this posting was written to a private education list by Michael Martin, Research Analyst for the Arizona School Board Association. I have his written authority to crosspost it and to identify him as the author
I was reading an article in Computerworld magazine by Thornton A. May of Florida State College in Jacksonville. He is the author of the book “The New Know: Innovation Powered by Analytics” (which I haven’t read) and his article is titled “Getting Beyond Efficiency: IT’s New Value Challenge.” He doesn’t really address education, his article is addressed to computer network nerds, but there is a analogue to what he writes about IT in the current struggle between deformers and educators. His main lament is against Frederick Taylor and the cult of efficiency and how it conflicts with innovation. I think there is a great parallel between his efficiency forces and the education deformers, plus I would say that most educators see innovation and creativity as their guiding light. So when May writes:“The battle between the forces favoring efficiency and the factions
