Professional Development and Adult Education

My work at the University of Toronto includes being a lecturer in the Adult Education and Community Development program and a researcher with the Social Economy Centre. The courses that I teach are influenced by my research interest in technology, particularly online environments. This makes me something of a queer duck in my program...welcome, appreciated, but not fully understood.

Along comes The Academy of the Impossible as well as Metaviews, where I do some consultation. In less than a couple of months I have been exposed and have participated in events that not only address my interest in technology, but also stimulate my thinking in adult education and community development. I have used videos and discussions in YouTube School to inform my teaching about media and nonprofits. The Campaign School has been an opportunity to reflect on policy development for the social economy as well as grass roots community development. The interview with Rick Salutin in the Hacking Reality series was an opportunity to remember the importance of social movement learning in adult education. Testing the Impossible gives me a peek at what may be in store for the tech society.

Along with the Metaviews teleseminars, these experiences give me the opportunity to learn and deconstruct the socio-technological moment that we are now experiencing. My professional and personal lens is expanding. The Academy of the Impossible is a living example of adult education and community development.