Stranova Interview Series Vol. 25, published September 25, 2006.\n\nFor hundreds of years, we have built our learning systems in celebration of and in support of the \u201cknowledge specialist\u201d as perhaps the most valued member of our organizational teams. The problem with such specialization is that it often ignores a far more significant source of innovation, one which draws from the insight of interconnecting two or more seemingly unrelated ideas or disciplines to create a truly novel \u201cnew\u201d one. In our episode this week, James Burke, the world-renowned author and creator of the \u201cConnections\u201d book and related TV series, suggests a way out of the \u201creductionist rut\u201d of placing too much faith on \u201cspecialists\u201d for critical thinking AND strategic innovation. With his Knowledge Web project \u2013 and more than a few pointed concepts on how our educational and learning systems haven\u2019t really grown up much since the 17th century, Mr. Burke\u2019s ideas should provide some exciting \u201cfood for thought\u201d on how you may want to change the way you manage innovation and learning in your own organization.