Part 2: Theory and Concepts
In my view, the four concepts that will widen access for members, prospective members, and people representing other organizations are:
Boundarylessness
Multiple Intelligence
Collective Intelligence
Intrinsic Motivation
Boundarylessness
Boundarylessness is a concept coined by the CEO of the General Electric (GE) company, Jack Welch. A Fortune magazine poll citing GE as America's most admired company, reflects on his success over the years. Admittedly, this CEO has his share of detractors--such as, he heatedly demands results, a style which has no place in a volunteer organization. However, few vilify him for the concept. It shredded the GE bureaucracy during his ascendance--who can knock that? So if we adapt and apply it gently, how would we do it?
In my view, the concept means in part that we become very receptive to special projects. But not in a manner that the chapter creates the project and then looks for the volunteer. Rather, the member identifies ones natural interests or personal strengths, expresses them, and the chapter creates an opportunity so that a match occurs.
To occur, boundarylessness becomes imperative. Why? It opens the door to the use of the multiple intelligence theory.
Multiple Intelligence
Howard Gardner, psychologist at the Harvard School of Education, asserted that humans possess at least seven intelligences. The first two that he lists, verbal and mathematical-logical, represent the most emphasized in educational systems. Then in November of 1997 in our own backyard--at the Nagoya International Center--H. Douglas Brown advocated its application in our field. And finally, if you read CALL's latest publication, you will discover that a past Coordinator of our Chapter, Lanny Dryden, illustrated its application in the EFL computer room. If its application advances education and improves ESL/EFL instruction, can it help spur access?
I vote for a resounding yes. For instance, members of different intelligences--such as visual and spatial--can contribute to our homepage. Due to the boundarylessness concept, a member can obtain the login name, the password and improve it from his or her computer.
Thus, as you can see, boundarylessness facilitates uses of multiple intelligences. It also opens the door to our next concept--collective intelligence.
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