A CITIZEN CENTRIC WORLD AND

CHANGING PUBLIC ATTITUDES

Colorado Association of School BoardsJohn Creighton

February 19, 2010

john@creighton.com@johncr8on

www.johncr8on.com

Too Much Emphasis on the Present

THE CONSENSUS IN ’95“ROLL THE PRESSES!”

“With few exceptions, virtually everyone agrees that new media is merely a supplement to the traditional print paper.”

- Timeless Values

Not Prepared for the Future

WHAT’S HAPPENING NOW

The internet has surpassed all media except television as an outlet for news.

For young people the internet rivals television as a main source of news.

Forty-two percent of Americans would not miss paper if it closed. Forty-eight percent of those under age forty.

Source: Pew Research Center

What Got Lost

BURIED IN REPORT

People want more choice and control in how they receive their news.

People want greater interaction with journalists and each other.

Lesson Learned

WE OFTEN ASK WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND

What do you think about what WE are doing NOW?

What do people value?

What types of experiences do they want?

What structures are changing in people’s lives?

Education Research

MID 1990 ATTITUDES CURRENT ATTITUDES

Choice not on radar.

Common curriculum makes sense.

Home school parents are out of the main stream.

Education happens at a specific place & time.

Choose schools based on neighborhood reputation.

Choice is assumed.

Students need tailored learning experiences.

Home school parents are admired.

Education is an experience.

Eliminate schools based on CSAP Scores.

Biggest Change: 90s to Now

Choosing a school has become another form of individual self-expression.

Bottom line for parents: Does this school support my vision for my child?

Why We Get Stuck in the Present: It’s Hard to Imagine the Future

Culture Follows Structure

Changes in Infrastructure and Technology Changes People’s

Behavior, Attitudes and Values.

Change Happens When a Technology Becomes Ubiquitous.

Culture Follows Structure

New infrastructure and technology are changing people’s expectations for

institutions.

Leaving behind an institution centric society – a time when institutions shaped our lives.

Entering a citizen centric society – a time when people expect to tailor their

own lives.

Institutions Shaped Our Lives

Rules of Conduct- Be at work on time- Perfect attendance at school

Daily & Yearly Schedule- 40 hour work week- Spring break

Roles & Responsibility- Boss & subordinates- Teachers teach/parents stay

out of the classroom

Institution Centric Era

Infrastructure and technology created the institution centric era

Institution Centric Era

Infrastructure and technologycreated the institution centric era.

We Needed Big Institutions Scarce and expensive

resources

High costs of design, production, distribution

Need to produce goods at large scales to lower costs

Need for a mass market

Limits of time and place

But There Were Drawbacks

“You can have your car any color you

want as long as it’s black.”- Henry Ford

The attitude expressed bymany big institutions

remains the same:

Take It or Leave It

Citizen Centric Era

“Transformative change happens when industries democratize, when they are

ripped from the sole domain of companies, governments, and other institutions and

handed over to regular folks.”

- Chris Anderson

People Don’t Need Institutions

Abundant and cheap resources

Low costs of design, production, and distribution

Produce goods in small quantities at little cost

Growth of niche markets

Few limits of time and place

Emerging Public Attitudes

Old: Limited options is just the way the world is.

New: I expect a range of options to suit my interests.

Emerging Public Attitudes

Old: Limited options is just the way the world is.

New: I expect a range of options to suit my interests.

Old: Experts/officials decide and do things for people.

New: Individuals decide and do things for themselves.

Emerging Public Attitudes

Old: Limited options is just the way the world is.New: I expect a range of options to suit my interests.

Old: Experts/officials decide and do things for people.New: Individuals decide and do things for themselves.

Old: Institutions operate in a defined space and time.New: Individuals do things where & when they want.

Emerging Public Attitudes

Old: Limited options is just the way the world is.New: I expect a range of options to suit my interests.

Old: Experts/officials decide and do things for people.New: I will decide and do things for myself.

Old: Institutions operate in a defined space and time.New: I will do things where & when I want.

Old: I have to deal with people in community where I live.

New: I can pick my own community & social network.

How ShouldOrganizations Respond?

Rise of the Platform Organization

Will People Perceive Need for School Districts?

School districts purchased text books and curriculum individuals could not afford. Cost of text books/curriculum moving toward

zero.

Will People Perceive Need for School Districts?

School districts purchased text books and curriculum individuals could not afford. Cost of text books/curriculum moving toward zero.

School districts built places for teachers and students to gather. 13,000+ Colorado students enroll with online

schools. 2% of St. Vrain students enroll with online schools.

Will People Perceive Need for School Districts?

School districts purchased text books and curriculum individuals could not afford. Cost of text books/curriculum moving toward zero.

School districts built places for teachers and students to gather. 13,000 Colorado students enroll with online schools. 2% of St. Vrain students go to online schools.

School districts provide students transportation. Transportation is a cheap good compared to 1970. 1970 < 1 vehicle per driver; Today 1.2 vehicles per

driver.

Citizen Centric Society Begs Fundamental Questions

What is value added of the institution? In this case, what is value added of school district? What do school districts do better than anyone

else?

How does institution need to adapt to citizen centric era? How can the institution support people to do things

for themselves? What are potential negative consequences to

mitigate?

Discussion Questions

To what extent do you experience these emerging expectations in your school district?

How is your school district responding to these emerging expectations?

What are you finding most challenging about responding to these emerging expectations?