1. Dynamic Learning Styles: Franklin and Hamilton JAMES W. MARCUM 2008

2. Relevant? Benjamin Franklin and Alexander Hamilton grew up and attained their learning more than 200 years ago. Is their example relevant, useful to our time and place?

3. Learning: definition Learning is engagement that changes perception, belief, or behavior (knowledge) (Constructivist, activist, contextual)OLA Super Conference 2005

4. Dynamic Learning Engaged and reflective participation in a discovery process that builds new knowledge and enhances (changes) skills and competence appropriate to the given personal, social, and technical context of importance to the learner. Marcum, After the Information Age, 165. (Social and Contextual)

5. Dynamic Learning ProcessReadingWritingCollaborationActive, engaged learningReflection on meaning

6. Borrowed books from brothers print shop, read overnight Books: true and reliable friendsReading: Founder: first community library Collected and read booksFranklin throughout his life Studied French, German, etc. in part to read important works in original language Book collection 7,000 when returned from Europe

7. Silence DoGood Pennsylvania Gazette Poor Richards AlmanacWriting: Letters!Franklin Natural philosophy Political and diplomatic Bagatelles Autobiography (Writings/Papers, Yale 37 vols.)

8. Ineffective alone (Boston, London) Junto Printer partnersFranklin: Post Office Lightning (3: silversmith,Collaboration clergyman) Treaty of Paris (Adams, Jay) Declaration of Independence Revolutionary War Constitutional Convention Networker

9. Printer Publishing business Community, political involvement Post OfficeFranklin: Politics: local, empire, national Natural philosophy/ Republic ofActive, Letters Inventions (stove, bi-focals)engaged Diplomacylearning Nation creating

10. Franklins method evolved but always encompassed reading, writing, explaining, clarifying, and persuading: a dynamic learningIn short: process. His insights came from constant reading, writing, observation, hands-on experimentation and really hearing his colleagues and critics. His opinions frequently were proven wrong and he changed them as his understanding expanded. Anyone can develop those skills and habits.

11. And so his greatest legacy lies not in the blessings of genius, nor his stature as natural philosopher or self-educated statesman and founding father, but ratherFranklins in the demonstration of a simple method whereby hard work and disciplined, socially-grounded inquiry enables one toLegacy grow and develop and accomplish great things. His prototype for dynamic learning as a path to greatness may prove to be Benjamin Franklins greatest legacy. Genius or Dynamic Learner? Ben Franklins Path to Greatness, The Social Studies 99: 3 (May-June 2008): 99-104. http://view.fdu.edu/files/franklingenius.pdf

12. Does the Model fit Hamilton? Franklin Hamilton A year or two of formal A few years of schooling schooling and some college Business, Business experience administrative, legal experience Civic, political, Military, business, diplomatic, scientific political, legal practice engagement engagement

13. Mother: 34 books Mentored, schooled St. Croix and NJ/NY self improving autodidact RCHamilton: Kings College Classics: literature, history, philosophyReading Military affairs (Plutarch, Grotius)(omniverous and Business and finance (Postlewayt, A.self-directed, RC) Smith) Law (Blackstone, Penn) Politics statesmanship (Plutarch, Locke, Hobbes, Montesquieu) Grange: 1,000 books

14. Hurricane report 1772 Political broadsides (NYC) Correspondence for WashingtonHamilton: Letters! The Federalist (51 of 85; 175,000 wordsWriting in 7 months) Political broadsides Treasury and National Bank (Rept. On Manufactures; Defense of Funding System) Jurisprudence (Practical Proceedings) Papers (Columbia U.); digital: 1.3 M words

15. Friendships Mentors (Rev. Knox, Livingston, Washington, P. Schuyler) Kings College and WashingtonsHamilton: Staff (G. Morris, Laurens, McHenry, Troup, Livingston, Lafayette)Collaboration Collaborations Federalist Papers (Jay, Madison) Federalist politics (R. King) New York merchants Court cases (Burr)

16. Clerk for Cruegers merchant house (in charge at ~ 15) Political activist as revolutionHamilton: developed Military serviceActive, Law practiceengaged Campaign for Constitutionlearning Federalist party politics Treasury Department (and Inspector General of Army) Vision of commercial America

17. Education vs. Dynamic Learning Both Hamilton and Franklin lived in times of great change and upheaval Between them they established many of the institutions, policies, and practices of a new nation Education did not serve them They had to discover or create where nothing existed Their omnivorous and self-directed reading, writing, collaboration, and learning provided the wherewithal upon which they could produce their remarkable contributions to the creation of the U.S.

18. Our Time: Change and Upheaval

19. What is dynamic learning, again? Engaged and reflective participation in a life-creating process that builds new knowledge and enhances (changes) the skills and competence appropriate to the given personal, social, and technical context of importance to the learner.