Patrick Blessinger

Humans are Extraordinary, but Need a Change in Mindset

Humans are Extraordinary, but Need a Change in Mindset Patrick Blessinger, Abhilasha Singh, Fareeda Khodabocus, and Amudha Poobalan Humans are an extraordinary species in many ways. From their modest beginnings along the East African Rift many millennia ago, humans have evolved to develop some remarkable traits – physical, mental, and social. As a result, not only have humans become the most dominant species on the planet, but they have also become by far its most intelligent, imaginative, adaptable, and resourceful species. This outcome is the result of some very fortuitous events that have happened to humans along their evolutionary pathway. Over the course of their evolution, humans have hit the evolutionary super jackpot several times (perhaps a one hundred trillion to one outcome) when they developed the following advantageous traits, among others: bipedalism, opposable thumbs, the hyoid bone, and, consequently, big and powerful brains. For example, bipedalism is likely the foremost characteristic that put hominids on [...]

Patrick Blessinger2022-05-01T11:35:54+00:00May 1, 2022|Tags: Abhilasha Singh, Amudha Poobalan, Fareeda Khodabocus, Higher Education, Humanity, Sustainable Development, V8A5|

Knowledge for the Global Common Good

Knowledge for the Global Common Good Patrick Blessinger and Enakshi Sengupta Since the dawn of the Industrial and Democratic Revolutions (circa 1800 CE), the impact of human activity on the planet has accelerated and the human species has become, for better and worse, the dominant influence affecting life on planet Earth. In some ways (for example, major decreases in illiteracy, poverty, child mortality), the world has become significantly better off since the dawn of these revolutions. In other ways (for example, major increases in mass carbon emissions and deforestation), the world has become worse off over the course of these revolutions. The development of the sustainable development goals is aimed at addressing these deficiencies. Within this historical context, and within the more modern context of globalization and the development of the sustainable development goals, the world has also emerged into a global knowledge society where access to much of the [...]

Patrick Blessinger2022-04-20T09:57:06+00:00April 20, 2022|Tags: Common Good, Enakshi Sengupta, Humanistic Education, Knowledge, Patrick Blessinger, V8A4|

In a hyper-connected world, dawns a new age of hyper-learning

In a hyper-connected world, dawns a new age of hyper-learning Patrick Blessinger Two of the most important questions facing higher education today are: how should higher education institutions respond to the dramatic changes occurring in the world today? And, since the consumption and production of knowledge (that is, the learning process) is at the center of all educational institutions, how can higher education adapt and transform their teaching and learning practices and processes to best address these changes? To help answer these questions, it may be helpful to first understand the factors driving the emerging trends in the world today (politically, economically, socially, technologically, and environmentally) and how these trends are impacting higher education. The real-time instantaneity of ubiquitous digital interactions (for example, the integration of social media with wireless, GPS, and mobile technologies), as well as the development of new inventions, discoveries, and innovations, has fundamentally altered our reality [...]

Patrick Blessinger2023-04-16T12:36:57+00:00March 10, 2022|Tags: Learning Ecosystem, Learning Futures, Lifelong Learning, Patrick Blessinger, V8A3|

Shaping Learning Futures with Lifelong Learning

Shaping Learning Futures with Lifelong Learning Patrick Blessinger and Filipe de Castro Soeiro For the past 12 millennia, humanity has undergone a series of revolutions that have allowed it to dominate every aspect of the planet. Beginning with the First Agricultural Revolution (Neolithic period) around 10,000 BCE, humans began transitioning from hunter-gathers to permanent farming settlements based on animal domestication and plant cultivation for human food production and consumption. This revolution was likely triggered by climate change (end of the Paleolithic Ice Age) as well an increase in local populations (urbanization). This transition represents a radical change in humans’ survival strategies where humans began to adapt the environment to fits their needs rather than simply adapting to the whims of the environment as all other species do. For instance, through domestication, humans created artificial environments where selected livestock and plants were separated from their wild counterparts in order to serve [...]

Patrick Blessinger2022-02-26T15:28:18+00:00February 24, 2022|Tags: Filipe de Castro Soeiro, Learning Futures, Lifelong Learning, Patrick Blessinger, V8A2|

Rethinking Higher Education for the Future

Rethinking Higher Education for the Future Patrick Blessinger Over the past several decades, the democratization of knowledge has spread rapidly around the world as a result of political, economic, social, technological, and environmental forces. These forces have helped global higher education experience unprecedented growth in student enrollment and institutional diversification. Global higher education enrollment is expected to reach nearly 600 million by 2040. In the future, certain countries in Africa and Asia are expected to experience the largest increases in participation rates. What was once an elite higher education system just a few generations ago has quickly emerged into a massified higher education system. Today, in some parts of the world, higher education has even reached universal access. Not only are there now many types of degree-producing formal learning options available to people but there are also many types of open education and non-formal learning options such as OpenCourseWare and Khan [...]

Patrick Blessinger2022-02-25T23:42:27+00:00January 31, 2022|Tags: Higher Education, Learning, Lifelong Learning, Patrick Blessinger, V8A1|

What universities can do to mainstream sustainable development

What universities can do to mainstream sustainable development Patrick Blessinger and Barbara Cozza Note: This article first appeared in the December 2021 issue (Vol. 26 No. 2) of IAU Horizons. By and large, human beliefs, attitudes and mindsets drive human behaviours. Thus, the future of humanity, and the planet they inhabit, will ultimately depend on humanity’s ability to adopt a sustainability mindset in order to solve the most intractable issues of our time (for example, poverty, illiteracy, species extinction, resource depletion, climate change). Within this context, higher education, as a catalyst for economic and social progress, can and should lead the world to achieve a sustainable future with the support of the UN framework Agenda 2030 and the sustainable development goals. The future of humanity, and the planet they inhabit, will ultimately depend on humanity’s ability to adopt a sustainability mindset in order to solve the most intractable issues of our time. Ultimately, [...]

Patrick Blessinger2022-02-25T23:41:39+00:00December 11, 2021|Tags: Barbara Cozza, Higher Education, Leadership, Patrick Blessinger, Sustainable Development, V7A4|

Making sense of pedagogy

Making sense of pedagogyPatrick BlessingerIntroductionOver the past few decades, many new pedagogical practices and learning methods have been developed in an attempt to improve teaching and learning at all levels. An explosion of websites, books, newsletters, journals, articles, videos, podcasts, blogs, and other publications have been produced on the different educational philosophies, teaching strategies, and learning theories related to education.A cottage industry of consultants and companies has arisen to promote, sell, and implement many of these new ideas. There is no shortage of ideas and opinions about how to improve education. Over the course of human history, societies and schools and families around the world have tried, perhaps, every educational approach that humans can imagine, and yet, educational transformation remains elusive.In an age where education at all levels has become extremely important and vital to a healthy society and a vibrant economy, it is no surprise that some people, [...]