2. Relevant?
Benjamin Franklin and Alexander
Hamilton grew up and attained their
learning more than 200 years ago. Is
their example relevant, useful to our
time and place?
3. Learning: definition
Learning is
engagement that
changes perception,
belief, or behavior
(knowledge)
(Constructivist,
activist, contextual)
OLA Super Conference 2005
4. Dynamic Learning
Engaged and reflective participation
in a discovery process that builds new
knowledge and enhances (changes)
skills and competence appropriate to
the given personal, social, and
technical context of importance to the
learner.
Marcum, After the Information Age, 165.
(Social and Contextual)
6. Borrowed books from brother‟s
print shop, read overnight
Books: “true and reliable friends”
Reading: Founder: first community library
Collected and read books
Franklin throughout his life
Studied French, German, etc. in
part to read important works in
original language
Book collection
7,000 when returned from Europe
8. Ineffective alone (Boston, London)
Junto
Printer partners
Franklin: Post Office
Lightning (3: silversmith,
Collaboration clergyman)
Treaty of Paris (Adams, Jay)
Declaration of Independence
Revolutionary War
Constitutional Convention
Networker
9. Printer
Publishing business
Community, political
involvement
Post Office
Franklin: Politics: local, empire, national
Natural philosophy/ Republic of
Active, Letters
Inventions (stove, bi-focals)
engaged Diplomacy
learning Nation creating
10. Franklin‟s method evolved but
always encompassed reading,
writing, explaining, clarifying, and
persuading: a dynamic learning
In short: process.
His insights came from constant
reading, writing, observation,
“hands-on” experimentation and
really “hearing” his colleagues and
critics. His opinions frequently were
proven wrong and he changed them
as his understanding expanded.
Anyone can develop those skills and
habits.
11. “And so his greatest legacy lies not in the
blessings of genius, nor his stature as
natural philosopher or self-educated
statesman and founding father, but rather
Franklin‟s in the demonstration of a simple method
whereby hard work and disciplined,
socially-grounded inquiry enables one to
Legacy grow and develop and accomplish great
things. His prototype for dynamic
learning as a path to greatness may prove
to be Benjamin Franklin‟s greatest
legacy.”
Genius or Dynamic Learner? Ben Franklin‟s
Path to Greatness, The Social Studies 99: 3
(May-June 2008): 99-104.
http://view.fdu.edu/files/franklingenius.pdf
12. Does the Model fit Hamilton?
Franklin Hamilton
A year or two of formal A few years of
schooling schooling and some
college
Business,
Business experience
administrative, legal
experience
Civic, political,
Military, business,
diplomatic, scientific political, legal practice
engagement engagement
13. Mother: 34 books
Mentored, schooled St. Croix and
NJ/NY
“self improving autodidact” RC
Hamilton:
King‟s College
Classics: literature, history, philosophy
Reading Military affairs (Plutarch, Grotius)
(omniverous and Business and finance (Postlewayt, A.
self-directed, RC) Smith)
Law (Blackstone, Penn)
Politics – statesmanship (Plutarch,
Locke, Hobbes, Montesquieu)
Grange: 1,000 books
14. Hurricane report 1772
Political broadsides (NYC)
Correspondence for Washington
Hamilton: Letters!
The Federalist (51 of 85; 175,000 words
Writing in 7 months)
Political broadsides
Treasury and National Bank (Rept. On
Manufactures; Defense of Funding System)
Jurisprudence (Practical Proceedings)
Papers (Columbia U.); digital: 1.3 M words
15. Friendships
Mentors (Rev. Knox, Livingston,
Washington, P. Schuyler)
King‟s College and Washington‟s
Hamilton:
Staff (G. Morris, Laurens, McHenry,
Troup, Livingston, Lafayette)
Collaboration
Collaborations
Federalist Papers (Jay, Madison)
Federalist politics (R. King…)
New York merchants
Court cases (Burr)
16. Clerk for Crueger‟s merchant
house (in charge at ~ 15)
Political activist as revolution
Hamilton: developed
Military service
Active, Law practice
engaged Campaign for Constitution
learning Federalist party politics
Treasury Department (and
Inspector General of Army)
Vision of commercial America
17. Education vs. Dynamic Learning
Both Hamilton and Franklin lived in times of great
change and upheaval
Between them they established many of the
institutions, policies, and practices of a new nation
“Education” did not serve them
They had to discover or create where nothing existed
Their “omnivorous and self-directed” reading,
writing, collaboration, and learning provided the
wherewithal upon which they could produce their
remarkable contributions to the creation of the U.S.
19. What is dynamic learning, again?
Engaged and reflective participation in
a life-creating process that builds new
knowledge and enhances (changes) the
skills and competence appropriate to
the given personal, social, and technical
context of importance to the learner.