Thanks for your insights Jackie. Fidelity to the common good through pursuit of excellence and best practices constitute an important subject for serious intellectual engagement. How do we create opportunities and secure livelihoods without necessarily disrupting the ecosytems? How to we generate an education culture that is anchored on human dignity and human development founded on the premise that each can be the best irrespective of ones status, location, colour, language and related nuances and prejudices? How do we generate a new brand of citizenship (global citizenship) that internalizes reverence for the common good of the entire world? As it is now we are witnessing a new world order that is inclined towards disasters and calamities; earthquakes, typhoons, floods, wars, accidents,etc. How do we generate a global culture of life as opposed to death in which resources are geared towards the advancement of human life and dignity and regeneration
 of environment as opposed to investing in the sophistry of destructive weapons? How do we bridge gaps between cultures and religion and how for instance, do we shield religion from the vagaries of contemporary avarice? How do we redefine power so as to mean strict fidelity to the common good as opposed to mere game for selfish interests even at the peril of the common good? How do we lift up the discourse of rights and responsibilities from the quicksand of recklessness and ignorance to the very higher levels of reason? How do we enhance value for money but more important, how do we ensure an education culture and/or practice in which money will always follow reason as opposed to reason following money? How do we roll back global impunity and re-discover respect for human rights, integrity,accountability and respect for each and all.......the list is endless!
I risk being ruled out of order but I suppose education is the bed-rock upon which society is rested. It determines the direction and content of societal life. For instance professionalism without professional responsibility is a recipe for impunity and destruction. Best wishes,
Ochieng M. Khairalla 

--- On Wed, 8/27/08, Taylor, Jackie <jataylor at utk.edu> wrote:

From: Taylor, Jackie <jataylor at utk.edu>
Subject: [Diversity 123] Re: Are we a community of practice?
To: "The Diversity and Literacy Discussion List" <diversity at nifl.gov>
Date: Wednesday, August 27, 2008, 8:50 PM








Hello Ochieng and all,
 
Thanks for your comments below. I know that as a community, we’ve gone through quite an evolution in name and purpose. But I’m wondering what overall contribution we might hope to make as a group? For example, is there something about diversity and literacy that we hope to impact? I know that might seem a dumb question at first. But I guess what I’m getting at is whether we have an articulated vision for our purposes here, what we hope to cultivate or what points that might include. I see some hints of that in Ochieng’s message below, and I’d like to hear more.
 
Appreciatively, Jackie
 
 



From: diversity-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:diversity-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Ochieng kh
Sent: Wednesday, August 27, 2008 4:52 AM
To: The Diversity and Literacy Discussion List
Subject: [Diversity 120] Re: Are we a community of practice?
 





Excellent idea, community of practice, yes it is, about sharing perspectives and expanding horizons. Very useful and enriching in the strict sense of the term. Suffice it to note that information remains the bed-rock of societal life and power. Hence intellectual exchanges and debates inform the direction and pace of societal progress. Highly fascinating and will always be involved either actively or passively. Best wishes,  Ochieng M.Khairalla 

  

  

  
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