About

I’ve always liked Illich’s thoughts on conviviality as applied to the techno-tools that are increasingly a part of our daily lives and work. Although Illich was writing pre-Net, his general sentiment about empowerment and the need for individuals to achieve personal mastery of technology remains for me a goal to which we need constantly to aspire.

From his 1973 book, Tools for Conviviality,

“…People need new tools to work with rather than tools that “work” for them. They need technology to make the most of the energy and imagination each has…”

“…Convivial tools are those which give each person who uses them the greatest opportunity to enrich the environment with the fruits of his or her vision.”

Illich, I. (1973). Tools for conviviality. New York: Harper & Row.

For me, personal mastery of information and communications technologies is a new requirement for education professionals.

Professional development is not something that is done to or for you; it is something you do for yourself, and your students.

Pick up those techno-tools and create the future!

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I am the Executive Director of BCcampus.

I can be reached by email at david | DOT | p | AT | sfu | DOT | ca

Twitter:  @dendroglyph

Course:  ETEC522 – Ventures in Learning Technology