Bill Gates presented the 2007 commencement speech (the Gates Foundation calls them “Remarks”) at Harvard University today. He called for creative capitolism after poking fun at his time at Harvard. He dropped out of college in 1977.
For my part, I’m just happy that the Crimson has called me “Harvard’s most successful dropout.” I guess that makes me valedictorian of my own special class… I did the best of everyone who failed.
But I also want to be recognized as the guy who got Steve Ballmer to drop out of business school. I’m a bad influence.
… What I remember above all about Harvard was being in the midst of so much energy and intelligence. It could be exhilarating, intimidating, sometimes even discouraging, but always challenging.
Gates says we (Harvard grads, you, me, others) can make capitolism work better for people without money, financial assets, or political power.
… we can stretch the reach of market forces so that more people can make a profit, or at least make a living, serving people who are suffering from the worst inequities. … This task is open-ended. It can never be finished. But a conscious effort to answer this challenge will change the world.
Cutting through complexity of such creative capitolism, to find a solution runs through four predictable stages: determine a goal, find the highest-leverage approach, discover the ideal technology for that approach, and in the meantime, make the smartest application of the technology that you already have—whether it’s something sophisticated, like a drug, or something simpler, like a bednet.
He thinks like an engineer when addessing human consequences from economic activity, and applies this same four stage process to education.
Kudos, Bill, for offering your insights.
Many of us agree that schooling toward predictable ends (say, each student meeting minimum state academic performance standards) is managable through these four stages. Thousands of teachers and studens are learning to use mobile PCs in schools and at home as the smartest application of available technology along with simpler ways to raise student learning rates.
This is creative education. Some of us think of such creativity as coming from venture educators. The goal, of course, is for all students to exceed these standards.
I wonder if all educators did what’s possible for students to meet this goal, would these students also participate more in creative capitolism? I’m optimistic.
Does anyone know, do all educators want students to so participate, or are we supporting another goal by withholding advanced technologies from students?
Hmmm. There’s a research program in there someplace for public policy educators to study. I wonder if arts teachers hold different views from mathematics and hard science teachers?