Experience at AIU
There is exponentially more data and information than a few years ago. Most of this data and information are available to everybody, but creating knowledge from it is more difficult. Real insight and finally wisdom are only attained with great effort and with exceptional sharing in a climate of trust. This process is indispensable in attaining a competitive edge.
I am of the firm belief that only adult learning leads to wisdom (as the AIU does with phase 1).
Adult learning combined with distance learning, where the university and learner are intimately involved in the learning process (as AIU demonstrates in phase 2 – curriculum development) is the optimal combination for knowledge transfer to take place.
More importantly than knowledge transfer is the encouragement of students to be creative and innovative in their learning experience.
To practice creativity the AIU and the student lead the process to continuously create ideas and knowledge and steer it towards practical implementation. Creativity happens when we:
Are set to break sets, destruct if necessary
Explore givens, use good things of the past
See a broad picture with local detail
Build up, and not knock down
Live with looseness
Connect and are receptive
Know what we want, have a focus and a vision
Manage the process (Open University B822, 2007)
Creativity and resultant innovation is a choice. It is a choice each person can make. It is a difficult journey that will often challenge our existing ways of doing. . However, the outcomes of this process hold such great promise that we have no choice but to embark on this journey.
