Thinking About Learning

I’ve been reading The Power of Myth by Joseph Campbell with Bill Moyers. In the introduction, Campbell says, “Technology is not going to save us. Our computers, our tools, our machines are not enough. We have to rely on our intuition, our true being.” I find myself freqently pondering our rapidly changing world. Technological advances place limitless amounts of information at our fingertips and allow us to communicate with anyone on the planet within seconds. Alexander Graham Bell never imagined such a thing possible, but much later, someone else did. As we find ourselves immersed in the digital world, the possibilities are endless, but in which direction will technology drive us? Life is about making connections…everything meaningful in life is in some way about the connections we make…connections to ourselves, to others, and to the world. Technology and Web 2.0 provide us with powerful tools for learning and connecting with others, but I think that the more our lives become immersed in technology, it is imperative that we become very intentional about connecting with nature and ourselves.

Harold Stone wrote, “The great need of our time is for people to be connected to spirit; for people to be connected to a core of feeling in themselves that makes their lives vital and full of meaning, that makes life a mystery evermore to be uncovered.” In order to save our planet for the future, we need to be teaching our students to love nature. A friend recently shared a site that has some beautiful National Geographic podcasts. These videos are an example of a way technology can move us in healthy directions. Even so, we still need long walks in the woods! Sue Monk Kidd wrote, “Ultimately nature heals because it reminds us that as humans, we are nature.” Nature sparks the imagination and helps us get in touch with our inner core.