This announcement concerning the Ocelot Scholars website is the only one I plan to make through Etena Sacca-vajjena. To receive periodic updates about Ocelot Scholars, please subscribe to the Ocelot Scholars blog. This is an exciting project and I hope that you and your students will be able to participate in the #FutureEd initiative and Ocelot Scholars.

–Steven L. Berg

As part of the #FutureEd initiative, the Ocelot Scholars discussion page has been launched. The three discussion topics marked with an * already have comments. Schoolcraft College students are currently preparing additional comments which they will be posting during the next week. The discussions will continue during the duration of the #FutureEd initiative.

We encourage you to respond to the current comments. Or, you can be the first to comment on one of these topics and see how Schoolcraft College students–and others–respond to you.

For one of the discussions, we have partnered with Dr. Katie King and a class she will be teaching at the University of Maryland College Park. For another discussion, we have partnered with Priorities Michigan, an advocacy group whose interests include educational issues. Another question is inspired by one of the themes being addressed in the “The History and Future of (Mostly) Higher Education” that will be taught by Dr. Cathy N. Davidson beginning on January 27. We hope to establish additional discussions in partnerships with other classes, organizations, and individuals interested in higher education.

As the #FutureEd initiative continues, more discussion topics will be added. If you have a suggestion for a discussion topic, please send it to me.

–Dr. Steven L. Berg
sberg@scholcraft.edu

Current Discussion Topics

“The Aim of Higher Education?”

This discussion is inspired by Dr. C. Hanford Henderson’s “The Aim of Modern Education” written in 1896.

“Civic Engagement and the Michigan Education Budget”

In this discussion, individuals can share their stories as well as have a wider discussion of how state budgets impact education.

“Education and Ethnocentrism”

This discussion is inspired by the Reverend Dr. C.F. Andrew’s “Indian Education: published in 1909.

“Education Isn’t Broken, Our Country Is”

We will discuss Steve Nelson’s article that originally appeared in the Huffington Post.

“How do feminists take up the challenges of non-traditional educational possibilities in a climate of restructuring universities?”

This discussion is being offered in cooperation with Dr. Katie King who is teaching “Experiments in Feminist Learning” at the University of Maryland at College Park.

“Ice-Age Education”

We will enjoy a a comparative examination between our Ice Age ancestors — as well as other historical ancestors — and how we operate in a contemporary society today

“Social Media Learning“*

What is the role of social media in learning and higher education and what is learned from social media?

“What does it mean that digital technologies are increasingly a part of everyday life?”*

This question is the theme of the Theorizing the Web 2.0 Conference that is taking place in 25-26 April 2014.

“What if We Could Build Higher Education From Scratch?”

This is one of the key questions being promoted as part of the #FutureEd initiative.

“What is Student Centered?”*

This discussion will address a variety of issues about student centered courses.

“Who am I in a Digital World?”

Ocelot Scholars will address the theme of this year’s Global Roundtables event primarily in terms of education.

“Why Study History?”

This discussion is inspired by the “Introduction” to Charles A. Goodrich’s 1831 history of the United States.