The graphic copied here from the book is interesting for this blog and its readers by both what is included - the conceptual age and what is omitted.Pink's graphic supports and reinforces what I have felt for many years. Namely, that in Hodges' model we have a conceptual framework fit for our time and purposes. Looking at the figure developmentally then of course we think conceptually from a very early age in order to make sense of self, other, world and future.
Pink's graphic is interesting in that as depicted here we have not reached the knowledge age as yet. While these ages are discrete when conducting health and social care and other activities the boundaries are of course unclear and fuzzy.
Being in the conceptual age we need tools that can catch our care and related concepts. A stage that makes them accessible for reflection and association.
Moving further towards the knowledge age we then need tools that can recognise patterns in our concepts and begin to match them.
For safety's sake we then need to recognise the important concepts missed in our assessments, problem solving, project management and service improvement processes ... These tools will be able to suggest and patch the gaps in our framework and hence our understanding.
Image original source: http://elearningtech.pbworks.com/f/daniel-pink-conceptual-age.png
Additional links:
Dan Pink - A Whole New Mind
'conceptual spaces' on W2tQ
'concepts' on W2tQ
Reflecting on this it is a shame that there is no Innocent Age any longer or what there is often cut short.
The least we can do is to try to preserve it for as long as possible ...
