The Purpose of a Transformed Educational System

In his new book, How Will You Measure Your Life?, Clayton Christensen speaks about a company’s purpose, and how it must be deliberately conceived and chosen – and pursued.  It is what defines the company.  And in the book, Christensen defines a purpose into three components – likeness, commitment and metrics.

I have thought a lot about those three components of purpose, and how I would translate them into a transformed system of education.  In the personalized learning (competency-based education) system I dream of and work to put into practice, a new purpose is the foundation for this new system.

• I am working hard to develop a clear likeness (or “essence” if you listen to me much) about what this system looks like, sounds like and feels like.
• Further, I am contemplating the new commitments that will need to be made by students, teachers, administrators, and community members.
• Finally, I am always intrigued – and perplexed – by the right type of metrics that should be used to maintain our purpose and check our progress.

There has been a lot of discussion about the purpose of a new personalized system of learning.  I hope these three components will illuminate the conversation and lead to some resolution.