Fresh from my last experience and ready for the experiences to come, I walk into the second, ‘proper’, unlecture. It’s dark, focus drawn to the big bold writing on the projector. The question went along the lines of:

“Why should I come to the lecture, if the content is irrelevant to me?”

I particularly liked Adrian’s rebuttal; “Why not make it relevant?”. This really resonated with me. This past year I’ve really made a determined effort to keep an open-mind, say yes to something new, buy it then try it. This “symposium” concept is a totally new form of learning, but instead of disregarding it if I what we’re discussing in that lecture as irrelevant, I want to make it relevant. If the content is something I already know, why not treat the lecture as way of improving my discipline in actually showing up and practicing my learning technique… Nerdy and way too glass half-full I know, but hey I’m learning to dance in the rain instead of waiting ’til it stops, right?

One thing I didn’t like, whether Adrian meant for it to be articulated so harshly was when he said that if you don’t like this style of learning you way as well cross “creative” and “innovative” off the list for future job opportunities. I’ve spent the past 13 years of my schooling life with the same structure; you come, you listen, you learn and you grow. I studied my butt off to get the marks to get into this course in my VCE, and for Adrian to come in and tell me I would have learned nothing ticked me off to no end.  Yes, questioning your education and how your education is a positive, but disregarding a long-standing and on the whole successful way of teaching isn’t the way to promote your own style.

Also just a note, I know these “unlectures” are supposed to be free-flowing learning, we set the agenda, yah-da-yah-da-yah-da. Talking for 35 minutes on one question can’t be totally educationally beneficial? It seems, this concept hasn’t really begun as, I feel, we’re waiting for Brian Morris to return for it really take flight?

Not entirely disheartened yet, I’ll come in next week with a benefit of the doubt and a fresh slate for this concept.