Education in web leadership

The authors of The Web of Women’s Leadership continue to push forward in chapter 4 by saying this: “We believe that education can be an effective means for change and a way to challenge oppressive systems that inhibit web leadership.” As I am entering into my fourth year of seminary, I think it is fair to say that I am a supporter of education. I look around the world today and see too many people that have not been able to experience education as I have and yearn to see the day when college and possibly even graduate school cost far less, allowing everyone a chance. I am also a firm believer that in order to change the face of the world today we must educate others. The authors think in a similar fashion, education allows for web leadership to take place instead of perpetuating the cycle of hierarchy. When people are of equal education with one another, power is given to all instead of few, allowing for web leadership to blossom.

The question the authors try to tackle is this : how does one teach in a web setting? When I first think of this question I begin to reflect on the times I have been in group settings in which there was someone is teaching (either myself or another) and the others in the group are not just being taught by the teacher, they are also learning WITH the teacher. When web leadership is present it is important to know those you are teaching, to be learning with them, and to be journey with them on their path of education. These thoughts make me reflect on the Employee forums I have been leading at the coffee shop. Once a month I am responsible to make an outline for discussion and to come up with a topic for all the employees to sit and discuss. Just last week we held our July forum and I was amazed by how much I learned. My coworkers were teaching me as much as I the “teacher” was teaching them. I also found that they were empowered by knowing that the knowledge that they held was important to further our conversation on the topic.

Overall, education has the possibility to thrive in the web leadership setting. Learners are seen as valuable to the learning process and are treated as such by the teacher. Imagine if web leadership spread outside of the church and urban schools were filled with teachers who valued every student that walked through the door. Imagine if we as Christians begin to treat those from other religions as equals and began to learn along side of them. Here is to learning and teaching together, with people from all different backgrounds, all different ages, learning from one another, instead of acting like we know everything.