A "TED conference is [like] an annual revival meeting for charismatic technologists" and listening to TED talks on education will allow us to identify many "unfulfilled predictions about education technology" (Reich, 2020, p. 20).
I particularly like TED conferences being labelled a 'revival meeting', and 'charismatic: because this type of often-unevidenced 15 minute bite is faith-based and influence-based; not evidenced-based or fact-based... and therein lies the problem. In our fields we need to be making decisions which are grounded in evidence, not grounded in hearsay, or in case studies where n=1, as is often the case when hearing influencers tell their own story.
At the 2023 CDANZ conference, one of the keynote speakers - Jehan Casinader - talked about how he had taken a non-standard route into journalism. He seemed to feel that his secondary school had been unable to 'sensibly' advise him; there appeared to me to be an unstated implication that, due to his own determination of not needing to not follow a traditional educational path into journalism, the school was unable to offer any 'sense' in terms of career advice. And I mean sense in the old-fashioned way: that of being awake to understanding (Simpson & Weiner, 1989, p. 980; see image accompanying this post).
I had reservations about Jehan's comments, but couldn't quite put my finger on why. In reflecting on Jehan's story since, I think my reservations arose from his having not related some elements which I think are important:
- His father was a journalist, so Jehan likely served a long and informal journalistic apprenticeship/cadetship through family conversations and modelling (Beyond the Surface, 2021)
- Jehan sold his first article at 13, and by 16 was selling feature articles (Beyond the Surface, 2021); indicating that he already knew the 'what', the skills, of his trade
- His father may also have explained some of the 'why's of the profession as well: which is important, as having a thorough understanding the theory appears to be the difference between a skilled, trained trade and an expert, educated profession (Torstendahl, 2021)
- While attending secondary school, in his pre-career stage, Jehan had already found and connected to his work 'tribe' (Godin, 2008); he had already transitioned to work despite still technically being a student
- While technically a student, Jehan was a already an experienced cadet (Beyond the Surface, 2021), so likely had more opportunities and connections than most career-stage cadets, due to his growing networks and industry understanding
- So by the time he left secondary school and joined the industry, he was already well-past the cadetship stage.
As a result of his formative family learning environment and other opportunities, Jehan was already working as a journalist cadet (Beyond the Surface, 2021) at a time when - depending on the school - secondary school students may first see a career practitioner. Jehan had a three or four year leg-up on those students who follow the more traditional path of a University degree to get into the media industry. He was further aided by two key personal characteristics, which I think I observed in hearing him speak: those of confidence and drive.
Additionally, I would like to highlight that Jehan appeared to be a one-trick pony in his early career aspirations. From his personal story (Beyond the Surface, 2021), it appears Jehan only ever wanted to be a journalist. Early in my career, I too only wanted to be a journalist; but after a brief stint with a local paper, I found no 'tribe' (Godin, 2008). Instead, I found a brash, thrusting, male-dominated and highly-competitive field into which I had no 'fit' (Inkson et al., 2015). Worse, like Jehan, I had no back-up plan - so once my one option was no longer an option, I was adrift. Jehan had luck on his side: nothing derailed him from his only career choice.
Jehan is now an influencer, due to his youth, and that he achieved an early career goal, ostensibly solo. But his story fails to clearly acknowledge those advantages which others do not have access to: a long period of formative training; early access to the profession; industry understanding; early networks; being able to apparently leap-frog the cadetship requirement; luck; drive; and confidence. When we share Jehan's story, we need to also share those things. And we need to highlight that, by not studying journalism at university, Jehan may also have gaps in his professional knowledge. To become expert in his profession, he may need education to fill in those theory gaps.
We must be careful about how relating influencer stories may be misunderstood: we must take care to tell the WHOLE story. Otherwise, the danger is that the glib story may be taken as advice by those who do not have the advantages (or sometimes over-confidence), of an influencer.
Sam
References:
Beyond the Surface. (2021, November 11). #3 Jehan Casinader on mental health and becoming the author of your own story [video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/IE1FoyvkAmA
Godin, S. (2008). Tribes: we need you to lead us. Penguin Group.
Influencity. (2023). The Largest Influencer Study in the US in 2023: The State of Influencer Marketing in the United States in 2023. https://influencity.com/resources/studies/the-largest-influencer-study-of-the-united-states-2023/
Inkson, K., Dries, N., & Arnold, J. (2015). Understanding Careers (2nd ed.). SAGE Publications Ltd.
Reich, J. (2020). Failure to disrupt: Why technology alone can’t transform education. Harvard University Press.
Simpson, J. A., & Weiner, E. S. C. (Eds.) (1989). Oxford English Dictionary (2nd ed., Vol XIV Rob-Sequyle). Clarendon Press.
Torstendahl, R. (2021). Chapter 2: How a Trade Became a Profession. In Engineers in Western Europe: Ascent—and Decline? A Profession Torn Between Technology and Economy, 1850–1990, with Outlooks to the Present (p. 21-49). Springer Nature.
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