Understanding Human Competence

12/02/19 • 29 min

Dan Kenley interviews Ed Berger about his recent book, Human Competence. What was the thinking behind this unique approach to education reform? Why write an education book that avoids edubabble and academic gamesmanship? How is this book an indicator of education for the future? Why stress 'no education without immediate and practical application'? Dan probes and exposes the students’ role in dealing with issues that will define their future and perhaps the future of our species. He draws Berger out about the evolution of our schools so that we are not focused on our past, or preparing kids for standardized tests. Evolution must be based on the powerful teaching practices of great educators and what we know about collective intelligence and collaborative behavior. This may become one of the pivotal works that gets people thinking about preparing students for their future. The Book is available here: https://www.amazon.com/HUMAN-COMPETENCE-EDUCATING-THEIR-FUTURE-ebook/dp/B07TK48K9T/

Previous Episode

Teaching Abroad with Dan Miles

Some of the best and brightest young USA students, faced with debt, damaged school districts, and poor pay, especially as educators, venture into other lands and find meaningful work and decent remuneration for their efforts. Our guest, Dan Miles, a vibrant and exciting music and mathematics educator went into the unknown and took charge of his future. He shares the pathways he followed to teach in Abu Dhabi - the United Arab Emirates. After several years he moved to Kuala Lumpur (KL) Malaysia’s largest city. In KU, with support he could never find in the USA, he has created an outstanding program of music/humanities education. Dan’s story is full of information as to how and why he took risks and built a quality life abroad.

Next Episode

Interview With David Nathaniel Berger

What preparation is necessary to make a contribution to yourself and society? In Part 1 of this two-part episode, Dan and Ed interview David Nathaniel Berger who is currently in Denmark working with the International Work Group For Indigenous Affairs. We ask David to identify the pivotal experiences he had growing up, his middle and high school preparation, his time at Arizona State University and the Barrett Honors College, his internship at the American Consulate in Milan, Italy, his experiences with the American Red Cross, his 3-year service with the Peace Corps, his recognition and work as an Erasmus Mundas Scholar in Poland and Denmark, and his work in his current position. How did a focus on Global Affairs set him on such an exciting and productive path?