Derek Chirnside

Stephen, this looks very interesting.  If ever you are in Christchurch, let me know.  Like Barbera, I was interested in your side comment about story telling.

-Derek

One interest for me is in the practical side of introducing blogging to classes/groups: what makes blogging different to (say) journals or forums, and how to help grow the right sort of confidence and understanding.

My terminology is a little in flux.  Blogs as tols, learning structure, a medium for learning?

I've not read Leigh's posts.  I'll track them down (I get 'forbidden access" at the moment)

But I know what he means.  I've not really posted much in this forum because I'm going through some serious re-evaluation of my practice (which I learned the way most of you have, a mixture of doing it, informal learning communities and books).

I have had a bit of a crisis of confidence, and some doubt on some of the basics I have included in my "How to Facilitate" workshops and seminars.  Only some.  I still love passing out paper and getting participants to write responses to difficult posts using the ideas in Sarah's book written with George Collison etc http://www.amazon.com/Facilitating-Online-Learning-Strategies-Moderators/dp/1891859331 This aspect of practice HAS lasted the distance.  I think.

But: Web 2.0 has altered the landscape.  So has skype (the basic entry level VOIP in common use), and wikis.  Not so much blogs - in my opinion.  Then add in Youtube and Google video.  And an improved view of community.  I think the notions around the standard model of community and online facilitation are intertwined.

The questions I have at the moment include: Who am I? What is the best way to approach my practice and challenges?  Especially in the light of a transition from a small College of Education to a larger University I am currently undergoing.  I have asked myself "Can I make the transition, and do I belong or fit here?")  Wouold I rather go back to the classroom or go to the beach.

I've recently sent out a fateful e-mail: the e-mail to announce the beginning of the thought processes and interactions to ask the question "This group of people (180+) do we/you have the wherewithal to grow into a community after 25 months in a formal prof dev project?"  Teachers.  I'm on a roadshow at the moment with three workshops to meet the 50 or so 'lead' teachers in the project.

One workshop down, two to go.  I feel like "what I did in 2005 with a similar group" is not enough.

Nothing that is significant to do with the practice or domain has emerged.  It's been politics, turf wars, time pressures, budgets and budgets and yet more budgets, memorandums of agreement, priorities . . .

Facilitation is an art.  I have a number of memories of seeing a response online by someone - and saying "Hmm, what's the facilitator to do here?" and being gobsmacked by the deep wisdom and creativity in a response.  How do you learn this?  Do you learn it?  Do you catch it?  Do you gain through reflection from modelling . .  and move on to there?

I think I know what I'm doing at the moment.  I could describe it like this: meet around 10 people a day in the context of these workshops.  I have 30 minutes.  (Actually 17 minutes yesterday) in this time I'm to float the ideas around the launch.  And we will see what happens when we take things online.  People say things.  I'm trying to pick out the significant issues and sensitive points.  Then I plan some dialogue sparkers, some e-mails to shoulder tap (The comment you made in xxx, how about posting more on it?), some questions, some help (a number of people talked about zzz, now here is some further info.  What do you think?)

Quite different to the other part of my lfe: formal taught courses.

I was once hugely more confident in my postings than now.  Go figure.  Who am I to be dabbling in the lives of these people and the huge numbers of kids & parents they impact on?  It's a sensitive and gentle place to go.  But I see things in my mind.  I hear a comment in a domain sessions, I see a poster, I see 'click' a link, or a cause/effect . . .  and something occurs to me that could be done.  I've got ipod recorded fragments.  Some snaps of the whiteboard and I think "This is worth everyone knowing".  Fun eh?  I'm just worried that the basic secret to faciltiation is the intense interpersonal online/forums/skype connections made with individuals and small groups in the community.  In this case, stamina and finance questions emerge.

Hotel breakfast sessions with people there hqave been great encouragements.  I've put all my insecurity on the back burner, and will present a vision for a vibrant alive, nurturing community once again in 25 minutes time.  Maybe it will happen.

Here is a snap I took 5 minutes ago.  Small and blurred for obvious reasons, but you'll get the idea. - Derek

 

 

This is a personal request for help.  Things have moved on very quickly where I work.  I now have three blogging projects on the go, all completely different, in an institution with no policy on blogging.  We have general ehtical guidelines for posting etc, use of the internet and so on.


-Derek

Just a quick check in from Christchurch.  I don't know how much I'll be around this month.  I will be here a bit.  I think I've become a SCoPE groupie.

My perspective on facilitation has moved to include the e-leadership area: the role of helping distributed (not necessarily online) communities grow and function, with this being a little more active than facilitation implies.  I aspire to be a good online facilitator.  :-)

Hi Nick.  Good to meet you online again.  Hi Bee.  Interesting things as usual going on in your orbit.

I probably will not be in the second life campfire.  I have a wedding this weekend to attend.  I am interested in the structure you have already supplied to us Nick.  There was discussion last month about fragmentation and whether it is inevitable or not in this thing we inhabit here.  An experiment in the offing maybe?


And now, this month . . .  I'm off to do a tour of our West Coast next week: three workshops in three days, morning and afternoon and evening sessions.  I am responsible for 30 minutes a day plus networking at lunch and afternoon tea. (Which is a pretty cool deal)  We launch an online leadership event in three weeks to hopefully spawn/launch/birth   a community of educators from a three year project.

Then I'm in an e-portfolio conference later on.  And business as usual: getting courses with their online side sorted, and helping with any problems, and having fun.   - Derek