Pre-Course Briefing for Roanoke's U.Lab Hub

group epignosis (an urban ecolab) is hosting a satellite classroom (a "hub") at Roanoke's main library for six weeks beginning January 6th in support of local learners participating in MITx's upcoming U.Lab: Transforming Business, Society and Self. The "massive open online course" (MOOC) presented by senior lecturer Otto Scharmer will afford participants an opportunity to "(l)earn how to create profound innovation in a time of disruptive change by leading from the emerging future" (edX).

U.Lab Hubs Trailer (Yukelson)

Beginning at 6:30 pm on Tuesday evening January 6th, and over the next six weeks, Roanoke's U.Lab Hub (the R-U-Hub) will meet at the main library in support of local learners enrolled through edX in this free, online course. Prototyping "a new 21st-century university model", the class will offer a cutting-edge "real-world learning environment, with the goal of sparking a global web of interconnected hubs, inspiring initiatives, and grounding learning locally in places where societal challenges are manifest" [emphasis added] (Presencing Institute).

What's the Purpose of a Hub?

Roanoke's U.Lab Hub

In order to create a "shared place" for change makers "to connect, co-sense and co-create the U.Lab extends an invitation "to create such a place" with "a few other friends and colleagues" and subsequently use "the MOOC infrastructure to connect and co-inspire ideas with others". In this way then, hub members are entrusted with an opportunity to "collectively prototype a new platform or leadership school that helps change makers across generations to connect with each other, with the situation we face, and with our own sources of inspiration, in order to build a movement of awareness based change across systems, sectors, and cultures" (Yukelson, Hubs Overview).

Likewise then, this "interactive and experimental course" itself, "is about leading profound innovation in order to pioneer a more sustainable economy and society. It focuses on the intertwined relationship of the following three questions":

1. "Transformation of Capitalism: How can capitalism and society evolve from their current forms to emerging future forms that create well-being for all (society 4.0)?
2. Multi-stakeholder innovation: What kind of leadership is required to create profound innovation at the scale of a whole eco-system of stakeholders and partners?
3. Presencing: How can people access their authentic self -- their highest future possibility -- and "act from" that heightened state of awareness?" (Yukelson, Syllabus).

How Will the Hub Work?

Roanoke's U.Lab Hub

Because organization of Roanoke's Hub has been relatively informal to this point, yet due to the fact that beginning the second week of the U.Lab, we'll be forming "coaching circles" comprised of five people, it's important to note the two different shapes these circles are likely to assume:

1. Circle of Friends: comprised either solely of R-U-hub members or as a mix of hub and U.Lab course members, this group's focus (or orientation) over the six-weeks, is likely to be less highly or clearly defined than circles functioning with an express purpose.
2. Innovation Hub: comprised solely of R-U-hub members wishing "to change the system" in which they live and/or work (e.g. Roanoke as a community), these circles are likely to "use the entire U.Lab as a six-week innovation period to co-create or accelerate a new initiative" [emphasis added] (Yukelson, Hubs Overview). 

Conclusion

Adam Yukelson, the U.Lab's co-facilitator, has distributed a recently updated course syllabus announcing an enrollment of "18,000 people (with more joining each day) from 186 countries"  (Yukelson, Syllabus). Consequently, and if you'd like to be a part of this phenomenal learning experience as a member of Roanoke's U.Lab Hub, wish to contact us for additional information via email, or receive R-U-hub's updates, we invite you to use the online contact form at the bottom of the event page on the group epignosis website. You'll also find a section on that same page written to complement this blog entitled, "Pre-Course Briefing and (Final) Check List" to help make sure you're prepared for the course and off to the best possible start.

We'll be looking forward to seeing you at the "hub" . . .

References

edX. U.Lab: Transforming Business, Society, and Self. edX. 2014, n. pag., Web. 30 Dec. 2014.

Presencing Institute. U.Lab: Announcing - Live Sessions and Global Hubs. Presencing Institute. 31 Dec. 2014, n. pag., Web 31 Dec. 2014.

Yukelson, Adam (2014): "U.Lab Hubs Trailer." Online video clip. YouTube, 31 Dec. 2014. Web 31 Dec. 2014.
---. "Hubs Overview.pdf." Documentation to author. 9 Dec. 2014. Dropbox. 31 Dec. 2014.
---. "U.Lab Syllabus 12.28.pdf." Documentation to author. 28 Dec. 2014. Dropbox. 3 Jan. 2015.