Author

John Moravec

Articles and research by John Moravec.

Don’t value what we measure; measure what we value

Our mainstream education systems are caught in a damaging obsession with measurement, yet they consistently measure the wrong things. Schools meticulously track test scores, attendance, and graduation rates, acting as if these numbers genuinely define learning.

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We cannot manage knowledge

Education often mistakes knowledge for information, reducing learning to the storage and recall of facts. Students are tested on their ability to recall information, not on their depth of understanding.

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Reality is not optional: Defending education from disinformation, weaponized postmodernism, and the erosion of truth

Recent developments illustrate how easily facts can be dismissed when they become politically inconvenient. Donald Trump’s return to the presidency of the United States signals a shift from mere pressure tactics to the outright dismantling of government agencies focused on public health, equity, climate monitoring, and air traffic control oversight, among other critical areas.

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Degrees are obsolete by design … when knowledge has the shelf life of a banana

In a world defined by rapid advances in science, technology, and the very structure of work, a university degree can become obsolete faster than a banana browns on your kitchen counter. The old paradigm of “earn your diploma, land a career, follow a predictable path” no longer makes sense in what many call an Age of Disruption (see, for example, World Economic Forum, 2023).

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Schools must be havens of uncommon safety and extraordinary respect

Education is failing its most fundamental test: preparing people to be human in a complex, interconnected world. Schools claim to shape the leaders, innovators, and citizens of tomorrow, yet they still operate on outdated models that prioritize compliance over curiosity, standardization over self-awareness, and competition over collaboration.

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Pre-active higher education leadership for a world in disruption

Last week, I had the privilege of presenting the closing keynote at the International Meeting on Educational Innovation and STEM Teaching hosted by Instituto Tecnológico de Buenos Aires, Argentina, where I shared my perspectives on the urgent need to rebuild higher education from the ground up and on the importance of pre active leadership.

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AI and open educational resources

David Wiley’s recent post at Improving Learning got me thinking about the rise of “generative OER” for content creation and customization and how AI is reshaping educational content. He also touches on the idea of “open prompts” and “open weights” as emerging forms of OER, enabling users to adapt content for specific needs.

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Who are knowmads?

Over 20 years ago, I crafted the knowmad concept while a PhD student, investigating the future of work at the University of Minnesota. A few years later, I wrote a blog post with a general definition … and then things took off, catching me off guard.

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Teachers as knowmads in the era of AI

In recent talks in Argentina, Spain, and Colombia, I delved into the competencies essential for “knowmads” in the age of artificial intelligence (AI). This transformative era requires a shift in how educators approach teaching and learning, and it’s critical to understand what this means for teachers today.

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