Social discussion of CS in K-12

[George Reese <reese AT illinois.edu>]

Hi Martin,

I'm very interested in doing a bit of reading on this. Particularly if there
is a concise summary. As long as we keep our focus on action, theory to make
action intelligent, or to maximize intelligent action is what I think we're
looking for.
Can you send me the Stillman and Dennison paper? 

George

-----Original Message-----
From: 
ctrl-shift-bounces AT lists.mste.illinois.edu
[mailto:ctrl-shift-bounces AT lists.mste.illinois.edu]
 On Behalf Of Wolske,
Martin B
Sent: Tuesday, July 29, 2014 9:53 AM
To: 
ctrl-shift AT lists.mste.illinois.edu
Subject: [Ctrl-Shift] Capability Approach

Hi all,

Last Tuesday evening I mentioned that some colleagues, Larry Stillman and
Tom Denison, who do similar work with communities around technology but
internationally through Monash University pointed me to capability approach.
I finally got to digging into it more and I think there's a lot to like as a
compliment to Dewey's pragmatism, computational thinking for all, and other
shared frameworks. A strong theoretical case is made for taking a
multi-dimensional approach to human development and flourishing that goes
beyond just employable skills and economic growth without diminishing those
factors. It especially focuses on the importance of developing agency and
freedom of choice/empowerment in individuals so that they can develop the
capabilities they value and have reason to value -- that is, the theory
focuses on processes and means, not the ends. It further recognizes that the
resources needed to accomplish that will be different for each individual
depending on their personal biographies -- that is, it calls into question
generalized approaches that gloss over personal histories, economic and
physical status, values, culture, etc.

The reason Larry and Tom put it forward was because they felt it resonated
well with the work many of us do within the field of community informatics,
and I'd suggest it seems to also resonate well with our group. Larry and Tom
further hoped it might serve as a theoretical framing for that work that
could help others, both academic and community, better appreciate why we
suggest our approach is so valuable. It is in a similar vein that the United
Nations and UNESCO have adopted capabilities approach to frame their human
development reports and their work more broadly. 

There's an introductory book available on capability approach that my
students are finding useful available online at:
http://www.idrc.ca/EN/Resources/Publications/Pages/IDRCBookDetails.aspx?Publ
icationID=62
The first several chapters and the chapter on education seem especially
helpful. I'd be very interested to hear others thoughts on the theory and
its appropriateness for our work together as I continue to work to wrap my
brain around this. I also have the paper Larry and Tom published on
capability approach and community informatics, and perhaps a dozen papers
that have also been published on capability approach and technology for
development, including papers on capability approach, technology, and
disabilities and a couple others on capability approach and design of
technology, if anyone is interested in reading more.

-- Martin
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