issue three | summer 2012 the olympic ethos · the olympic ethos the editor, jenny willis, ... next...
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LIFEWIDE MAGAZINE, Summer 2012 www.lifewideeducation.co.uk
The Olympic Ethos The Editor, Jenny Willis, reflects
(Para)Olympic
Values
1
Lifewide
News
2
Inspiration:
Usain Bolt
4
Through the eyes
of a 12 year-old
6
School Olympic
initiatives
8
Paralympian
reflections
10
Paralympian
Nathan Stephens
12
Any body: any
buddy, HE initiative
14
Operatics: reaching
out to the excluded
15
Happy birthday
wishes
16
Director’s Olympic
reflections
17
Lifewide Learning
from Kuwait
18
Lifewide Learning
goes to China
19
Remembering the
1948 Olympics
21
Lifewide Award &
Next Issue
22
OLYMPIC
SPECIAL
ISSUE
Issue Three | Summer 2012
It is easy to forget, amidst all the political wrangling
over how much the games have cost, whether
dignitaries should have their own traffic lane or
how tickets are being sold illegally, that the modern
Olympic and Paralympic Games are founded on a
set of values which outlive such ephemeral
concerns. That these values have much in common
with Lifewide Learning should not come as a
surprise, given that they owe much to an
enlightened 19th century educator, Pierre, Baron
de Coubertin.
De Coubertin was, in turn, greatly influenced by
the renowned Thomas Arnold, and the ethos of
Rugby School where athletic competition was
prized as part of a whole education, producing
mens sana in corpore sano. This is reflected in the
3 Olympian values that underpin the modern
Games, which were, fittingly, held first in the Greek
capital, Athens, in 1896:
respect, for fair play; taking care of one’s health
and the environment; knowing one’s own limits
excellence, on the field of play or in life; taking part
and always giving one’s best; progressing according
to one’s own objectives
friendship, learning to understand
each other through sport, despite
any differences.
Ironically, less than two decades after the modern
Games were established, the first and third of these
principles had been abandoned to world war.
In 1924, the Olympic Games were complemented
with the Winter Olympics, in order to bring in snow
and ice sports, then ,in 1960, we saw the realisation
of an idea which grew from World War II: the
Parallel Olympics (now termed Paralympics). The
Games introduced four more values:
courage*determination*inspiration*equality
This special edition of Lifewide is redolent of these
seven Olympian values.
Following our Lifewide news, we read the truly
inspirational story of Usain Bolt, before seeing
some individual experiences of the 2012 Games.
These include imaginative initiatives in the school
sector, and we experience Olympic excitement
through the eyes of a schoolgirl. We reflect on the
paralympian values, and profile GB athlete Nathan
Stephens. We move next to the HE sector and see
how one university has made use of the Games to
raise awareness of the barriers faced by people
with disabilities who play sport. We meet a charity
that has sought to bring in an often-excluded group
of society, the homeless. We learn of some
international developments in lifewide learning,
then have a special message for one of our most
senior Lifewiders, plus some recollections from one
of his contemporaries. Finally, the Director updates
us on the Lifewide Award, and we look forward to
the autumn edition of Lifewide Magazine.
Thank you to all who have contributed to this very
special edition, including our community artist,
Kiboko.HachiYon I am sure it will bring all readers
much pleasure and food for thought.
Jenny
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LIFEWIDE MAGAZINE, Summer 2012 www.lifewideeducation.co.uk
Lifewide Education's E-book Launched http://lifewideeducation.co.uk/page/lifewide-learning-education-personal-development-e-book
@lifewiders
LATEST
LIFEWIDE
NEWS
Our e-book was launched in May and we have got off to a flying start with three chapters cover-
ing conceptual, biographical and research themes. In the first chapter Norman Jackson provides a
historical perspective on the origin and development of lifewide learning and education tracing
these ideas back to the philosophy and writings of John Dewey and Eduard Lindeman in the
1920s and 30s. Jost Reischmann (1986) is credited with the first explicit use of the term 'lifewide
learning' in the context of his all embracing concept of adult learning. The idea is becoming more
relevant to educational and social policy. According to a recent EU Foresight Report, the future of
learning is 'lifelong and lifewide.'
In the second chapter Harvey Brough describes his lifelong journey to becoming the talented and
celebrated musician and composer he has become. In it he describes the events that changed his
life and the people who influenced, nurtured and inspired him. His life story provides the context
for a piece of music he composed in 1999 called 'Requiem in Blue'. The written and audio account
of how the piece came to be written in the way it was written provides a fascinating insight into
his creative process, his sources of inspiration and the meanings he drew from his life as he
composed the piece. It's a moving story of his personal creativity drawing on his lifelong and
lifewide experiences, allowing us a rare glimpse into his thoughts and feelings
In the third chapter Jenny Willis draws on the findings of her research study of creativity and
lifewide learning among undergraduates at the University of Surrey and Guildford School of
Acting, focusing on how students developed themselves as creative professionals while they
were studying at university. The stories are found to support the importance of lifewide learning
for personal and professional development.
We welcome contributions from the Lifewide Education community. If you would like to make a
contribution to the e-book please contact the commissioning editor
New Team Members
The Lifewide Education Core Team is delighted to welcome two new members
Sarah Campbell is a PhD student at the University of Surrey, researching music and emotion and how it
could be used to facilitate neural plasticity in recovery from addictions. She joined the University of Surrey
in 2005 on a BSc Psychology programme. Her previous work history was varied, coupled with benefits from
experiential learning from travelling. These diverse experiences and openness to new experiences led her
to engage with SCEPTrE. It was through work with SCEPTrE she formed a commitment to the idea of valuing lifewide
learning and an interest in capturing and maximising lifewide learning to optimise the benefits. Her own PhD was a
result of embracing lifewide learning, by deferring her final year to undertake a music technology course, which led to
her current research interest. Sarah believes that reflecting on and integrating wide input from all aspect of our lives
helps us to become adaptive and competent operators in all aspects of our lives, taking a holistic and generalised
approach to living. She supports the concept that it is through all our experiences we become who we are, and by
embracing challenges as opportunities for learning we are able to foster a will to develop into more rounded people.
Vicky Mann is Programme Manager at University of Nottingham with responsibility for the
Nottingham Advantage Award. She also Chairs the AGCAS Skills Award Task Group. Vicky has
been a supporter and champion of the Lifewide Education Community from the start and she
will help us stay in touch with lifewide education developments in Higher Education.
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LIFEWIDE MAGAZINE, Summer 2012 www.lifewideeducation.co.uk
THE LEARNING FROM EXPERIENCE TRUST
DIRECTOR
The Learning from Experience Trust was established in 1986 and has
been at the forefront of developments designed to celebrate and
promote awareness of the benefits of experiential learning, particular-
ly at higher education level. Under the inspired leadership of its
founder the Trust has demonstrated how experiential learning can
validly be awarded academic credit, and through a range of projects it
has shown how the development of learning agreements and other
practice can contribute to the extension of work based learning at all
levels. The Trust now wishes to build upon its earlier work by
promoting further development of evidence-based practice aimed at
facilitating and rewarding experiential learning.
The work will be taken forward by a Director who will work closely
with the Board of Trustees. He/she will be responsible for further
developing the draft strategic plan and then, with the support of the
Trustees, its implementation. The role requires someone with an
enthusiastic belief in the promotion of experiential learning, excellent
communication skills, knowledge of learning and teaching practice at
all levels, but particularly at HE level and first-class networking skills.
It would be particularly suitable for an experienced practitioner
nearing or post-retirement who is looking for a highly stimulating and
rewarding part-time role. A small ex-gratia payment may be available.
To apply, or to arrange an informal discussion, please send a CV and a
supporting statement to Geoffrey Copland, Chairman of the Trustees,
at [email protected]. Applications should received by Monday
17th September.
A TRIBUTE TO CLIVE ROBERTSON
We are sad and shocked to learn of the untimely death of Clive Robertson just a few months after
he retired from Oxford Brookes University. Clive was quite simply a lovely man whose heart was
always focused on helping students learn and improving teaching and learning in his discipline -
Hospitality and Tourism Management. Clive had enjoyed a long and successful career in higher
education with an excellent reputation as an academic leader and innovator and contributed to the
enhancement of higher education in both his university and at a national level. Since 2000 he led
and directed the Higher Education Academy's Subject Centre For Hospitality, Leisure, Sport and Tourism. Clive had a long
standing interest in experiential learning particularly in the context of developing students' capability for professional
work. Following his retirement he took on the role of Director of the Learning from Experience Trust which has similar
educational goals to Lifewide Education and Clive was keen to explore how we might work together to achieve things we
both valued. I will remember Clive for his warm and friendly but quietly determined manner which enabled him to achieve
so much.
Norman Jackson
Designing a Skills Award
Webinar
Tuesday 18th September
from 12pm – 1:10pm
The AGCAS Skills Award Task Group would like
to invite you to participate in the first free
webinar of the academic year on Designing a
Skills Award taking place provisionally on
Tuesday 18th September from 12pm to
1:10pm. We have four panel members
featuring: the Lifewide Development Award;
the University of Ulster’s EDGE Award; the
University of Kent’s Employability Points
Scheme; and the Postgraduate Durham Award.
Each Award has a different structure, and our
panellists will be sharing the benefits and
challenges of designing and delivering their
Award; and will be ready to answer any
questions. The session will be aimed at those
thinking of developing a Skills Award, and those
who already have an Award and are thinking of
changing the structure or adding an additional
element: for example a tailored postgraduate
Award. Full details and confirmation of the
session will be released shortly through AGCAS.
In the meantime, if you would like further
information or to express your interest in book-
ing a place, please contact Sarah Jeffries
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LIFEWIDE MAGAZINE, Summer 2012 www.lifewideeducation.co.uk
The Lifewide Purposes of Usain Bolt
Written by Norman Jackson
Usain Bolt is an exceptional athlete, inspirational role
model for young people and a young man who is
committed to making a positive difference to the lives
of young people through the work of the charitable
Foundation he has established.
Few athletes achieve the
fame and fortune of Usain
Bolt the Jamaican sprint
champion who became a
household name when he
won, in majestic style, three
gold medals at the 2008
Beijing Olympics. While many
people know of his achievements as an athlete, few
people are aware of Usain's important contributions to
making a difference to the lives of young people
through his charitable Foundation. In this article, Usain
explains why his Foundation enables him to fulfil an
important purpose in his life.
Growing up
Usain was born in a village called Sherwood Content in
Trelawny, Jamaica on August 21, 1986. His mother and
father still live there and he often goes home to visit
them and "just go and be himself". They are humble
people from the countryside - respect, good manners
and honesty are important to them. The influence his
parents had on him is clear. He manages to succeed
where so many sportsmen and women fail, combining
confidence and respect for others with a courteous
manner. His family have had a huge, positive impact on
his life and, despite the changes in their world, they
haven't changed at all. and they have helped to keep
Usain grounded.
Nurturing talent to perfection
From an early age, sport provided an outlet for his
boundless energy - diagnosed as hyperactive he
managed to channel his energy into becoming a good
cricketer but it was his speed that drew attention. He
was noticed by coaches at school, and under the
watchful coaching eye of Pablo McNeil, a former
Olympic sprint athlete, by the age of 14 he was winning
his first high school championship medals.
At the age of 15 he achieved success on the world stage
at the 2002 World Junior Championships in Kingston,
Jamaica, where he won the 200m, making him the
youngest world-junior gold medallist ever. Bolt’s feats
impressed the athletics world, and he received the
International Association of Athletics Foundation’s
Rising Star Award that year and soon after the nickname
“Lightning" Bolt.
In 2005, Usain replaced Pablo McNeil who had nurtured
his talent since his early teens, with Glenn Mills who he
describes as a father figure and who he credits with so
much of his success. "He has always made the right
decisions for me. He is a guiding light in my career and
he has shown me the way to improve myself both as a
person and as an athlete," said Bolt after his Olympic
success. Mills started coaching Usain following the 2004
Olympic Games, and the improved physical and
technical training transformed Usain into the world's
fastest man .
He reached the world Top 5 rankings in 2005 and 2006
but injuries continued to plague him preventing him
from completing a full professional season. 2007 proved
to be a breakthrough year as he broke the national 200-
meter record held for over 30 years by Don Quarrie, and
earned two silver medals at the World Championship in
Osaka, Japan. These medals boosted Bolt's desire to run,
and set the scene for his iconic triumph at the 2008
Beijing Olympic Games. In the 100-meter final, he broke
Usain Bolt winning gold in the 100m
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LIFEWIDE MAGAZINE, Summer 2012 www.lifewideeducation.co.uk
the world record, winning in 9.69 seconds. Not only was
the record set without a favourable wind, but he also
visibly slowed down to celebrate before he finished. He
went on to win gold medals in the 200m final and the
4x100m relay. By the time this article is published we
will know whether his destiny includes medals in the
London 2012 Olympic Games - but even if it doesn't he
has left his indelible mark on the world.
Is there another purpose?
This is the story about a man whose purpose is to run
faster than anyone has ever run before. But dig a bit
deeper and another purpose emerges. A purpose that
inspires him to give his time, his wealth and influence,
and himself to the cause of making a positive difference
to the lives of children by setting up the Usain Bolt
Foundation dedicated to the legacy for happy children to
enhance the character of children through educational
and cultural development as they live their dreams.
So why did Usain establish his Foundation?
One answer lies in the joy that interacting with young
people clearly brings him.
"For me it's a lot of fun. I really like to work with kids be-
cause they're so full of energy. I remember when I was
young, my mom had to take me to the doctor because I
was so energetic, I was all over the place. To be with
these kids and see the energy, it brings back joy and
memories of when I was young."
Another is his desire to give something back to the
society that nurtured him - he has made extensive gifts
to the schools he attended and to his local community.
More generally his efforts to make a difference are fo-
cused on the health and development of young people.
"I started the UBF to help children who are less
fortunate. We have worked with schools, community
groups and other Foundations to help enhance social,
educational and cultural aspects of children’s lives."
UBF has also given donations to hospitals and other
health care facilities concerned with improving the
health of children. For example, UBF made a donation to
the Cardiac Surgery department of Bustamante Hospital
for Children in Jamaica.
“Growing up, I have seen a lot of kids struggle and so it’s
easy for me to give back and I will always try to find
different ways to give back to the kids and to Jamaica as
a whole.” One of the key objectives of the Foundation, is
to “provide a healthy and safe environment for children”.
A third reason is that Usain believes education is
essential to the development of people so they can play
an active and productive role in their own society. This
year the Foundation has secured licenses for a special
Mathematics software which comprehensively covers
the Jamaican secondary school Mathematics syllabus
designed for student success. The Foundation has
bought and distributed licenses to Jamaican schools.
Who we are and who we become is the result of our
lifelong and lifewide experiences and its clear that Usain
has been much influenced by his life before he became a
world class athlete and a global media star.
At 25 Usain Bolt is still a young man finding his way in
life but his natural talent and pursuit of sporting
excellence has already left its mark on the world. But he
would be the first to admit that the person he is has
been shaped by the people who have loved and cared
for him, his parents and other members of his family,
friends and teachers and all the people who have guided
and helped him develop as a human being and athlete
his mentors, other athletes, coaches, agents. All have
played a part in enabling him to become the person he is
and continue to help him find and fulfil his purposes.
http://usainbolt.com/foundation/ A quick word with the fastest man on the planet, Usain Bolt; http://thescore.thejournal.ie/interview-a-quick-word-with-the-fastest-man-on-the-planet-usain-bolt-460765-May2012/ Kid at Heart: Giving back remains paramount for Bolt.http://
www.tallawahmagazine.com/2012/05/social-responsibility-usain-bolt-steps.html What makes Usain Bolt tick? Leon Mann http://olympicgamesonline.org/athletes/usain-bolt-foundation-helping-children-in-
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LIFEWIDE MAGAZINE, Summer 2012 www.lifewideeducation.co.uk
CAPTURING THE OLYMPIC SPIRIT
My experience of the Olympics
Sian Betteridge
203 countries will collide in the UK as the countdown to the Olympics gets closer. 10,500 athletes will put on a
competitive show to win the Olympics for their country. After removing 4 skeletons and 2,000 newts, 46,000
builders got to work in making the Olympic stadium for 8.8 million ticket holders. All of these people and masses
more made it all worthwhile for the 4 billion people worldwide, who switch on their TVs to watch the Olympics
take place. But there is more than just the Olympics taking place; all around the world something called
Paralympics start. This is Olympics but for people who have disabilities. This is a perfect opportunity for disabled
people to show off their talents as well as people who are not!
During the last few weeks at my school, (Shipston Primary School) we have done a lot of things to support the
Olympics. In these next few paragraphs, I will tell you all about it along with my own opinion on the Olympics
and Paralympics and when I saw the Olympic torch! So read on
for excitement!
My Olympic Torch Experience
As the torch approached Newbold, we were bombarded with a
crowd of buses that were keeping us entertained whilst the flame
came nearer. Exhilarating - the only way to describe the atmos-
phere. Cheering, screaming, shouting was all you could hear no
matter where you were standing. All of a sudden the cheering got
louder, louder and even louder! I knew what was coming – the
flame! It has made its way halfway around the UK and now is
coming to Newbold! As my heart filled with excitement, my body filled with joy and happiness as well. Bus after
bus came driving through Newbold and finally the time had come…
Standing marked to the spot, I eventually saw the real thing itself, the
Olympic torch! The moment had finally come! It’s beautiful! Glancing at
it constantly, I took loads of photos! Saving all of those memories, the
flame slowly slipped away in the distance. Forever will I treasure what I
have captured!!
What Shipston Primary Did For the Olympics
Shipston Primary is a very talented school - especially in sports! Every
year KS1 and KS2 have a sports day. This year the KS2 sports day theme was the Olympics! We were put in teams
of four and each team was a country where the Olympics had been held before! At the start of sports day, we
were all in our four lines and the anthems from each country were playing – it was just like the proper Olympics!!
We would all participate in events that revolved around the Olympics like throwing (obviously not javelins but
howlers), 60m sprint, 60m hurdles and more! It was so much fun – everyone loved it!
Also, around the school there are pictures of the athletes, their sports and their names! For example, on one of
the doors there is a picture of Andrew Pozzi, his name and in bold writing it says, “110 meter hurdles.” This is
another way Shipston Primary supports the Olympics!
Sian has just finished Year 6 concluding a
very successful period in primary education.
She is a keen all-rounder: academically
gifted, an enthusiastic participant in many
sports, a fearless performer on stage, class
representative and—we should mention—
the Editor’s niece! We wish her equal success in her new school.
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Finally, Mr Hilton (our head teacher) managed to get hold of some
Olympic tickets! He set us all a challenge to win them. All we had to do
was make something to do with the Olympics! Mr Hilton had 3 sets of 2
tickets and 1 set of 3 tickets. So overall there were four winners! The
inventions included a cardboard model of the Olympic stadium, a Lego
model of an event and a power point about the Olympics! They all won
the sets of 2! The person that won the set of 3 did something hard to
explain. Basically, what they did was on an A4 piece of paper painted a
flag and the country of that flag began with O then they painted another and the country name began with L and
so on until it spelt out ‘OLYMPIC GAMES.’ I viewed it and it is amazing! So they saw the Olympics – lucky people!!
My Opinion
Finally to finish my article off, I am going to give you my opinion on the Olympics and Paralympics.
Honestly, I think the Paralympics is a great idea! It shows people that you can be disabled but still do the things
you love and compete in sports just like other people!
The Olympics is a great idea as well. If you have a sporting talent, why not show it off? There are a lot of sport
competitions around the world but the Olympics, to me, is by far the biggest!! It gives people a chance all over the
world to come together and compete! It would be a privilege to compete in a sporting event that big! I know for
sure if I was in the Olympics I would be honoured!!
So that is all about me and my experiences of the Olympics. I hope you enjoyed reading about it all because I
enjoyed re-living the Olympic torch viewing, telling you about what my magnificent school did and writing my
opinion to the world! Thank you for reading and happy Olympics! Enjoy watching and go Team GB!!!
Sian, with flag
Illustrations in this special edition are by Lifewide Education Community Artist
Kiboko HachiYon
To view more of his work, go to his portfolio at
http://kibokohachiyon.tumblr.com/
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LIFEWIDE MAGAZINE, Summer 2012 www.lifewideeducation.co.uk
COMMUNITY MEMBERS: RUSS LAW REPORTS
Olympic Themes in British Schools in 2012
There has been a terrific opportunity, for schools and
teachers who had the time, encouragement and
creativity, to use the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic
Games as the spark or the focus for a range of learning.
The Times Educational Supplement fostered this by
providing links to materials, resources and ideas
covering virtually all subject areas and all phases of
primary and secondary education.
Why? My theory is that when something very special is
in the minds of the nation, whatever their levels of
enthusiasm for the particular topic, it is possible to
initiate genuine – i.e. authentic – learning that is based
on life all around us. It also means that those who
welcome innovation in lessons and who like to do things
in a different way can have a proper context and
rationale for these. The Olympics are a great case in
point, and the Games lend themselves powerfully to
many kinds of learning. This learning can be seen as
that which is directly relevant, and that which is
essentially related.
For example, obviously those keen on physical
education or sports in general can have a (track and)
field day! The international nature of the Games takes
us into the areas of geography, culture, and the
languages and peoples of the world. Then we have to
acknowledge that sport is filled with mathematics (e.g.
time, speed, distance) and statistics – a gift to those
teaching these. What would the Games be without the
style, the fashion, the art and design? The Opening
Ceremony itself is a rich source of drama and
performance. How will the Games be reported? What
sort of language will be used? Historians can delve into
the origins and modern form of the Olympic movement.
Physicists can study aerodynamics – clothes, missiles,
balls and bicycles. Biologists might consider diet,
anatomy, musculature. Psychologists may reflect on
success, failure and crowd behaviour.
And there are other, more ‘civic’, personal or societal
aspects, such as diversity – of ability or disadvantage
(and how people deal with these), gender issues,
cheating and fairness, sportsman / womanship;
economics and business and enterprise; branding and
the law…
At a recent induction conference for Teaching Leaders,
Chief Executive James Toop drew upon the Games in his
address. First he talked of the parallel between the
Olympic ideal and the aims of teachers to give young
people level playing fields – either for sport or for life in
society. In aiming for success, regardless of social back-
ground, all have a chance, he said – but then invited us
to reflect on the accuracy (or, as we would say, the
complexity) of this assertion. He mentioned such factors
as early success, leading to early talent being spotted
and subsequently coached or nurtured, as with autumn-
born babies. Then he mused on the effects of economic
advantage on training chances.
In my conversations and email exchanges with teachers,
there was little or no evidence of focus on some of the
more controversial features of the Games, such as
questions about how it might or might not benefit the
country or London over time; whether some countries
have an unfair advantage; whether some people have
an unfair advantage; whether high levels of
competitiveness breed brother/sisterhood or unseemly
tribalism; if the torch relay was as authentic as the
alternative ‘Real Relay’ through the country, in which
the same ‘torch’ was conveyed all the way by runners
without other transport being used – and so on. I sus-
pect that everyone wanted to end the school year on a
positive note!
“It was simple – great
activities, competitive,
and above all, the
children loved it.”
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LIFEWIDE MAGAZINE, Summer 2012 www.lifewideeducation.co.uk
Anyway, to illustrate the ingenuity and the brilliant
sense of purpose of teachers, here is a selection of the
examples that kind educators from the early years to
upper secondary shared with me:
“We have been using the Olympic theme in school, by
using the context of Social and Emotional Aspects of
Learning (SEAL) to explore what it means to be together
and to work together, both as individuals and as a team,
to achieve a shared goal and dream".
“We had a programme with Y8 during our recent
curriculum enrichment and enhancement day. Y8 tutor
groups were assigned countries to represent. A carousel
approach was used with the children who, by the end of
the day, had engaged in a variety of activities revolving
around the Prince's Teaching Institute subjects, namely:
Geography, History, Science, Maths, Modern Foreign
Languages, and English.
Activities included world maps, debating, an apprecia-
tion of the Paralympics, creative writing etc. After each
activity the group were awarded a gold, silver or bronze
medal. The winning country at the end of the day was at
the top of the league table.
It was simple – great activities, competitive, and above
all, the children loved it.”
’‘We have been using the Olympic theme in school by
basing all sorts of activities around the Olympic and
Paralympic Values. They have formed the whole-school
Thought For The Week for the entire academic year,
and that is the basis of the pastoral system. To introduce
it through the academic side, the seven Olympic Values
have been put on the school behaviour package so that
pupils can be rewarded for demonstrating any of them
in any context.
“Many competitions have been run thanks to the Get Set
programme, and indeed our success with these led to us
being asked to be a lead Plan Your 2012 school. The aim
of this initiative was to promote the Values and the Get
Set Network with local schools who hadn't engaged with
all of the available opportunities.
Our Olympic Ambassadors spoke to more
than 1500 primary students and were
truly inspirational! “
“The legacy will be based around the
Values. We have posters in all PE teaching
areas and beautiful flags for big events to
constantly remind our students of what is at
the heart of both PE and competitive sport
and, indeed, life in general!’
“We have been using the Olympic theme in
school by encouraging the children to
explore and develop the Olympic and
Paralympic values in their own lives; finding
out about how people live in the many countries
involved, and also learning how to participate in a
variety of new sports.”
“We had a special end-of-term Sports Day, with
ceremonies, celebrations and teams representing
different nations.”
A final question: how helpful is the school’s normal
curricular emphasis to all of this? Unless teachers feel
free to spread their wings and fly away from the
confines of too much attention to those topics that
generate safe and easily measurable results, then will it
be hard for learners to go ‘Faster, Higher, Stronger’ (or
Citius, Altius, Fortius, there being something even for
the classical linguists, of course!)
With many thanks to Peter, Mark, Larry, Joanna,
Annette, Aansa and others for their thoughts.
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LIFEWIDE MAGAZINE, Summer 2012 www.lifewideeducation.co.uk
I have a terrible confession to make: I have no interest
whatsoever in sport. It was the one subject that I
‘bunked off’ when at school, and I cringe at the mere
sound of a sports’ commentary intonation. So why
should my reaction to the Paralympics be different? I
have come to the conclusion that it is, firstly, because
they appeal to my respect for courage and determina-
tion to compete like able bodied athletes in the pursuit
of equality of opportunity. I cannot help but share the
common admiration that paralympians evoke as they
defy disabilities to achieve performances that most able
-bodied people could never achieve.
These are, of course, the very values that led Sir Luttwig
Guttmann to propose a form of games which would
contribute to the rehabilitation of those injured in
WWII, culminating in what we now know as the
Paralympics. War had long erased the original Olympian
ideals of respect and friendship, but here was a new
initiative which would not only reinstate these values,
but extend the scope of individual participation and
change collective values.
Perhaps like many, the Paralympics first entered my
consciousness through images of Oscar Pistorius’
famous running blades. Today, the scope of activities in
which paralympians compete is phenomenal and readily
demonstrates the realisation of Guttmann’s values
(courage, determination, inspiration, equality).
A few images from past games will show what I mean:
these amputees are determined not to let the absence
of lower limbs prevent them enjoying the thrill of
competition, courageously entering into a fierce race
for the finishing line. Similarly, this inspirational image
of a one-legged skier leaves us speechless as he appears
to defy gravity, speeding confidently across the snow.
However, disability includes not only the absence of
limbs, but also athletes who may be paralysed. This
basketball player illustrates her courage and
determination not to be excluded from sporting
competition and has found a technique of her own.
Meanwhile, these blind athletes remind us of the
ingenuity and teamwork required to find ways around
their lack of vision.
PARALYMPIAN VALUES AND THE VALUE OF THE PARALYMPICS
Jenny Willis
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LIFEWIDE MAGAZINE, Summer 2012 www.lifewideeducation.co.uk
Two powerful images of the freedom achieved by
disabled swimmers struck me: what could be more
poignant than the line of flip flops to which the
disabled competitor was about to add her prosthetic
legs and feet?
The image brings me back to the second reason for my
being in awe of paralympians: after all these years, we
have again distorted the notion of respect and
friendship to serve political, and ultimately economic,
ends, sending our armed forces to engage in military
action on a scale we thought long gone. Now, as our
sophisticated forms of warfare and advanced medical
techniques see an escalation in people with physical
and psychological disabilities returning from the field,
the Paralympics meet an ever greater need to motivate
and reward this special group of individuals whose lives
have been radically changed.
As we prepare for the 2012 Paralympics, it is a
chastening privilege to learn some of the stories behind
these new competitors. For those who have yet to find
the courage to fight against their disability, let me end
with an image that says more about the value we place
on life and the individual’s determination to enjoy it
than any words could adequately express: this then-10
year old Chinese girl, Qian Hongyan, lost her legs in a
car crash, at the age of 3. Her ambition is to be a
paralympian! Unsurprisingly, her nickname is the
Basketball Girl!
So, my lifewide learning continues with what I would
never have imagined possible: through being obliged,
as editor of Lifewide Magazine, to engage with the
Olympics and Paralympics 2012, I have gained a new-
found respect for, indeed interest in, activities which
had left me unmoved until now. I have been forced to
confront my illogical prejudices and hope I am a better
person for it.
This image of the young Qian Hongyan will forever
remind me of the essential value and values of the
Olympic Games movement. Will you, like me, be
watching her career? Let us commend her courage and
celebrate her dignity.
Acknowledgement
Images from www.google.co.uk
The joyous courage of Quian Hongyan
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LIFEWIDE MAGAZINE, Summer 2012 www.lifewideeducation.co.uk
One of the great
things the Olympics
does is draw atten-
tion to some truly
inspiring people
who we would not
normally be aware
of. Nathan Stephen's
life story illustrates
how he overcame
the consequences of
a terrible childhood
accident to become
one of our top paralympians.
In one of those cruel ironies that life sometimes deals
out, it was a terrible accident, that began a journey for
Nathan Stephens that has ultimately led him to
becoming one of our greatest disabled athletes. Like
most little boys Nathan was fascinated by trains and
on his ninth birthday, while playing near a railway line
with his older brother, cousin and friend, a slow-moving
freight train rumbled past. “For some unknown reason I
decided ‘I’m going to try and jump on it’, to see how far
I could go,” Nathan said. “But as I jumped, my foot
slipped and got dragged underneath.” Nathan’s left leg
was amputated almost to the hip while his right leg was
lost above the knee. Despite being told he may face a
year in hospital he made an amazing recovery and was
discharged after just weeks in hospital and was back at
school soon after.
Nathan soon discovered that life as a double amputee
did not stop him getting up to mischief as he recalls an
incident not long after the accident. "I went with the
family to visit friends in Germany, where I first
discovered that having no legs can be an advantage. I
could fit into very small places, so [while playing hide
and seek] I hid in the washing machine - and I was only
found out when my German friend's mother went to
turn it on."
Nathan refused to let his disability impact on his love of
sport, he continued to take part in as much activity as
possible, acting as wicket keeper for his school cricket
team, goalkeeper for the football team. He credits
joining a sledge hockey team for rescuing him from
dwelling on his situation. “It gave me my life back,” he
said. “Getting to know all the guys at Cardiff Huskies
and all the GB guys, it was the first time that I’d got
together with a bunch of disabled people. “It helped
me know the difference between my disability and
theirs. “It got me aware of my disability. “After being
in that environment, when you go out on the street
and people do start taking the mickey out of you and
winding you up, bullying you in a way, you just take it
on the chin and say ‘well, if that’s all you’ve got, fine’.
After qualifying for the national senior sledge hockey
team at 13! His abilities were finally spotted at a fun
day and he was drafted into an elite level training pro-
gramme where he took up javelin, discus and shot put -
and the rest is history. His extraordinary talent and
commitment to developing himself as an athlete result-
ed in phenomenal sporting achievement.
He began competing in athletic competitions in 2003
at the age of 15, winning the gold in discus, javelin and
shot putt at the Junior British Championship. He
continued his success into the senior field and at the
age of 16 he broke the British senior record in all three
throwing events. In 2006 he took part in his first
Paralympics when he represented the Great Britain
ice sledge hockey team at the 2006 Winter Paralympics.
Two years later, he competed in three events in
the 2008 Summer Paralympics
INSPIRING PEOPLE: NATHAN STEPHENS By Norman Jackson
“people do start taking the
mickey out of you and winding
you up, bullying you in a way,
you just take it on the chin”
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LIFEWIDE MAGAZINE, Summer 2012 www.lifewideeducation.co.uk
finishing 11th in discus, 8th in shot putt and 4th in the
javelin. In 2011, Stephens won the gold at he Paralympic
Athletics World Championships in New Zealand,
recording a lifetime best of 39.11 metres. He followed
this up by recording a world record, at the Czech
Athletics in the men’s F57 javelin with a distance of
41.37 metres. In spite of having surgery on his shoulder
late in 2011 he qualified for the London 2012 Summer
Paralympics in April 2012.
Nathan's sporting achievements reflect not only his
natural ability but a life that has been dedicated to the
pursuit of sporting excellence in whatever field he has
taken up. But does this dedication and focus mean that
other parts of his life are neglected? We invited Nathan
to talk about he draws meaning, inspiration and
fulfilment from other parts of his life:
1) Does your dedication to sporting excellence mean
that other parts of your life get neglected?
2) Other than sport, what other things do you do in your
life that are meaningful and enable you to be fulfilled as
a person?
3) Who have been the significant people in your life who
have inspired you or given you practical help to enable
you to become the person you are?
4) I understand that you visit schools to try to inspire
children with the values and attitudes that have enabled
you to succeed in the face of severe disabilities, what
does this work mean to you?
5) How are you preparing yourself now for your future
life once your career as a top athlete has finished?
What shines through Nathan's life story is his determi-
nation and willingness to make the very most of his
natural ability in spite of his disability. He is an
inspiration to all of us whose bodies are more intact
than Nathan's.
“If someone asked me would you want your legs back
I’d turn round to them and say no. “The only thing I
would change is what I put my family and friends
through that day.”
Sources
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nathan_Stephens http://www.metro.co.uk/sport/extra/883468-nathan-stephens-having-family-watching-adds-to-the-pressure#ixzz20KUAyxuP
http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/other-sports/athletics/paralympic-star-stephens-ill-never-842619
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Nathan-Stephens-Paralympic-Athlete/73156612601
https://mascot-games.london2012.com/photos/default.aspx
http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/raiseyourgame/sites/dedication/.shtml
Nathan Stephens in action—we shall be supporting him in the forthcoming Paralympics
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LIFEWIDE MAGAZINE, Summer 2012 www.lifewideeducation.co.uk
‘Any-Body Month’ is one of thousands of projects across the country that have been inspired
by the Olympic and Paralympic Games.
The University of Nottingham launched ‘Any-Body Month’ in 2010 as an inclusive event,
providing opportunities for individuals and groups to try a variety of different sports and
physical activities for free. As well as encouraging people to get active and try new sports,
Any-Body Month aims to raise awareness of the barriers faced
by people with disabilities who play sport.
Feedback from students with disabilities highlighted a further need to offer additional one-to
-one support to those students who found it particularly challenging to access sport. As a
result, the ‘Any-Buddy’ scheme was developed, a pairing scheme in which a student ‘Any-
Buddy’ would provide support to another student seeking additional support to access sport.
The Any-Buddy scheme aims to provide students with a platform to support their peers,
build confidence and form new friendships.
Via the University’s skills award (Nottingham Advantage Award) students are encouraged to record and reflect upon their
experience in the role of Any-Buddy. Each Any-Buddy is provided with training and mentoring by the Disability Sport Officer
to equip them with the skills and knowledge to carry out their role effectively. Any-Buddies provide regular reflective
accounts to reflect upon the progress of the buddying relationship and a portfolio is provided to support each Any-Buddy to
set goals, analyse their strengths and evaluate their development.
Completed portfolios provided an insight into students’ self perception of their skills, attributes and values and the process
by which they were acquired and developed. Motivation (of self and others), communication, timekeeping and self-
organisation were the most commonly cited areas which students felt they had developed. Students also reported changes
in their own behaviours and self awareness; increased empathy with individuals with disabilities, increased awareness of
how to make adjustments to suit individual need and increased understanding of a
range of interpersonal skills required to build effective relationships.
Overall the students found that the scheme provided them with an opportunity to
combine their passions for sport and volunteering, and particularly valued the fact
that they “directly contributed towards someone else achieving an inspiring goal.”
The cyclical nature of the reflective process itself was cited by students as
particularly useful although from the outset some students found it challenging to
produce regular written reflective accounts as opposed to simply ‘thinking through’
the experience. However at an early stage students recognised the value of developing reflective practice via a written
journal to help enhance future experiences. This was complemented by the experience of delivering a verbal presentation at
the end of the scheme which students found useful, not only to evaluate the entire process, but to think carefully about how
to articulate this to an audience.
One of our Any-Buddies was paired with a student, Thomas Green, who was in training for the Paralympic Games. Thomas
has been blogging about his journey towards the Games for several months and his reflections upon his own training
indicated that initiatives such as the Any-Buddy scheme aided his focus and motivation.
We hope to build upon this scheme in future years to support more students to reflect upon their
experiences as a sports volunteer, not just in terms of skills development, but in how it can help to
shape their views, values and personal relationships.
Any Body Month was awarded the Inspire 2012 Mark in 2011 and 2012 as an initiative which
embodies the key Olympic values. For more information please visit
http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/sport/getinvolved/disabilitysport/initiatives/index.aspx
‘Any-Body, Any-Buddy’ - University of Nottingham
Vicky Mann
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LIFEWIDE MAGAZINE, Summer 2012 www.lifewideeducation.co.uk
The 2012 Olympics have given rise to many novel
initiatives which are unrelated to sport, but that
reflect the true Olympic values. One which impressed
me particularly was the brainchild of a charity, Street-
wise Opera.
Ten years ago, opera critic Matt Peacock founded the
charity, spurred on by his voluntary work with the
homeless in London. For the last decade, Streetwise
Opera has been running music workshops in shelters
for homeless people. Now, to mark the Olympics and
realise their ideals of respect, friendship and equality,
he has taken a group of 300 homeless people from
across Britain and included them as performers in
With One Voice, a show
comprising choirs, theatre
groups, singers and rappers,
who performed on 2 July at
the Royal Opera House.
Speaking to Metro
newspaper, Matt explained:
“You can tackle in-
justice by lobbying,
but we thought we
would do it in a
different way
through an artistic
celebration, which
I think is just as
powerful. This is
about giving people
a platform and also
through that doing
something that
shows the public
that our performers
are not down and outs. It demonstrates that
homelessness can happen to anyone. There
are 300 performers and their story has been
the transformation and the courage they’ve
been able to gain from the arts, from singing,
theatre groups and film groups, so it’s just as
much a celebration of the achievements of
homeless people as it is of the arts
in general.”
The words of one of the performers, Jamaican
Herman Vernon, who has spent most of his life in
London, capture the importance of this event. His
flat was repossessed during the credit crunch and he
spent a few years ‘sofa surfing’, wandering the streets
of London at night and staying on night buses. He is
now in hostel accommodation and has been singing
with Streetwise Opera. He describes how his learning
horizons have been expanded by this opportunity to
perform with others:
“Living in London, some-
times you don't see a lot
of the beauty and the
quality of what the city
really has to offer. I’ve
lived in London a long
time and I’ve never
actually been to the
Barbican Centre. And the
first time I went there
was with Streetwise and
just to look at it and see
the gardens behind it,
you wouldn’t think that
things like that exist.
You’ve got all these
magnificent buildings
and you don't know
what’s behind them
sometimes. I felt really
inspired and I was taken
in by it all.”
Speaking of the importance this celebratory event has
to people such as himself, he says:
‘The danger is marginalised people in general
get forgotten in this huge celebration that’s
coming to London. It’s important to
remember everyone and to give a voice to the
people who aren’t able to have a voice.
Operatics: embracing the Olympian values
Jenny Willis
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LIFEWIDE MAGAZINE, Summer 2012 www.lifewideeducation.co.uk
Homeless people have never been given that
platform at the Olympics and it’s time that
they were.
I think there’s still work to be done to
demonstrate to the public that homelessness
isn’t just about rough sleeping and an end to
homelessness is about supporting people all
the way through.
There are hundreds of thousands of hidden
homeless people all around the country and
their situation can be as bad as people living
on the streets. There are some vulnerable
people who never make it to the streets but
their situation is very serious and we’ve got to
support everyone, rough sleepers and hidden
homeless people.’
This is a patently political message, but then the
Olympic Games are intrinsically political, embracing as
they do some fundamental human values. I have yet to
find a finer example of their embodiment.
Sources
http://www.metro.co.uk/news/newsfocus/903341-homeless-
singers-to-take-olympic-bow-on-stage-at-royal-opera-
house#ixzz1zOwnCsdt ; www.with1voice.org.uk/watchlive
www.streetwiseopera.org
Since the last edition of Lifewide appeared, one of our founder members, Professor John Cowan, has celebrated his
80th birthday. This is in itself a momentous achievement, but when you look at how John has spent those eight
decades, and is planning his lifewide learning for the coming years, he sets us a daunting example.
From his early years as a war-time child, John has taken control of his learning, and revelled in extending his physical,
intellectual and interpersonal development. His diverse career has been fuelled by his passion for excellence and
breaking boundaries. Now, in defiance of his aging body, he has set himself 6 current dimensions of learning: these
entail new learning (mastering an Apple Mac, studying polar exploration, and editing and digitising his old slides),
brushing up on old learning (using all 10 digits for the keyboard), and, central to all, “exercising my capacity for
sustained logical thinking.” He concludes that his multiple interests are all “connected to who I am and still want to
become, and to the relationships I have with people who matter to me.”
You can read more about John’s remarkable life and endeavours in the forthcoming chapter B1 of our e-book (see
http://lifewideeducation.co.uk/page/lifewide-learning-education-personal-development-e-book), to be published in
September.
We all wish you a belated Happy Birthday, John, and many more years of productive lifewide learning!
HAPPY 80th BIRTHDAY, JOHN!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO OUR OCTOGENARIAN LIFEWIDER, JOHN COWAN
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LIFEWIDE MAGAZINE, Summer 2012 www.lifewideeducation.co.uk
World events come in all shapes and sizes but the Olympics -
especially when they are hosted by your own country are a
pretty big event. And of course we can be critical of all the
money being spent and how it might have been better spent
on something else, but we also have to recognise that it's had
a profound emotional impact on many people. You have only
to talk to friends and family about how they felt during the
opening ceremony to know that something special is
happening to the emotions of the Brits.
Of course I love sport and I was very sporty as a youth so I can
relate to what these elite athletes are going through and
appreciate something of the dedication, commitment,
sacrifice and pain they have gone through to prepare them-
selves for their moment. But I can honestly say I have been
blown away by the spectacle and the accessibility through TV
and the internet to the drama as it unfolds. Not the analytical
retrospective dissection of events but the raw emotions and
gut feelings to what is happening or has just happened.
Having the time to follow multiple events on the BBC internet
service I have been totally enthralled by the drama and the
spectacle. For most people who have not been able to
experience the event live this is how they have experienced it.
Emotional rollercoaster
There is no doubt that the media and the BBC in particular
have a huge role to play in engaging people in the Olympic
experience especially for people who are unable to directly
experience the event. The BBC coverage has been exceptional
and I think deeply cultural (rather than commercial). Through
the profiles of the athletes I have learnt about them as
individuals - their families, their sporting history and what it
means to them and their coaches who encourage and help
them perform. Through the events we learn about the
different sports and what individuals have to do and of course
we witness people performing at the highest level. Whether
they win or do not win it is the moment they have worked for
and we all respect them for trying.
I expect I'm no different to anyone else when I witness
someone winning an event in the Olympics. On every
occasion I experience a rollercoaster of emotions that begins
with willing people on and then there is an overwhelming
feeling in which tears well up and I connect with the moment
being shared by athlete and audiences all over the world . It is
an amazing feeling of happiness, pride and gratitude for
someone who has achieved their dream after devoting their
life for this moment. And they share their overwhelming joy
and thank all the people who have helped them and made
sacrifices too. And I can't help but be moved and feel uplifted
as I experience this wonderfully human feeling over and
over again.
But what about the downside of the emotional rollercoaster?
The side that is not joyful but broken-hearted. Thanks to TV
we also witness the total dejection of people who judge
themselves to have fallen short of their goal, who perform
well below what they are capable of doing or who injure
themselves in competition. We see interviews of people who
have given everything and were piped at the post like Mark
Hunter and Zac Purchase in their dramatic lightweight double
sculls final when they led all the way until the last few metres
and were beaten by inches into the silver medal position.
They were barely able to talk because they were physically
shattered and choked with emotion grieving for their lost
ambition. And our empathetic brains kick in again as we
share their utter devastation and empathise with their
situation. Our emotional response is both personal and
collective and because its shared my millions it makes it a
very human experience.
The London Olympics may have set out to inspire a
generation, but they seem to have affected our whole society.
The Director’s Olympic reflections
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LIFEWIDE MAGAZINE, Summer 2012 www.lifewideeducation.co.uk
The second International Conference On Learning And
Community Enrichment (ICOLACE) event was recently held in
Singapore from 15-18 July. There were 43 participants in the
conference from 15 countries.
ICOLACE 2012 participants
The original ICOLACE event was held back in 2010 and was
primarily a forum for educators who had participated in the
trial introduction of Lifewide PROGRESS Reports which are
templates to help students set and review progress towards
their lifewide goals. More information regarding the template
is available from http://www.pecascentres.com/doc/
partnerships.pdf The template has now been tested in
schools/universities in Dubai, Kuwait, Singapore, Ghana,
Pakistan, Mexico and the Philippines.
The 2012 conference was held to create greater awareness
of the model under the theme of “Innovative programs for
academic and character development towards the lifewide
formation of students.”
The conference opened with a presentation by staff and
students from Our Lady of Good Counsel (OLGC) primary
school in Singapore who spoke about their adapted version
of the template which they have named a “Goals Action Pro-
gram (GAP) Report”.
Presentation by staff and students from
Our Lady of Good Counsel School, Singapore
Other presentations during the conference included
“Enhancing Life-wide Learning and Sustainable Development
via an Academic Course” by Professor Marion Ben-Jacob from
New York; “Lifelong Learning in the Knowledge Economy-
Challenges for Taiwan” by I-Yin Chin from Taiwan;
“Cooperative Learning (CL) and student formation” by Javiera
Mena from Chile; “Learning for the Environment: A teaching
experience with Semi-Scripted Role Play” by Siew Nyet Moi
from Malaysia; “The impact of service learning on character
development” by Rossana Chen from Singapore and “Use of
3G services for effective penetration of education in rural
India” by Dipankar Mishra from India.
On the final day of the conference, participants were most
fortunate to be invited to visit Our Lady of Good Counsel
school to see the student project work being undertaken with
regard to lifewide learning and Education for Sustainable De-
velopment. This was a special experience and all delegates
spoke highly of the achievements by students and staff led by
their inspiring Principal, Mrs Catherine Seah.
Dr Dorit Patkin and Dr Ilana Levenberg from Israel with OLGC students
The proceedings from the conference will be available online
in September through the link http://www.pecascentres.com/
icolace2.html
One of the outcomes from the conference has been the
establishment of the “International Association For Lifewide
Learning (IAFLL)” to become the formal umbrella organization
primarily to coordinate future ICOLACE events and network-
ing between schools/universities wishing to test Lifewide
PROGRESS Reports.
Anyone interesting in finding out more about ICOLACE or
Lifewide PROGRESS Reports should contact Chris Picone via
MEMBERSHIP NEWS
ICOLACE and Lifewide Learning
by Chris Picone from Kuwait
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LIFEWIDE MAGAZINE, Summer 2012 www.lifewideeducation.co.uk
Lifewide Education Goes to China
Norman Jackson
There is nothing quite like experiencing a new place for
bringing home to you the importance of place and space in
determining who you are and I have always thought that
travel, especially if it involves going somewhere you have
never been before, can fundamentally change your under-
standing about the world. In June I spent five days in Chengdu
a large city in of 14 million people in the west of China to
attend the 2012 Creativity in Higher Education conference
jointly organised by Sichuan and Arizona State University.
The conference focused on how to bring about change in
higher education so that it is more able to develop students'
creative potential, with a strong focus on the reform of
Chinese universities so that can prepare students so that
they are more innovative.
Presentations ranged from the specific (the neuroscience of
the human brain) to the global (the higher education universe
in the 21st century). They covered such topics as creative
curricula, research on student experiences, creative
pedagogies including how to help students think creatively
and scientific creativity among Chinese scholars. A link to the
papers and presentation materials is available below.
http://www.cvent.com/events/2012-higher-education-creativity-
conference/custom-20-ca239c4dfa394adc98603f83e4ff25ff.aspx
I was an invited speaker and my presentation on developing
personal creativity through lifewide education seemed to be
well received, although the ideas were alien to many of the
participants. I was also delighted and surprised to be told that
my book Developing Creativity in Higher Education was being
translated by students of the university as one of 10 books on
creativity that have been selected to provide a starting point
for creative scholarship and practice.
So what did I learn from being in Chengdu? By listening to the
Sichuan University institutional leaders, talking to participants
especially the students who did all the behind the scenes
organisation and looked after participants’ needs, I felt I learnt
a lot about Chinese higher education and what it was trying to
accomplish. In other words my most important learning was
contextual and relational.
Throughout the conference the meals had been one of the
highlights - Sichuan food is some of the most delicious food I
have ever eaten and it is a very social affair. We were also
treated to some wonderful restaurants - some of which were
in buildings constructed in a traditional style.
But the last day in Chengdu was very special. The university
had provided us with a conducted tour of the city with an
emphasis on giving us a flavour of their cultural heritage. The
tour guide 'Bobby' was a brilliant and knowledgeable
communicator -perhaps the most creative person I had met all
week. Written on his T-short were the words “There are two
sorts of people in the world - those that entertain and those
that observe” - he was most definitely in the first category.
Chengdu a busy, bustling city
of 14 million people
Some of the delegates at the 2012 Creativity in Higher Education Conference Chengdu
Sichuan 'Hot Pot' - boiling chillis*****
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LIFEWIDE MAGAZINE, Summer 2012 www.lifewideeducation.co.uk
We set off at 8.30am and he talked us through the day on the
way to our first stop the Panda sanctuary about an hour out
of the city where I expanded my knowledge of Panda's a
thousand fold.and got some great photos .
Then it was back into the city for a wonderful traditional
Sichuan lunch. After lunch we went to the most amazing
museum built on a 3000 year archaeological site. The
architecture and the methods used to display the site and
what had been found will remain with me for ever.
It was impossible not to be humbled by the creativity and
craftsmanship and use of technology by these ancient people
and at the same time be overwhelmed by the creativity in the
architects' designs (apparently a graduate student who won
an open competition, and the way artefacts had been
displayed. I could not help but compare these concrete
manifestations of creativity with our thinking and talking
about it in an abstract way. In the evening we went to the
Sichuan Opera and were treated to another cultural feast -
including opera, shadow shapes, erhu music, drama, and
costume/face changing. all local traditions and very
interesting. Again I was struck by the enormous creative
talent on display.
I came home feeling I had caught a glimpse of modern China
and I understand a little bit more what China is trying to
accomplish by opening itself to the influences of western
ideas about learning and teaching, and to finding and
supporting its most talented people. I am also able to
appreciate much more the way in which history, culture
and traditions intermingle in modern Chinese society. But
more than experiencing a different place and culture the
difference has more to do with the people I had met and
their humour and perspectives on the world and their
attempts to share something about themselves and their
lives that has left the deepest impression on me.
Thanks to all of you for making my lifewide experience so
rich and valuable.
A pile of Pandas
Jinsha Archaeological Museum: UNESCO World Heritage site
Sichuan Opera
Some of the friends I made
“It was impossible not to be humbled by the
creativity and craftsmanship and use of
technology by these ancient people”
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LIFEWIDE MAGAZINE, Summer 2012 www.lifewideeducation.co.uk
REMEMBERING THE 1948 OLYMPICS
Another octogenarian, the Editor’s father, Don, looks back
TWITTER UPDATE
Jenny Willis
We have now held three of our monthly Twitter sessions. Each
has been very different and we have learnt much about the
educational value of tweeting.
We reported in our Spring edition on the first session. This was
followed in June by a session on personal creativity, led by
Norman Jackson, and a session in July, mediated by Russ Law.
The June exchange was preceded by a stimulus paper, while in
July, we left correspondents completely free to raise their own
issues. The former session was well attended whereas the
latter was essentially a dialogue between three people. I
personally found the conversational interaction supported by
a small number of correspondents more useful, though we
found ourselves inventing ways around the 140 character
constraint! A summary of each session can be found at http://
lifewideeducation.co.uk/page/twitterexchange
D: I had just returned from three years in Malaya. We sailed into Liverpool, and everything was
so grey and depressing. All these miserable looking dockers in their flat caps, no one smiled, and the only people who
spoke to you were other servicemen. It was such a contrast: I had left a vibrant Singapore, where the girls were all in
bright coloured clothing, the markets had every sort of fruit you could imagine, and people were happy, getting on
with life after the occupation and slaughter … I suppose I saw the contrast more clearly as I had been away from
England for so long. Everything just seemed so grubby, even the seats on the train were filthy. There was rubble and
destruction still everywhere.
J: But London was hosting the first Olympics since the end of the war. Did that not cheer people up?
D: I suppose it did, but remember, most of us didn’t have television and the Olympics were still an amateur
competition. No big advertising campaign or commercialisation as there is now. In fact, things were so bad that we
couldn’t even afford to host the visiting athletes. Those who came from places like Australia and America brought as
much as they could, to share round. We were still on rationing, right up to 1954.
The Olympic values were still there, though. The athletes were proud to represent their country, it just wasn’t
commercialised like now.
'How did the Olympics affect you?’
Wednesday 15 – Saturday 18 August 2012
Tweet to #LWE4
Did the Olympics affect you, if so how? Did they make you think and feel differently about anything? What did you learn through the experience? Do you think they will have a lasting effect on you and society? The Olympics is one of the few events that can claim to be global in its involvement of people and the nations of the world. So what, if any effect has it had on the world? These are questions worth asking in the wake of what for many of us will be a unique event in our lifetime, an Olympic Games in our own country. The London Olympics set out to inspire a generation but did they affect you in an inspir-ing way? Please join us and share your thoughts and feelings...
HOW TO JOIN THE DISCUSSION
1. GET A TWITTER ACCOUNT
If you are not already a twitter user, please go to http://twitter.com and sign yourselves up for a free account that will enable you to participate.
2. FIND THE SESSION ON TWITTER
The start &finishing dates are shown against each event. To find an event in Twitter, use 'Discover' as the way to find the semi-nar/session. Discover is the search facility in Twitter. Type #LWE2 into the search window to access the session.
3.POSTING A MESSAGE When you send a message (no more than 140 characters) add #LWE4 to the end of your message. E.g. Hi everyone, just arrived and looking forward to it #LWE4
STIMULUS PAPERS/SLIDES/IMAGES & SUMMARIES can be found at http://lifewideeducation.co.uk/page/twitter -
exchange
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LIFEWIDE MAGAZINE, Summer 2012 www.lifewideeducation.co.uk
LIFEWIDE MAGAZINE, Issue 4
INSTITUTIONS FOR LIFEWIDE EDUCATION
What are schools, colleges and universities doing to encourage
and support lifewide learning and education?
Let’s imagine what they could be like. Let your creativity run wild!
Please send your ideas to the Editor: [email protected]
Deadline for receipt of submissions of next edition:
1 November 2012
Follow us and send messages to @Lifewiders
Another important milestone was reached with the launch of the Lifewide Development Award in August. The
scheme can be used by students in full or part-time education, to supplement and complement their academic
studies. Alternatively, it can be used by anyone who is not participating in formal education. The scheme is
supported by the Lifewide Education Community and in time we hope to develop a significant capacity for
mentoring young people who want to join the scheme. Our ultimate objective is to create a self-sustaining
enterprise in which participant learners take on the role of mentors for new learners.
Information about the Award can be found on the Lifewide
Development website and we welcome involvement of
community members as mentors and champions. We will
be piloting the award with volunteers over the next nine
months. To find out more please visit the website:
http://www.lifewideaward.com/
or contact the Director:
Lifewide Development Award Launched
Lifewide Magazine is sponsored by Chalk Mountain,
a company that helps people, organisations and communities
visualise and share their ideas and knowledge.
http://chalkmountain.co.uk/
Join us for the next Twitter session
at
#LWE4
15-18 August 2012
How did the Olympics affect you?