The BEST Way to Face Up To Change (1)

During 1967-1970 a virtual conflagration, in the form of the most heated debate ever, raged uncontrollably across Britain concerning the need for a long distance study centre, a university of the air. It was a time for petty prejudices to push themselves to the surface as the pros and cons struggled for supremacy in the war of words which developed, particularly among the privileged, well-educated, middle class elite.

Its purpose and value were minutely dissected on one hand by the enthusiastic visionaries who saw it as the new saviour of the masses, especially those who had been unable to take advantage of full time higher education. The academic champions, on the other hand, most of them armed with the benefits of an Oxbridge education, went almost ballistic at the thought of a university which would be welcoming people without any prior qualifications. The idea was too preposterous to contemplate, as snobbishness ran rampant. They were absolutely certain it would not only lower the standard of degrees to unacceptable levels, but the thought of so many thousands of formerly unqualified people actually ending up with degrees was more than any 'properly' educated man could stomach.

Watching uncertainly from the middle of this debate, and listening intently, were the future students if this educational utopia, like me. With inadequate GCEs, a one year old son and a part-time job, the Open University seemed so right, manna from heaven, in fact, and I hesitantly became its first Black graduate. I knew there was no way my current qualifications would have gotten me into Oxford or Cambridge and the thought of studying at home for a degree, with all my domestic responsibilities, was too unreal to consider. Initially, I sided with the doubters. It would never work, I told myself often, too scared to believe it and the possibilities. Too good to be true, I thought. But I wanted it to succeed so badly, the dramatic change in my family life (and great personal sacrifice which would ensue) seemed so insignificant then. By registration day, my doubts had largely evaporated. I was now certain it would work and willed it with all my heart.

Many others, particularly with the power to affect the OU's development, did not have our belief in its success and did not want to be convinced either. Feeling comfortable with their narrow experience of what a 'real' university should be, they felt threatened by the OU's revolutionary concepts of a veritable free-for-all and closed their eyes to its advantages, preferring to concentrate on all the negative aspects, the bits they were sure would go wrong.

Academic Success
Perhaps because of such widespread scepticism, Britain's first university of the air set out to prove them wrong with great tenacity and skill. Starting off in an almost low-key, conformist way, it has been revolutionary in its impact. Rapidly approaching it's 38th birthday, and unmatched in research, new initiatives and ideas, the Open University occupies a unique place in British history. It has unremittingly changed the face of higher education, not only in Britain, but worldwide, with its byword of 'credits' and flexibility of study having become an integral part of the education language. Over 350,000 graduates have already passed through its doors. It's academic success, particularly in education and research, and the way it has dramatically changed people's lives, perceptions and achievements, have been phenomenal, not least for one of its graduates - me. Through it, I finally did get into Cambridge University. Not a bad feat for someone with hardly any qualifications.

This story springs readily to mind on the eve of its anniversary and in the face of our general unwillingness to step into the unknown and embrace change. New initiatives tend to bring out the worst fears for our future, and the worst reaction, making us needlessly defensive of our territory while firing our natural instinct to protect the status quo at all cost.

It seems that accepting any form of change depends primarily on the personal perception of our individual situation; our vision of how we could be affected by something new; our degree of readiness for a different experience; how much we perceive we have to lose and our level of confidence in dealing with the unexpected. Having no vision means we can only see through a narrow tube of familiarity which usually gives us just a tiny part of the whole picture. This keeps us firmly where we are, without letting in any more light, while detaching us gradually from both reality and the action. In this way we continue to have a distorted, jaundiced view of the potential effects of anything new in our environment and to the detriment of our development.

For instance, if you were to play blind and deaf from today and move to an uninhabited island, you would learn nothing else about the world you left behind, you would meet no one else and probably do nothing more than the basics. Ten years from now, you may be an expert on plant life, or on how to survive on very little, but you would be technologically ignorant and trapped in a time warp while the world would have moved on at a cracking pace. There are many of us like that in life who miss out on new developments, and benefits which are rightfully ours, because we lack the courage to overcome one main confidence killer: a preoccupation with the past

Article Source: http://www.content.onlypunjab.com

ELAINE SIHERA (Ms Cyprah - www.myspace.com/elaineone and www.elainesihera.co.uk) is an expert author, public speaker, media contributor and columnist. The first Black graduate of the OU and a post-graduate of Cambridge University. Elaine is a CONFIDENCE guru and a consultant for Diversity Management, Personal Empowerment and Relationships. Author of: 10 Easy Steps to Growing Older Disgracefully; 10 Easy Steps to Finding Your Ideal Soulmate!; Money, Sex & Compromise and Managing the Diversity Maze, among others (available on www.amazon.co.uk as well as her personal website). Also the founder of the British Diversity Awards and the Windrush Men and Women of the Year Achievement Awards. She describes herself as, "Fit, Fabulous, Over-fifty and Ready to Fly!"

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