Hi Everyone,
This seminar is scheduled to end as of last Sunday. However, I see interesting conversation is still going on. There is no reason to stop. We started an open ended question about advancing and supporting online dialogue. We can in fact carry it on here indefinitely. Through the course of the last three weeks, we have engaged in some rather deep conversations about the nature of the dialogue, role of leadership in dialogue, its relationship to control and to open space, the function of acknowledgment/recognition/validation in successful dialogue, the meaning of lurking/listening/peripheral participation, levels of participation and motivation, the different contexts of dialogue (social vs. educational), and finally conversation through blog.
Now I wonder how you draw an end to a conversation like this. In an open space, the conversation is over when it's over. I like this approach. Also I believe a good conversation takes on a second life even when it is over. It may morph into a different conversation; it may create new relationship between the participants; it may lead to inspiration and actions... Whatever this second life might be, I hope there is one.
And in case you ever wonder what we talked about for three weeks, we have a wiki that holds the germs coming out of this conversation.
Thank you all. Keep in touch and I hope we will meet again down the road online or offline.
Cindy
Thank you Cindy and all participants (including those who chose to read along!) in our Supporting and Advancing Online Dialogue seminar.
Neat that Cindy closed with her question about how, in fact, do you draw an end to a conversation like this. And, as pointed out by others in previous SCoPE seminars -- WHY do we bring closure? It is something that we impose upon ourselves in this world when meanwhile the tools and asynchronous nature of online dialogue provide us with so many options! Even online conferences continue to be modeled after f2f, with jam-packed schedules and a flurry of activity.
There is something to be said for the focus and synergy when working within a schedule. We take the conversation to a certain level, then it needs some time to rest. Artefacts remain and we can always revisit and bring the gems forward into a new and focused dialogue. Perhaps just knowing that the moment to contribute might pass is a motivator in itself! Although, at SCoPE we never really close a discussion. They just get nudged down to the "past seminar discussions" section, along with the smiling faces of our volunteer facilitators and remain open for afterthoughts. So no missed opportunities here! If you have any of those afterthoughts about how to wind down then come on in. :-)
Mark your calendars. We're busy preparing for much anticipated June seminar: Personal Learning Environments June 4 - 24, facilitated by Derek Chirnside and Derek Wenmoth. Hope to see you all there!
Sylvia Currie
SCoPE Coordinator
Neat that Cindy closed with her question about how, in fact, do you draw an end to a conversation like this. And, as pointed out by others in previous SCoPE seminars -- WHY do we bring closure? It is something that we impose upon ourselves in this world when meanwhile the tools and asynchronous nature of online dialogue provide us with so many options! Even online conferences continue to be modeled after f2f, with jam-packed schedules and a flurry of activity.
There is something to be said for the focus and synergy when working within a schedule. We take the conversation to a certain level, then it needs some time to rest. Artefacts remain and we can always revisit and bring the gems forward into a new and focused dialogue. Perhaps just knowing that the moment to contribute might pass is a motivator in itself! Although, at SCoPE we never really close a discussion. They just get nudged down to the "past seminar discussions" section, along with the smiling faces of our volunteer facilitators and remain open for afterthoughts. So no missed opportunities here! If you have any of those afterthoughts about how to wind down then come on in. :-)
Mark your calendars. We're busy preparing for much anticipated June seminar: Personal Learning Environments June 4 - 24, facilitated by Derek Chirnside and Derek Wenmoth. Hope to see you all there!
Sylvia Currie
SCoPE Coordinator