Dear Mirror Networkers,
Please do not let your summer end yet.
Breaks allow us to think, imagine and dream; pauses enable us to reflect, understand and dive in.
I hope that accompanying me in the Mirror Network world tour gave you the opportunity to do exactly that: step back and look closer.
When I planned this journey I had in mind one question: why?
Why are so many people and organizations unaware of the latest educational innovations accessible to them to improve their lives?
Why are the main actors of the educational sector not communicating more to increase their impact and performance?
Why is education becoming a business and under which terms?
I ended the trip with another question: what for?
On the professional side, I realized that I did this trip not only to understand the evolution of the knowledge economy better, but to find the best way for me to contribute to its positive development. I travelled and analyzed for facilitating change at a larger scale.
On the personal side, I realized that this trip has allowed me to find an answer to the question I asked myself when I lost my mum last December: what had her impact on my life been? She did not only raised me, she helped me rise. I travelled and reached out for the best ways to empower people, including the children I wish to have one day.
Of course, I am not the only one with questions.
You, and many others, have been asking me for conclusions.
Since I came back to Paris two weeks ago I have been trying to organize my thoughts and memories so I could share with you today, not conclusions but the basis of my next departure point.
Conclusions from my 1st brain:
- humans, or more precisely their brains, will be the precious resource everyone will try to tap into in the 21st century, combining them with artificial intelligences
- yet, the educational systems and tools we are using globally are not adapted to prepare us to face the challenges and opportunities we are confronted to
- more specifically, the gap between populations and the new frontiers (technological, scientific, technical, etc.) is already huge and will not stop increasing; condemning masses to a new kind of poverty while new elites will orient not only powers but humanity
- nevertheless, to drive these forces and build a sustainable and profitable future for all, new empowerment mechanisms need to be identified and put into place
- pedagogy has outgrown classrooms to invade the public and corporate space; raising awareness on new skills for the 21st century, giving more people the chance to manage digital tools, enabling new kinds of communities to be formed and developed, will be among the conditions for organizations and countries to move forward
- education has become a business but not only, education is now an investment, research and playing field; knowledge management through people management appears to be a common goal for the public, private and non-profit sectors
- but what is specific to the field is that all these different actors will be forced to cooperate in order to play their own role; when it comes to managing human resources and to pave the way to the future of leaving, it demands connexions because no one is big enough to make the giant move on its own (in terms of needed investments, frames, tools, leadership, etc.) – for the better!
- maybe through this field we will be able to invent new ways of collective leverage as the issues we are facing are indeed global: evolution of the way we work, we live, we communicate, we have fun, we dream…
Conclusions from my 2nd brain:
- ice-cream is the big winner in the dessert category; everywhere it is the most enjoyed one – summer is not over indeed!
- pizzas win the savory contest globally; from slices, to squares to big rounds, they delight
- gastronomy is a global passion, seducing more and more aficionados
Conclusions are not endings.
They allow us to pause and they allow me to thank you.
Thank you for welcoming these letters, for opening your doors and minds, for sharing moments and conversations, for being part of this incredible journey.
This is my main conclusion, people, you, my children, the next generations, are my what for.
I have decided to use Mirror Network to serve:
- organizations wishing to invest in the business of education
=> for funds, incubators, enterprises to identify profitable yet impactful opportunities
- parents of the 21st century
=> they hold the future and need to understand it to orient it
While building these two proposals, I will more closely focus on time, space and communities management.
The blog will continue to be active as I will keep on posting on all the innovative ventures, tools, leaders I come across.
This time, I am actually asking for your help: send me or directly post articles about your organizations, or others, that you think would be of interest to investors and/or parents.
I hope to gather all of us in an active community to give us the perspective we are lacking over the business of education locally and globally.
If we do not build our own community it will only be a loss of money, time and energy as we will replicate models, avoid fruitful collaborations and fight for the same little piece of land instead of discovering new grounds.
We have a shot at being pioneers, we have the chance to be in the know, let’s build efficiently and make our dreams more powerful by sharing them – it is the only way.
I will be working towards these two goals and looking for opportunities to develop the solutions I am building.
If you wish to keep receiving information or to participate in this endeavor, I will be very happy to connect with you more directly.
The world is open, and it is ours to shape!
All the best with your next steps, I look forward to sharing some
Léa