[NLA] Thursday Notes, 3/14/02

[Harry Forster]

Gloria Gillette wrote:

> Catherine,
>
> I have tried to keep an open mind through your postings, but  honestly 
> when you say things such as:
>
> /       In some situations and to some folks,
>      educating adults is counter-productive to their
>      financial, and so their political, concerns/
>
> /        This situation affects AE programs in the USA when
>      policy makers are influenced by those among us who
>      consider educated or socially-politically aware adults
>      as a dangerous threat to their corporate-business
>      concerns./
>
>  
>
> Do you really think "corporate-business concerns" sit around and 
> conspire *against *literacy?
>
> I'm quite democratic in my concern for good writing. Even the most 
> pedantic diatribe can lack critical thinking skills.
>
> Gloria Gillette
>
I am not sure that "against" is the correct term but there are some 
realities that I think are necessary for policy planners to understand. 
  I have some personal experiences that are difficult to comprehend. 
 They make Catherine look benign.  Below is part of an email that I sent 
to Catherine.  It comes from a report sent in a Thursday Notes:  "Using 
Electronic Assessment to Measure Student Performance"


"The Commission on Technology and Adult Learning, (Who is this group? 
 What do they do? How are you related to them?) sponsored by the 
American Society for Training and Development and the National Governors 
Association, has expressed a similar sentiment. ?The commission . . . 
encourages governors, CEOs and other leaders ( Why does it not 
explicitly indicate educators or adult educators?  It is ommissions of 
this type that raise questions in my mind.   I see this often.) to make 
e-learning the cornerstone of a national effort to develop a skilled 
workforce for America?s digital economy . . . .By embracing e-learning 
in our states, our communities and our organizations, ( What does this 
mean? ) we can improve our competitiveness and point the way to a new 
era of unprecedented growth and opportunity for all Americans.  (Do you 
think that this is the panacea that they say it is?)?  
[ page 2]

I believe that this does not show an active aggression "against" 
 education,  but there is an exclusion of education policy makers, for a 
matter that is in the education field.   Idealism is a good property, 
however, idealism must recognize that the greater forces are not paying 
attention to your ideals.  They are concerned with  politics 
(governors), business (CEOs), and other leaders (what ever that means). 
 Here is a "Commission on Technology and Adult Learning"  and it can not 
even find a term for AE planners unless it is the very bland "other 
leaders".  I tell you that you will get the  respect indicated above 
until your ideals can be a market for technology.  Believe me this 
repulses me as much as it does you.  This is one of the reason that I 
can not give you a title for my position.  Ask Catherine.  

Harry Forster







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