Topics: International Speakers Bureau, Inc. |
 Fee Range: $10,001 to $15,000 (fee note) |
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 Biography: David Thornburg is Founder and Director of Global Operaions for the Thornburg Center. He is Senior Fellow of the Congressional Institute for the Future. He conducts research and provides staff development in the educational futures, multimedia, communications and whole mind education. As an award-winning futurist, author and consultant, he explores ways that technology will change the face of learning, both at home and in the classroom. "Successful Meetings" magazine lists Dr. David Thornburg as one of the top 21 speakers in the United States. His dynamic, thought-provoking presentations provide transformative experiences to well over 100,000 people per year. His monthly commentaries for PBS on the impact of emerging technologies on learning expand his reach far beyond the podium. As one of the first employees of the famed Xerox Palo Alto Research Center (PARC) in 1971, David took part in the early stages of the personal computer revolution. He has been interested in the educational applications of technology for many years, with a special focus on the creative use of technology by students. He was named by "Technology and Learning" magazine as one of the top ten most influential people in the field of educational technology in the past twenty years. According to the magazine "Electronic Learning" he is one of the six most popular speakers in the area of educational technology. In his latest book "Campfires in Cyberspace", Thornburg explores the true nature of the World Wide Web as a tool for learning. Reviewers have declared this to be the definitive book on the topic. David has authored numerous books and received several awards for his work in the field of educational technology. A central theme of his work is that we must prepare students for their future, not for our past. His educational philosophy is based on the idea that students learn best when they are constuctors of their own knowledge. He also believes that students who are taught in ways that honor their learning styles and dominant intelligences retain the native engagement with learning with which they entered school. At the Federal level, he is involved in helping to shape telecommunications and education policy for the benefit of all learners. In his capacity as Senior Fellow of the Congressional Institute for the Future, David shares his perspectives with policy makers throughout the country. He was recentlly commissioned to write a position paper for the United States Department of the Future of Technology for K-12 Education. Thornburg proposes "Educators have got to stop treating this stuff as if it were somehow special. We've got to look at technology as if it were as common as desks...imagine the impact of a pencil if you had to share it with three other people." David splits his time between the United States and Brazil. His work in Brazil also is focused on education, and he has consulted for the Federal Secretary as well as firms and educational institutions throughout Brazil. In addition, David plays blues with Lou Fournier and Ferdi Serim, fellow members of the Bluesmen of the Silicon Delta. Together, they are the world experts in the genre of the Silicon Delta Blues, songs that convey the deep gut-wrenching experiences of those high-tech workers who drive BMWs and have to deal with stock options. Lou, Ferdi and David perform and conduct workshops on the history of this little known brach of the blues for public and private audiences. |
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Programs: Renaissance 2000: How the Communications Revolution Will Shape the Coming Years The Age of Discovery and the Renaissance were triggered in part by a communications revolution. We are now poised on a similar horizon with exponential possibilities blossoming as the Internet establishes itself as the global nervous system connecting us to a planetary web of relationships and opportunities. And we are here at the start of a creativity and innovation explosion that increases with each new informational technology that develops. Dr. Thornburg leads us on an eye opening exploration of the dynamic changes, tides, ideas and new worlds coming our way. Learning Maintenance Organizations: Corporate downsizing, the need for a highly-skilled workforce, and the meteoric rise of the World Wide Web have combined to create incredible opportunities for growth in this portion of the educational sector. Exploration of the near-term future is followed by examples of existing community college programs that use technology to redefine the concept of "distance learning." Participants will see how their college can extend its reach and increase its role in meeting the needs of all adult learners in coming years. From Communications to Networks: Leveraging the Future for Your Business: Few would argue against the idea that we are living through a communications revolution of major proportions. Cell phones outsell computers and automobiles combined. The real power of communications technologies comes from networking. While point-to-point communication is powerful, this power explodes when our businesses are networked. This fast-paced presentation explores a variety of products and technologies that provide communication" and shows how these products can have their power multiplied many times when they are part of a larger network. Through a series of focus questions, this presentation improves business practices by taking advantage of networking with vendors and customers. When Moving at the Speed of Light, You Don't Need a Rearview Mirror: In a world punctuated by rapid change, businesses of all kinds are jumping aboard the high-tech bandwagon in the fear that, if they don't, they will be left behind. While this strategy may have merit, it also requires careful thought. This dynamic presentation explores the promises and pitfalls of careening into the future at light speed with our eyes on the rearview mirror and explores strategies through which your business can expand its opportunities by transcending the limitations of applying old metaphors to new products and services. The presentation will be tailored to the market sector of the client on request. |
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