First I want to acknowledge David for sharing his cogent notes on our seminar so far. They provide a useful and succinct picture of where we?ve been and where else we might go ? thanks so much David! Perhaps David?s big picture of the learning landscape to date will help some of you out there re-connect with thoughts and insights you?d like to bring to the forum.
I?ve been intrigued with the ideas that have surfaced in this meta-thread so far. Nancy noted, I felt safer sharing something I am knowledgeable about rather than thinking out loud. Tying in with Jay and Christie?s comments about the short time-frame for these seminars, would extending our time with this topic have helped foster more safety for people to push into newer arenas where we might be less sure of what we know? What else might instill a greater sense of safety?
Nancy asked a wonderful question of us: Do you see other conversations that started that you would like to have helped develop more fully?
Cathy (welcome, Cathy! Even as the embers are dying down to hot coals we are happy to have new voices join in anywhere in our discussions) observed friendly connections among people and that those are as important as the content in these discussion groups. They are, and Jay, I for one feel sad that you never came to feeling like we were more than a bunch of strangers?and would love to know more (from anyone!) what we might have done to spread the warmth all the way back to the edges of circle?
Christie was excited about the momentum, trust and unique rhythms she sensed growing here (until we highlighted that we?re nearing the end of our brief time). Unfortunately, other topics are scheduled for Scope following this one (sounds so linear), but we?re already working on how we might continue this dialogue after we take some time to absorb resources, re-think assumptions and plan an Informal Learning Redux. We welcome the idea that our seminar is appreciated enough that folks would prefer it didn?t end ? we?ll see what we can do.
Meanwhile, I love Christies? idea of asking, what were the 3 most interesting concepts you?ve encountered during this discussion?
Sarah
Sarah Haavind
Posts made by Sarah Haavind
I want to second Sylvia's motion that we generate a public debriefing of the full experience of this informal seminar on Informal Learning.
One thought that kept returning to me as I watched threads and insights unfold and ignite over the past few weeks was how much evidence there was of what we as online community participants have learned over the past 10+ years as we've all been (lived?) online. This kind of dialogue is truly a new genre: collaborative dialogue in an asynchronous text environment. How did we do it?
Were you struck at the myriad ways the group capably propelled itself down highways and pathways on a collective explore of a mutually intriguing topic? I hope you'll share what you noticed.
Also, if you were sitting out on the darker edges of the campfire, even if you haven't so much as said "hello" yet, I hope you'll share your thoughts and feelings with us now about what has (or hasn't) been happening here. There are so many layers to informal learning...
Sarah
One thought that kept returning to me as I watched threads and insights unfold and ignite over the past few weeks was how much evidence there was of what we as online community participants have learned over the past 10+ years as we've all been (lived?) online. This kind of dialogue is truly a new genre: collaborative dialogue in an asynchronous text environment. How did we do it?
Were you struck at the myriad ways the group capably propelled itself down highways and pathways on a collective explore of a mutually intriguing topic? I hope you'll share what you noticed.
Also, if you were sitting out on the darker edges of the campfire, even if you haven't so much as said "hello" yet, I hope you'll share your thoughts and feelings with us now about what has (or hasn't) been happening here. There are so many layers to informal learning...
Sarah
I agree with Greg that Minh?s query is a potent one:
How do we go about turning the current K-6 demographic into autonomous, self-directed, self- managing, self organising learners by the time they're 16?
I also have long admired the qualities Christie and Ann have observed about amazon.com over in the "Practical Ideas" discussion: Amazon's way with pushing the technology (formal) structures and tools to involve or engage visitors in ways that both mirror and improve upon the informal actions we might naturally take in a bookstore: leafing through the table of contents and a few pages of text, looking around on the shelf at other books on the same or similar topics, wandering over to the bookseller?s employees? ?top picks of the week? table. Emails about new books on topics that interest me, a personal greeting and opening web page that automatically shows books related to those I have purchased in the past, a savable shopping cart for future purchases, listmania, these are unparalleled personalized services that I could never expect of any local bookstore.
Holding such edgy affordances provided by technology up together with the possibilities for any person or group learning about anything, not just books ? is there a fruitful boundary somewhere here between the forest of chaos and the meadow of patterns we recognize? Where will future refinements of the new ?pull? technologies such as RSS take us, might such new nets and filters take us where we want to go?
Sarah
How do we go about turning the current K-6 demographic into autonomous, self-directed, self- managing, self organising learners by the time they're 16?
I also have long admired the qualities Christie and Ann have observed about amazon.com over in the "Practical Ideas" discussion: Amazon's way with pushing the technology (formal) structures and tools to involve or engage visitors in ways that both mirror and improve upon the informal actions we might naturally take in a bookstore: leafing through the table of contents and a few pages of text, looking around on the shelf at other books on the same or similar topics, wandering over to the bookseller?s employees? ?top picks of the week? table. Emails about new books on topics that interest me, a personal greeting and opening web page that automatically shows books related to those I have purchased in the past, a savable shopping cart for future purchases, listmania, these are unparalleled personalized services that I could never expect of any local bookstore.
Holding such edgy affordances provided by technology up together with the possibilities for any person or group learning about anything, not just books ? is there a fruitful boundary somewhere here between the forest of chaos and the meadow of patterns we recognize? Where will future refinements of the new ?pull? technologies such as RSS take us, might such new nets and filters take us where we want to go?
Sarah
Our warm and friendly campfire setting will continue to welcome anyone interested in sitting in or joining our conversation on informal learning for the duration, of course! Glad to have you Michael, Nick (hi Nick!) and anyone else who would like to settle in. I don't think "late" is either a meaningful nor a useful term in our informal seminar...
Sarah
Sarah