Chapter 9 - Implications of ECT for Promoting Human Excellence

Summary

Chapter 9 attempts to spell out implications of ECT for human excellence in the information age, in terms of both advantages and disadvantages. The new century makes the pursuit of excellence more pluralistic, and educational and instructional resources more accessible, which is good. On the other hand, the internet age can also dilute one’s “selective affinity” and make it more difficult to develop a deep interest and a focused line of personal endeavor. Optimistically, production-based education as the legacy of the industrial age will be replaced by a client-based education, where individuals can truly pursue their individual interests and cultivate their own niche for excellence and a productive, fulfilling life, rendering separate gifted and talented programs unnecessary. ECT advocates a school model that promotes human excellence in a way that is scientifically more compelling, socially more equitable, and educationally more productive. Beyond the school wall, ECT suggests building learning ecology and infrastructures at the meso-level (e.g., decentralized talent centers with kindred spirits) that can trickle down to micro-level developmental experiences and interactions, making the pursuit of personal excellence more accessible and more tailored to individual needs.