Marcie Boucouvalas, Ph.D.

1. Work in the Information Society: Past as prologue to the future in understanding our transformational times Marcie Boucouvalas, Ph.D. Professor & Program Director, Adult Learning & Human Resource Development Virginia Tech Graduate Center/National Capital Region USA April, 2010 Iasi, Romania

2. WELCOME HOME Bene ai venitacasă http://lunaroutpost.com/gallery/index.htm in Public Domain

3. SOCIAL TRANSFORMATION CHANGE Alteration or modification; shift, transition, passing from one state to another; becoming different TRANSFORMATION Restructuring SOCIAL TRANSFORMATION Restructuring of society, especially underlying societal structures & institutions

4. Societal Institutions Provide stable infrastructure Most affected by social transformations Not specific concrete institutions but the concept from a sociological lens such as education, religion, work, the family, etc. (we will focus on work and education)

5. ADAPTATIONS CALLED FOR ON THE PART OF INDIVIDUALS AS WELL AS SOCIAL STRUCTURES Adaptation: Response to a force or pressure that is causing change reducing one’s ability to successfully function unless one adapts.

6. Adaptation: An essential ingredient in surviving & thriving It is not the most intelligent or strongest of the species that survive but the ones who can adapt the best ~ Charles Darwin

7. Importance of Lifelong Learning In times of change learners inherit the earth while the learned find themselves beautifully equipped to deal in a world that no longer exists ~ Dwight D. Eisenhower

8. Complementary to Adapting: Ability to change environment Margaret Mead … writing in 1974 ..for the first time in history we know we are in a transformational period as substantial as the Copernican & Industrial revolutions. As a species we have the power to shape the outcome & recognize counter forces (paraphrased)

9. SOCIAL TRANSFORMATION Technology as Catalyst In the “Information Society” Information & Communication Technologies

10. …but technology has always been a catalyst throughout human history for societal transformations Let’s journey back in history …

11. 1 Million Years Ago Primitive Human Animal Human Duration: 970, 000 years Homo Sapiens: develop language (sound to meaning), Technology? Use of fire; invention of stone tools Ability to Change & Control, rather than merely respond & adapt to environment

12. 30, 000 Years Ago Archaic Human Stationary Nomad Duration: 18,000 Years Follow natural migration of wild herds, rather than stalk single animal Technology? Development of more refined tools (harpoon, spear) Ability to change & leave environment; emancipate oneself & migrate

13. 12,000 Years Ago Tribal Villager Nomad Village Agriculture Duration: 5,000 Years Agricultural Revolution From hunter-gatherers to farmers Beginning of Settled Communities Technology? Domestication of Plant & Animal Ability to cooperate with nature & cycles; Beginning of social organization & group life

14. 7,000 Years Ago Civilization Tribal Civilized Culture Duration: 4,000 Years Organization of city & development of architecture, art, etc. Manorial(life) to Mercantile (money) Economy Development of 2 classes: ruler & ruled Technology? Extract metal from ore: metal tools & weapons (end of Stone Age) De-emphasis on biological survival; shift to cultural & social development

15. 3,000 Years Ago Axial Human Outer Inner World Duration: 2600 Years Spiritual nature of humankind stressed Bodily activities repressed to reach goal of purification from animal nature Church came into prominence Shift to world dominated by religion and primacy of spiritual nature

16. 400 Years Ago Mechanical Human Inner Outer World Duration: 400 Years Copernican Revolution (1500s) Industrial Revolution (1700s) “Enlightenment” Era Emphasis on Outer World & mechanical, material, technological progress Change from village to centralized industry (concept of labor force) Technology? Machine Shift to world dominated by intelligence & primacy of scientific method

17. New Transformation in Process Synthesis of Inner & Outer Worlds Information Rich Society Learning Society? Duration: 50 years in process Exploration of the frontiers of outer space and inner space of human consciousness; Integration of “eastern” & “western” worldviews Shifting paradigm (scientific/spiritual view of world) Technology? From ICTs to Biotechnology & Nanotechnology Shift from industrial to information (learning?) society & planetary/world culture??

18. Industrial vs. Information Society Production of Goods & Services Industrial (Advent of machine) Greater material production; design & division of labor force Information (ICTs + Biotechnology & Nanotechnology) Greater production & transmittal of information distributed instantaneously around globe, higher speeds, lower costs Labor Force? Reconceptualization!

19. Societal Structures Transforming:Selecting Work & Education for Discussion Work: What do we mean by “work” & “workforce”?? How has it changed throughout history. What about the future of work? Education: How has term “educated” changed throughout history? What do we mean by “education” now …and in the future? What does that mean for preparing the “work force”?

20. CONCEPT OF WORK Former historical times: Leisure time heralded by aristocracy; those who had to work pitied, scorned, or spurned. Pre-Industrialized Non Market Cultures: Work NOT separate sphere of life Move to Industrialized: Work is necessary but not necessarily avenue of fulfillment Present to Future: Meaningful work sought. Can we restore it to “human dimensions & meanings? Applebaum (1992). The Concept of Work

21. Work? The Labor Force? Changing: Way people are working & relationship between individuals & organizations Telecommuters, new business ventures and professions, rise of free agents (“most significant transformation since [leaving] the farm for the factory”) “Citizens abandoning one of Industrial Revolution’s most enduring legacies—the job—and are forging new ways to work” Pink (2001, pp. 10-11)

22. New Kind of Workers? Labor Force? What is our responsibility to help prepare these new workers … OR Will they prepare us …for the future?

23. CONCEPT OF EDUCATION Earlier Times: Educated individual? Liberal Arts Rise of Professional Schools: Emphasis on Practical Application Looking to the Future: State specificity of knowledge (ability to enter & exit the relevant state of consciousness at will)

24. Preparing a Work Force for an “Information Society” Liberal Arts + Practical Knowledge & Skills Development + Self-Knowledge of one’s Ways of Knowing and Levels, States, & Structures of Consciousness = Potential to Cultivate a Flexible Worker

25. UNESCO: Greater framework Conceptualization of Learning: Skills Development + learning to think & know, learning to be, live together, and change. World Assemblies: World Summit on the Information Society Global Assemblies on Education (4 during 2009)

26. World Summit on the Information Society Aim-Build an inclusive information society (marginalized, indigenous, disabled); success stories shared on web portal www.itu/wsis/index.html e-learning, e-governance, e-health, e-commerce, e-business Follow-up: 10-14 May 2010

27. UNESCO EDUCATION ASSEMBLIES Concern with embracing a broader perspective on the meaning of learning & recognizing connection with the world of work as well – hosted 4 Assemblies Higher Education (July, Paris) & Adult Learning (December, Brazil) witnessed similar theme: transformation

28. The Future? Concept of humankind being transformed Technological enhancements? Fusion of body with technology? Implications for leadership?

29. Some Challenging Thoughts Melding of biology & technology? Nanotechnology & enhanced humans a la Kurzweil Different kind of digital divide between “have’s” and “have-nots”? “Black Swans” a la Talib: Changes neither predictable nor expected—great impact in history

30. Kurzweil’s Model

31. Understanding Our Transformational Times Remember Margaret Meade …convinced that as a species we have the power to shape the outcome & recognize counter forces… ..beyond skills development: learning to think & know, learning to be, live together, and change (UNESCO-DeLors)

32. Mega Challenge? “If we fail to understand that …society indeed pregnant with the new social order and mistake the creative forces for threats to our well-being, we could respond defensively and end up …with a miscarriage” Willis Harman (1978) Stanford University, Center for Study of Social Policy, futures researcher

33. Together as Planetary Citizens What are we doing OR Could we do to Embrace these Challenges? What other challenges abound?

34. Thank You! Va Multumeic! QUESTIONS? Întrebări? COMMENTS? Comentari?