Knowmads

= A knowmad is a nomadic knowledge worker –that is, a creative, imaginative, and innovative person who can work with almost anybody, anytime, and anywhere.

The Concept

John Moravec:

"a nomadic knowledge worker –that is, a creative, imaginative, and innovative person who can work with almost anybody, anytime, and anywhere. Industrial society is giving way to knowledge and innovation work. Whereas industrialization required people to settle in one place to perform a very specific role or function, the jobs associated with knowledge and information workers have become much less specific concerning task and place. Moreover, technologies allow for these new paradigm workers to work within broader options of space, including “real,” virtual, or blended. Knowmads can instantly reconfigure and recontextualize their work environments, and greater mobility is creating new opportunities. (Moravec, 2008)

In other words, knowmads are extensions of Peter Drucker’s (1992) knowledge workers concept, embracing the convergence of accelerating technological change and globalization. In particular, the use of advanced information and communications technologies enable knowmads to work beyond pre-19th century notions of nation states, corporate identity, and community identity. For some, knowmadism is realized through leveraging social media (i.e., Twitter or blogs) that add an additional layer of social and/or professional activities that defy the confinement to particular geographies and operational rules they may have been restricted to as recently as 10 years ago. For others, knowmads engage in work that is transnational, transcultural, and post-organizational in scope. And, a few select others may develop and apply such individual expertise that their work in new context creation enables them to be considered post-???national and postcultural actors in their own right. ? Knowmads are valued for the personal knowledge that they possess, and this knowledge gives them a competitive advantage. Knowmads are also responsible for designing their own futures. This represents a massive shift from agricultural, industrial, and information-based work in which our relationships and responsibilities were static and clearly defined by others." (https://educationfutures.com/books/knowmadsociety/download/KnowmadSociety.pdf)

==More Information==??

• Book: The Knowmad Society. John Moravec. [1]

The School

URL = http://www.knowmads.nl/

Discussion

Francisco Mello Castro:

"“Welcome home”. As you walk through Amsterdam into Knowmads that is the first sign you will put your eyes at.

Knowmads works around the concept of Learning Spaces, and the ideia that students are capable of taking control of their education. Which means that you must be willing to have the unknown ahead of you, and a very entrepreneurial profile.They have a coworking space, with tools and materials to test and create prototypes, that all “students” have acess to. And give you two of the most important and most negleted gifts education can give you: Tools to build what you love, and freedom to actually do it.

To enter, you must write a motivational letter and go to Amsterdam for a workshop. They call the groups that start the program a tribe, and the main criteria of selection is how well they get along in this workshop. Can you work together with someone to create something amazing? There are only two tribes simultaneously atending the school, and the older one teachs the “freshmen” to take care of the space.

During the program, you will have a lot of workshops, and talks, but don`t expect for them to fall into your lap. There are no teachers in the programa. Everyone stands on the same ground and even the Council, the group of individuals who are responsable for the program, doesn`t consider themselves as superior in any manner. That means that you are entirely responsable for what you learn.

The kind of people you will find attending Knowmads are often the ones looking for a space where they can meet incredible people (and be assured you will find them there) and looking for what they love, or to have a space to develop their passions. If you are conected with amazing people, and have the tools and freedom to do what you love, you will acomplish amazing things. And that translates Knowmads spirit." (http://educationatw.wordpress.com/2013/09/12/school-6-knowmads-nl/)

More Information

• the Knowmads Business School in Amsterdam at http://www.knowmads.nl/about-us/knowmads-in-3-minutes/