McLuhan, Media and Education:
A dialog on the future of educational technology

Abstract:

What do the new media mean for the future of education? What is the role of entertainment in teaching? Will the World-Wide Web transform education? Will students become the new storytellers as we tribalize our global village? If you have any connection with educational technology and communication tools, this session is the perfect place to explore and develop your thinking on these subjects.

Marshall McLuhan once said that education at the University of Toronto would improve if the school shut down and the students and faculty gathered at the local pubs to share ideas. In that spirit, (absent the pub) this dialog is designed for a small group (30 people or fewer) who will read and then explore thoughts triggered by McLuhan's brilliant poem, Classrooms Without Walls.

This prescient poem explores education's traditional resistance to new media, and provides insights as fresh as today as they were when it was first published.

Dr. Thornburg's facilitation of this dialogue often results into forays into the contrarian thinking of Neil Postman and other authors and thinkers on all sides (and edges) of the educational technology coin - where we go is up to you! While no two of these highly spirited dialogues are the same, participants are uniformly delighted with the results, and often continue to explore these ideas long after the session is finished.

Come with an open mind to massage the message of media in the communication age.

Presentation type...	Small breakout session (30-40 participants, maximum)
Audience................	general
Duration.................	1 hour
Handouts................	yes - Classrooms Without Walls

Dr. Thornburg will gladly tailor any presentation to your specific needs.