecological health? How-to: backyard biodiversity.
- Artificial Intelligence in education. If a teacher can be replaced by a robot, it should be.
- Biotech — can ecological principles underpin 21st century learning when not all learners are organic?
- Values — what do current sustainability practices value? Assessments in three spheres: environmental, social, economic.
Needs of the Learning Journey
- Kick-ass inspirational, qualified adviser(s) with clear understanding of mutual expectations. Connect with advisers early and learn their style working with them and/or connecting with their students.
- Clear course requirements, expected learning outcomes and expected feedback.
- Being part of learning communities — study buddies above, at, and below my level.
- A structured timeline of learning to follow as best I can
- Time, space, instruction and tools to develop the 4 Ways Of Knowing: Cognition (head, reasoning, data-based, rationalise); Intuitive (instinctively, often quick, may be clearest when you first wake); Emotional (feelings, heart); Embodied (in your body, somatic, hands)
- Consider the intentions behind my research — the problem I am trying to solve and the impact I expect/hope for . Include working on that impact in the process. Eg. revoking policy, participating ‘on the board’, representing government or an institution.
- Interview people
- Develop the art and importance of loving oneself
- To use the first person when I feel it is appropriate
Resilience comes from diversity and we humans have gifts spanning all four different ways of knowing — let’s celebrate them all. Notice which ways of knowing are less developed within you, open doors to explore them and allow your magical fullness to radiate!
Self-as-Institution Student Learning Objectives
US institutions of higher education are required to state their “Institution’s Student Learning Outcomes” (ISLOs). If a student goes through their institution, they should be equipped with the skills or knowledge stated in the ISLOs. In this proposal, the meaning of ‘O’ is changed from outcome to objective. Learners continue to lead full lives while studying; many external factors affect them. An unbalanced focus on outcomes undermines the value of process, spontaneity, creativity, and the wholeness of lived reality. If you uproot strawberry plants from one garden and plant them in another, don’t be surprised if they bear few fruits this summer. Don’t describe those plants as failed. Similarly, if a learner is uprooted, gives birth, loses a loved one, or chases a new opportunity, don’t be surprised that this affects their learning journey. Objectives can help rebalance the focus towards the creative process of the learning journey.
- Critical thinking
Distinguish truth from belief; make sense of information; tell the difference between what is important and unimportant. - Collaboration
Create harmonious relationships between people as well as nature; be conscientiousness; work together to take care of each other and surroundings. - Creativity
Play freely without fearing the unknown; embrace curiosity. - Love
Learn how to learn; learn how to love yourself; communicate with those you don’t agree with; develop compassion for all suffering beings. - Wisdom
To combine many bits of information into a broad picture of the world; appreciate the wisdom and experiences of earth’s diversity; live life on purpose.
Easy-Measure Expected Outputs
- “A significant new contribution to your chosen discipline”. A chunk of work I’m proud of, which contributes to the advancement of a field or connection of fields previously unconnected. Critical thinking.
Measure: Significant = X publications with reach of X in journals of decent standing.
2. The non-academic version of my work to inspire, educate, entertain the non-academic world. Creativity. Communication. Collaboration.
Measure: Number of views/experiences
3. Collaboration.
Measure: Number of people in learning communities and creative projects.
4. Teaching experience working with learners in my field. Communication. Creativity. Collaboration.
Measure: Credits gained. Sessions facilitated. Number of participants.
5. A PhD
Measure: Yes I want the piece of paper from an accredited reputable institution.
Impossible or Very Difficult to Measure Outputs
- The long-term impact of my work, idea seeds sown, minds changed.
- The quality and value of learning networks
- Longevity of learning experiences created.
- How much a piece of paper is worth.
To spread the value of people and planet through work is to value the health and well-being of one’s whole being. Education systems rest upon values. What values are appropriate for 21st learning?
