In the final week of CEP812, we read an article by Thomas L. Friedman, published by the New York Times titled “It’s P.Q. and C.Q. as Much as I.Q.” In the article, Friedman discusses the great influence of technology on our society and discusses how in the last 10 years we have become “Hyperconnected”. He talks about the great potential of technology, but also the great problems that it has created. Friedman discusses the stress this technology revolution has had on the workforce and connected the unemployment issues with the growing need for technology skills.
The technology skills Friedman talks about however is a more complex understanding of technology. In the article, Friedman references Craig Mundie, one of Microsoft’s top technologists, description about the problem. Due to the quickly changing and improvements to technology “the skill required for every decent job is rising as is the necessity of lifelong learning” (paragraph 5). Just understanding technology will not cut it for 21st century workers. Friedman goes on to explain the qualities of a productive worker: “you will need to develop skills that are complementary to technology rather than ones that can be easily replaced by it” (paragraph 8). Finally, Friedman explains that successful and productive citizens need to be passionate and curious. “The winners won’t just be those with more I.Q. It will also be those with more P.Q. (passion quotient) and C.Q. (curiosity quotient) to leverage all the new digital tools to not just find a job, but to invent one or reinvent one, and to not just learn but to relearn for a lifetime” (paragraph 8).
This is exactly what TPACK Educational Framework intends to do. Teaching students to not only be problem solvers, but also problem finders. Giving students the power to innovate, critically think, and create provides students with some of these skills. Equipping students with the technological skills they need to connect, collaborate, and share their creations will allow students to become more active and engaged citizens.
For my final project, I have made an info-graphic, using Piktochart, to display how I demonstrate P.Q. (Passion Quotient) and C.Q. (Curiosity Quotient) in my profession and how I use technology to inspire students to be passionate, curious, and lifelong learners. Here is my INFOGRAPHIC.
In case you are a visual learner…
Curiosity Quotient (C.Q.) Passion Quotient (P.Q.)
As I reflect on the work I have done and the knowledge I have learned from CEP812 I think about solving complex & wicked problems by collaborating with my colleagues, limitations we face in finding solutions, and utilizing the “best” technological tools to improve education and meet the needs of all learners. In this course, I have probably done more educational and technological research than in CEP 810 and CEP 811. This process was important in helping me develop a better understanding of TPACK framework and how technological tools can help supplement learning of all students. Understanding the value in a participatory society and the necessity to teach students the importance of collaboration was laid out eloquently by James Paul Gee in The Anti-Education Era. In reading Gee’s work, I have developed a better understanding of “why people are stupid” and “the limitations we face in solving complex problems”. This information has helped me grow immensely as an educator and my understanding of how people interact and learn. I really enjoyed CEP 812 (Summer 2014) at MSU. I learned a lot and the time flew by. I really enjoyed collaborating with my peers our Wicked Problems Project and it was a great experience growing and learning with my group. I’m really proud of our final project and our F.U.S.E. Blended Learning Model of Education.
REFERENCES
Friedman, Thomas (2013). It’s p.q. and c.q. as much as i.q. the new york times. Retrieved June 22 2014, from, http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/30/opinion/friedman-its-pq-and-cq-as-much-as-iq.html?_r=0.
Gee, J.P. (2013). The anti-education era: creating smarter students through learning digital learning. New York, New York: Palgrave Macmillan
Winning in Education 