Global Learn Day VI: Offering Insights from Rounding the Mark

Xenia Stanford, Editor-in-Chief, KnowMap and President, Stanford Solutions Inc.

Billed as a "24 hour non-stop interactive webcast that features extraordinary people from 24 time zones" Global Learn Day VI started at GMT (Greenwich Mean Time) 00:00 Sunday October 13, 2002 (Hibbs, GLD VII).

Actually the people organizing GLD VI began long ago - even before October 1997 when the inaugural event set sail. The goal then and now is to reach an audience of 100 million by GLD X.

The image of the voyage around the world in 24 hours with Captain John Hibbs at the wheel originated with the first GLD. However, the concept was hinged on Apollo. As John Hibbs says "it's not for nothing that we copied NASA's Mercury, Gemini and Apollo designations when we sketched our Plan, eight long years ago" (e-mail).

Be it ocean or rocket ship the sixth such voyage landed successfully 24 hours later back on the shore from which it began. Note I do not say ended for this year was the rounding of the mark - over half way to the ten. Hibbs, who in real life sails a boat and often speaks in nautical terms, does not see an end to the voyages but only a series of new beginnings with ten as the mark to reach the milestone of an audience in the millions.

Figure 1: Rounding the Mark

His vision from day one has been and still is "..a plan that rests on the belief we can successfully marry television, radio and the Net; bring truly outstanding people to our stage(s), both virtual and physical; award large cash prizes for those who significantly increase access to affordable education, the Mission of our undertaking" (e-mail).

Two Hours to Count-Down

Though the vision and the first voyage was more than six years before, the count down to the live tour du monde began at 22:00 GMT Saturday October 12, 2002 with a preview. These included previously recorded messages and live discussions to ensure we were ready.

The beginning was a little rocky with audio problems yet the ingenuity of participants ensured innovative solutions solved technological stumbling blocks. And we were off.

First up was a welcome from Israel, Russia and London and then from the Central Pacific and Brazil. Following close behind, members of the original crew gave greetings to the latest voyage of the Franklin vessel. The Global Learn Day Chaplain, Terry Redding, then added his blessings.

Quickly we went to the introduction of our keynote speaker for GLD VI, Lee Harris.

Insight Versus Conventional Wisdom

Who is Lee Harris and why did John Hibbs invite him as keynote speaker? In the words of Lee Harris himself, it is not any special credentials or in fact anyone who has been somewhere others have not tread before. He gives but one reason and that is insight.

Here in his own words from his keynote speech is his raison d'être:

The man who has insight is not claiming to have a different set of experiences than you do. He is not like the Amazon explorer who has been where you have not, or who has seen things that you will never see. The man with insight is seeing exactly the same thing you are seeing. He has no privileged point of view.

Nor does the man with insight rely on any special background skills that you do not possess. It is not that he knows the secret code of what lies before you both, whereas you do not. In fact, he possesses no specific advantages that can be incorporated into a resume or into the byline of a bio.

Though this is exactly what you should expect from Insight. For if insight could be taught, if it could be made a matter of routine and training, then it would cease to be insight.

Insight is the ability to see the exact same thing that everyone else sees, but to see it in a fresh and original way. For insight, by its very nature, is always a challenge to the conventional wisdom. And this means that the man with insight cannot be a man who thinks within the famous box provided by the conventional wisdom of his particular time and of his particular peer group.

Insight is, by definition, an event that cannot be placed inside the box. (Excerpted from GLD VI Keynote Address.)

Figure 2: Insight - A Fresh View

Welcome to Affordable Access to Education - from Canada and Abu Dhabi

North America and the Middle East - linking two continents across the ocean divide to kick off the rest of the tour. That was what was intended. Unfortunately Neil Hynd from Abu Dhabi was not available to join in at that time so I flew solo to introduce the North American frontier.

Here is the text of my words:

This is Xenia Stanford from Canada speaking to you as one of the Deans of the Socrates Academy.

Global Learn Day is all about connecting the dots -- something we in the business of knowledge mapping know a great deal about. The dots I want to help connect are those that would increase access to affordable education by creating an award process where those who have made significant contributions to affordable access can win a prize with the prestige of a Nobel and an audience the size of the Oscars.

I propose that by utilizing the tools of my trade and connecting the dots to the best minds and hearts worldwide, we can create such an award to reward and encourage deserving recipients in their efforts to spread literacy and learning by affordable means to those who would not otherwise realize the benefits of education.

Last year for GLD V I hosted a virtual dinner party on the topic of the merits of distance and traditional education. For GLD VI on October 13, 2002, I am excited to introduce you to the Socrates Academy and its purpose.

My topic is Making the Case for A Socrates. This is the name we have given to the award, which will be used to recognize and encourage those who have made significant contributions to affordable access to education. These are the keywords to remember: AFFORDABLE ACCESS to EDUCATION.

It matters not whether the education is delivered by traditional or innovative means. What matters is that the means serve the end - which is bringing learning and literacy to those who might not otherwise have this opportunity.

A group of Deans has been appointed to map out the strategy, the criteria and the process for the awards. Our goal is to have a prize with the prestige of a Nobel and an audience the size of the Oscars. This is what our award winners who will be chosen from a list of worthy nominees deserve.

Figure 3: Affordable Access to Education

The Rest of the Journey

Later in the North American section, I gave further details on the award and the Socrates Academy. You may read the full-text of that speech at the link to the North American section from the timetable at the end of this article.

You will also see the link to Latin America where in this issue of KnowMap we showcase the stop in Venezuela led by Debra M. Amidon. As others submit their reports they will be added to the Case Studies - Learning section of KnowMap throughout the year.

Our GLD VI journey took us from the Preview and Curtain Raiser (including the Keynote Address). From there we moved through the South Pacific, East Asia, South Asia, Gulf Region, Africa, Europe, Latin America, North America and Central Pacific before we sat down to the Captain's Table and other closing remarks.

It was a journey like the other Global Learn Days before and yet unlike any other. To see more details on who spoke on what when, the GLD archive pages are also linked at the end of this article.

Forward to the Seventh

Again to quote Hibbs from his e-mail, we look forward to GLD VII in 2003:

We are going to be very careful whom we ask and we are going to make absolutely sure they recognize that the publicity we jointly generate is worth the effort it takes to put on a compelling sixty minute stop featuring the leadership of such activity - and those who support it.

Of course the showcasing is virtual, unless the leadership wishes to join our physical gatherings, scheduled, on Sunday October 12 in Fiji, Bangkok, New Delhi, Abu Dhabi, Kampala, Tampere, Sao Paolo, Honolulu - and a city yet to be designated on the mainland of North America.

At each of those gatherings, some of which will be inside radio stations, we will do our very, very best to follow the model of Bangkok which did everything right during GLD VI --- they had a great panel, a compelling story about a brand new virtual university, newspaper and radio participation, and a young man with a take no prisoners attitude who pulled it all together.

Figure 4: Education's Day in the Sun

One man CAN make a difference! We are the difference!

Our goal is to reach the education moon by spotlighting people. It's the only way I know to move the planet toward celebrating learning the same way we celebrate … the Oscars.

Why shouldn't education have its day in the sun

Please join us October 12, 2003.

Meanwhile we will continue to feature the stories that showcase the extraordinary people from every time zone who contributed to this and other GLD events. In fact, we will continue to shine the light on other worthy ventures in our Connecting the Dots stories.

Works Cited

Harris, Lee. On Insight: Keynote Address to Global Learn Day VI. www.bfranklin.edu/gld6/Harris.html

__________. Policy Review article link, brief bio and photo http://users.voice-alert.com/gld6/6211.html

Hibbs, John. Global Learn Day VI Archives. Last updated: October 15, 2002 www.bfranklin.edu/gld6

__________. Global Learn Day VII Celebration. Last updated: December 1, 2002. www.bfranklin.edu/gld7/

__________. Quotes from e-mail copied to author and others dated October 16, 2002.

GLD VI and other stories see Case Studies - Learning and links from the schedule below:

Read more about Xenia Stanford and John Hibbs.

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