Imagining Education: What is it all about Brian?

So, what’s the Ragged University all about then ? Well, sometime back, whilst sitting in the pub in Hackney with four friends, we realised that was we shared information to socialise; swapped stories, compared facts, related things as entertainment. What is the nature of knowledge ? First hand experience is a good place to start.

 

The Cast of Monty Python's Life of Brian
The Cast of Monty Python’s Life of Brian

What is the Ragged University all about then ? Well, sometime back, I thought that the Ragged Schools movement was immensely successful and what positives came of it.  People were valued who were not before, professions became unlocked to new talent, people invented answers to problems.  Imagine if they all had access to a printing press in each house, cheap paper, pens, multiple free librarys, the internet…

 

There is an interesting question about whether you would rather live as a millionaire a hundred years ago or on an average salary now. A hundred years ago we would not have mp3 players, mobile telephones, or any digital distribution of information.

 

These are just thoughts being thrown about but between the facts that people get something out of sharing information and tools of mass collaboration, a pretty impressive updating of the Ragged Schools can take place.  What knowledge do you need to know ?  What knowledge would you share ?

 

I like the ending of H. G. Wells’ The Time Machine; “Which three books would you have taken ?”, it helps me think of what is useful.  The project is about trying to be useful through refining your own work in a shared space. It’s about learning to speak again in public.  It is about listening to interested people.  It’s about socialising whilst getting better.