Comments on: “Community and Collaboration on a Scale Never Seen Before” http://weblogg-ed.com/2006/community-and-collaboration-on-a-scale-never-seen-before/ Learning with the Read/Write Web Tue, 19 Jul 2011 20:36:16 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Christine Kepler http://weblogg-ed.com/2006/community-and-collaboration-on-a-scale-never-seen-before/comment-page-1/#comment-9660 Christine Kepler Fri, 29 Dec 2006 05:25:00 +0000 http://weblogg-ed.com/2006/community-and-collaboration-on-a-scale-never-seen-before/#comment-9660 I am a classroom teacher of fifth grade language arts, three sections a day of 65 minutes each. Our district technology coordinator and her assisstant coordinator want us to utilize technology in our classrooms as much as we can. The big problem at the level I teach is that students do not come to me prepared to use the computers. Yes, they know how to turn them on and take tests on them, use the sound systems and play games, but they have virtually no keyboarding skills. I have a blog of my own, and I would love to see my students be able to use blogs to comunicate with others and to publish and hone their writing and communicating skills but I end up having to teach too many other skills before they can use the technology. Everything goes back to the issue of educational reform. When I am teaching the state standards and testing for the benchmarks in my grade level, those standards and bencharks incorporate very few electronic (?) standards. Something does have to give! We can't teach more in the time allotted to us, and if we keep teaching the same way our educational system is set up for us to teach, we are in trouble! I agree with some of the people who have commented so far; how can we do anything? Our "education" president has helped drive an ever-growing reliance on the big publishers and test makers. What fuels this? Why money, of course! And as long as we get mandates and people in key government positions who are standing up saying that we need to have accountability through standardized testing, we will not experience any appreciable form of education reform. I don't have the answer- I just know that I need to teach smarter, not more. We live in such a different society, and our grandkids will live in even more different times, that we have to do something. I am a classroom teacher of fifth grade language arts, three sections a day of 65 minutes each. Our district technology coordinator and her assisstant coordinator want us to utilize technology in our classrooms as much as we can. The big problem at the level I teach is that students do not come to me prepared to use the computers. Yes, they know how to turn them on and take tests on them, use the sound systems and play games, but they have virtually no keyboarding skills. I have a blog of my own, and I would love to see my students be able to use blogs to comunicate with others and to publish and hone their writing and communicating skills but I end up having to teach too many other skills before they can use the technology.

Everything goes back to the issue of educational reform. When I am teaching the state standards and testing for the benchmarks in my grade level, those standards and bencharks incorporate very few electronic (?) standards. Something does have to give! We can’t teach more in the time allotted to us, and if we keep teaching the same way our educational system is set up for us to teach, we are in trouble! I agree with some of the people who have commented so far; how can we do anything? Our “education” president has helped drive an ever-growing reliance on the big publishers and test makers. What fuels this? Why money, of course! And as long as we get mandates and people in key government positions who are standing up saying that we need to have accountability through standardized testing, we will not experience any appreciable form of education reform. I don’t have the answer- I just know that I need to teach smarter, not more. We live in such a different society, and our grandkids will live in even more different times, that we have to do something.

]]> By: Digital Writing, Digital Teaching » Blog Archive » End of Year “Reflection” http://weblogg-ed.com/2006/community-and-collaboration-on-a-scale-never-seen-before/comment-page-1/#comment-9633 Digital Writing, Digital Teaching » Blog Archive » End of Year “Reflection” Thu, 28 Dec 2006 06:46:11 +0000 http://weblogg-ed.com/2006/community-and-collaboration-on-a-scale-never-seen-before/#comment-9633 [...] The other main thing on my mind right now, besides my wife’s health, is that I am on the job market and will be soon giving a job talk based on the following prompt: “Situate your research in terms of the current state of the field of English education and talk about how that research informs your teaching.” If ever there was a time when I am asking what English education is, that time is now. Given the general state of education (which I won’t belabor here), and the palpable sense that some edubloggers like David and Will among others, seem to be expressing, I wonder if this is the year that digital writing becomes a legitimate topic for writing teachers and not just an add-on to an already rubric-packed curriculum of pre-formed essay prompts. There are so many possibilities that I am trying to pursue right now (not the least of which is my dissertation focusing on digital portfolios, although that seems to fall to the back burner every day) that I think are engaging and worth scholarly pursuit at the K-12 level: collaborative writing projects with wikis and Google docs, student blogging (ala Paul’s model), free and open source applications for digital writing, digital storytelling, and podcasting. If the Time cover story about You being person of the year is right, then the time is now to push for these literacies as a part of our English teaching. And, oh yes, the state standards call for them, too, says Time. Given all the attention that these literacies now command, I don’t think that we can ignore, or filter, them in school anymore. [...] [...] The other main thing on my mind right now, besides my wife’s health, is that I am on the job market and will be soon giving a job talk based on the following prompt: “Situate your research in terms of the current state of the field of English education and talk about how that research informs your teaching.” If ever there was a time when I am asking what English education is, that time is now. Given the general state of education (which I won’t belabor here), and the palpable sense that some edubloggers like David and Will among others, seem to be expressing, I wonder if this is the year that digital writing becomes a legitimate topic for writing teachers and not just an add-on to an already rubric-packed curriculum of pre-formed essay prompts. There are so many possibilities that I am trying to pursue right now (not the least of which is my dissertation focusing on digital portfolios, although that seems to fall to the back burner every day) that I think are engaging and worth scholarly pursuit at the K-12 level: collaborative writing projects with wikis and Google docs, student blogging (ala Paul’s model), free and open source applications for digital writing, digital storytelling, and podcasting. If the Time cover story about You being person of the year is right, then the time is now to push for these literacies as a part of our English teaching. And, oh yes, the state standards call for them, too, says Time. Given all the attention that these literacies now command, I don’t think that we can ignore, or filter, them in school anymore. [...]

]]> By: Janice Friesen http://weblogg-ed.com/2006/community-and-collaboration-on-a-scale-never-seen-before/comment-page-1/#comment-9617 Janice Friesen Thu, 28 Dec 2006 00:19:37 +0000 http://weblogg-ed.com/2006/community-and-collaboration-on-a-scale-never-seen-before/#comment-9617 Renee, I agree with your sense of caution. I hope it does spark a national discussion. The introduction and stating of the problem was very exciting, but I was concerned when I started to read the recommendations. Many of the recommendations sounded impractical or even unhelpful. They described a system of board exams which reminded me of European Education. I am not sure this is an improvement. I also got the feeling that the committee was proposing that market forces would improve schools.... Renee, I agree with your sense of caution. I hope it does spark a national discussion. The introduction and stating of the problem was very exciting, but I was concerned when I started to read the recommendations. Many of the recommendations sounded impractical or even unhelpful. They described a system of board exams which reminded me of European Education. I am not sure this is an improvement. I also got the feeling that the committee was proposing that market forces would improve schools….

]]> By: Renee M http://weblogg-ed.com/2006/community-and-collaboration-on-a-scale-never-seen-before/comment-page-1/#comment-8843 Renee M Sun, 24 Dec 2006 02:33:31 +0000 http://weblogg-ed.com/2006/community-and-collaboration-on-a-scale-never-seen-before/#comment-8843 I'm not sure yet that the report from the New Commission on Skills is cause for great optimism. Hopefully, it will spark a national discussion; my concern is that it will be a discussion in which teachers are once again kept on the periphery while the policy that affects our daily professional lives is dealt out like so many cards in a marked deck. Putting local schools under the control of private contractors does not give me warm and fuzzies. I’m not sure yet that the report from the New Commission on Skills is cause for great optimism. Hopefully, it will spark a national discussion; my concern is that it will be a discussion in which teachers are once again kept on the periphery while the policy that affects our daily professional lives is dealt out like so many cards in a marked deck. Putting local schools under the control of private contractors does not give me warm and fuzzies.

]]> By: Carolyn Foote http://weblogg-ed.com/2006/community-and-collaboration-on-a-scale-never-seen-before/comment-page-1/#comment-8462 Carolyn Foote Wed, 20 Dec 2006 12:42:36 +0000 http://weblogg-ed.com/2006/community-and-collaboration-on-a-scale-never-seen-before/#comment-8462 I suppose I have reacted to the Time article so positively because of what I see going on around me in my own school. It's not just about blogs or YouTube. It's about teachers' excitement when they see Google Earth or PBwiki or Google Docs. And YouTube isn't just about finding a video that aired on television. An educator at my school are uses it to have students create a whiteboard lesson, post the video and then link to it from their class wiki. Simple collaborative tools like GE's Imagination tool allow us to help a child with math homework over the internet. It's about our students debating online over our school's website on wikipedia, and making corrections and tinkering with opinion versus fact on the site. It's about tools that allow students and teachers to collaborate online simultaneously, to contribute content, tools that NATURALLY cause them to evaluate their words as they are contributing, and tools that allow them to connect with other schools, other experts, etc. You can feel this excitement in a class when you show them Google Docs. You can feel it when they are editing their own wiki page or collaborating across class periods on a project. I feel it when I find photos of activities at another library on flickr which gives me a good idea. I feel it when I participated in K12 online and was skyping with educators in Wales from my home. I feel it when our school board decides to read the World is Flat or Whole New Mind. I feel it when I see free tools that our teachers can immediately adopt without waiting for licenses, funding, etc. To me, that is a huge part of the revolution I see coming online in terms of educators getting involved. I feel it when my campus is much more driven to push against the boundaries of our infrastructure limits and filters and ask for more, because they WANT to incorporate tools into their teaching. Whether you do think Time's coverage is too simplistic or not, I do think they are on the money in recognizing this trend, and how we are on the precipice of change. I agree it may be slow but I have seen a sea change at the speed at which our campus is reacting to and adopting these tools which has been surprising. The issues I hear from teachers continuously is, lack of time--time to learn new software, hardware, and time to practice with it. Although the beauty of many of these tools is that they are readily available and the teacher isnt' limited to practicing at school on software the school purchased, I do think training and conversation is where campuses need to rethink their models. I suppose I have reacted to the Time article so positively because of what I see going on around me in my own school.

It’s not just about blogs or YouTube. It’s about teachers’ excitement when they see Google Earth or PBwiki or Google Docs. And YouTube isn’t just about finding a video that aired on television. An educator at my school are uses it to have students create a whiteboard lesson, post the video and then link to it from their class wiki. Simple collaborative tools like GE’s Imagination tool allow us to help a child with math homework over the internet. It’s about our students debating online over our school’s website on wikipedia, and making corrections and tinkering with opinion versus fact on the site.

It’s about tools that allow students and teachers to collaborate online simultaneously, to contribute content, tools that NATURALLY cause them to evaluate their words as they are contributing, and tools that allow them to connect with other schools, other experts, etc.

You can feel this excitement in a class when you show them Google Docs. You can feel it when they are editing their own wiki page or collaborating across class periods on a project.
I feel it when I find photos of activities at another library on flickr which gives me a good idea. I feel it when I participated in K12 online and was skyping with educators in Wales from my home. I feel it when our school board decides to read the World is Flat or Whole New Mind. I feel it when I see free tools that our teachers can immediately adopt without waiting for licenses, funding, etc. To me, that is a huge part of the revolution I see coming online in terms of educators getting involved.

I feel it when my campus is much more driven to push against the boundaries of our infrastructure limits and filters and ask for more, because they WANT to incorporate tools into their teaching.

Whether you do think Time’s coverage is too simplistic or not, I do think they are on the money in recognizing this trend, and how we are on the precipice of change. I agree it may be slow but I have seen a sea change at the speed at which our campus is reacting to and adopting these tools which has been surprising.

The issues I hear from teachers continuously is, lack of time–time to learn new software, hardware, and time to practice with it. Although the beauty of many of these tools is that they are readily available and the teacher isnt’ limited to practicing at school on software the school purchased, I do think training and conversation is where campuses need to rethink their models.

]]> By: Kathy Kawasaki http://weblogg-ed.com/2006/community-and-collaboration-on-a-scale-never-seen-before/comment-page-1/#comment-8444 Kathy Kawasaki Wed, 20 Dec 2006 02:07:32 +0000 http://weblogg-ed.com/2006/community-and-collaboration-on-a-scale-never-seen-before/#comment-8444 Will, I agree that something seems about to happen. For the last four years, I've been trying to encourage teachers to use the read/write web with little success. You mentioned Tim Tyson. He had few teachers volunteer to blog initially. He mandated school blogging and now Mabry teachers see the value. Nevertheless, I sense that teachers' reticence may change as applications become simpler. Blogging still involves too many steps for most busy teachers to want to learn. Wikis, however, are word documents and Wikispaces is giving them away free to teachers. Presently, I am building a wiki for our library pathfinders and teachers are starting to add their own material as I show it to them - even teachers who have been averse to technology in the past. Perhaps educators have finally found a simple enough point of entry into the great conversation. Will,
I agree that something seems about to happen. For the last four years, I’ve been trying to encourage teachers to use the read/write web with little success. You mentioned Tim Tyson. He had few teachers volunteer to blog initially. He mandated school blogging and now Mabry teachers see the value.
Nevertheless, I sense that teachers’ reticence may change as applications become simpler. Blogging still involves too many steps for most busy teachers to want to learn. Wikis, however, are word documents and Wikispaces is giving them away free to teachers. Presently, I am building a wiki for our library pathfinders and teachers are starting to add their own material as I show it to them – even teachers who have been averse to technology in the past. Perhaps educators have finally found a simple enough point of entry into the great conversation.

]]> By: Borderland » The Pendulum http://weblogg-ed.com/2006/community-and-collaboration-on-a-scale-never-seen-before/comment-page-1/#comment-8429 Borderland » The Pendulum Tue, 19 Dec 2006 15:58:21 +0000 http://weblogg-ed.com/2006/community-and-collaboration-on-a-scale-never-seen-before/#comment-8429 [...] Time’s How to Bring our Schools Out of the 20th Century article referred to a “high-powered, bipartisan assembly of Education Secretaries, business leaders and a former Governor,” aka The New Commission on Skills for the American Workforce, who released “a blueprint for rethinking American education.” This is not a document that inspires giddy optimism for me. I agree that schools need rethinking, but this isn’t the grassroots movement that Will Richardson envisions. [...] [...] Time’s How to Bring our Schools Out of the 20th Century article referred to a “high-powered, bipartisan assembly of Education Secretaries, business leaders and a former Governor,” aka The New Commission on Skills for the American Workforce, who released “a blueprint for rethinking American education.” This is not a document that inspires giddy optimism for me. I agree that schools need rethinking, but this isn’t the grassroots movement that Will Richardson envisions. [...]

]]> By: Akkam’s Razor http://weblogg-ed.com/2006/community-and-collaboration-on-a-scale-never-seen-before/comment-page-1/#comment-8426 Akkam’s Razor Tue, 19 Dec 2006 14:30:12 +0000 http://weblogg-ed.com/2006/community-and-collaboration-on-a-scale-never-seen-before/#comment-8426 [...] Weblogg-ed » “Community and Collaboration on a Scale Never Seen Before” Will the web change everything? (tags: web2.0 socialnetwork) [...] [...] Weblogg-ed » “Community and Collaboration on a Scale Never Seen Before” Will the web change everything? (tags: web2.0 socialnetwork) [...]

]]> By: Gary Stager http://weblogg-ed.com/2006/community-and-collaboration-on-a-scale-never-seen-before/comment-page-1/#comment-8418 Gary Stager Tue, 19 Dec 2006 11:10:30 +0000 http://weblogg-ed.com/2006/community-and-collaboration-on-a-scale-never-seen-before/#comment-8418 Will, As an English teacher, could you imagine asking students to discuss the Time selection of "Person of the Year" in terms related to Orwell's 1984? Al Gore's film may change the world. Who knows? Weren't Jack Murtha or Nancy Pelosi or Howard Dean or Rahm Emmanuel or Chuck Schumer or President Bush or Rummy or one of the Middle East leaders more important than me/you? I fear that all of this hooplah by the powerful is just Potemkin Village 2.0. Sure there is citzen journalism in the blogosphere. How does that compare to the work of Thomas Paine or Woodward and Bernstein? Everyone gets excited about how Dan Rather was brought down by a blogger who announced that the 60 Minutes documents were bogus. What we forget in all of this self-congratulatory euphoria across the blogosphere is that the substance of the forged documents has never been in doubt. In fact, the discussion of the document's provenance may have obscured the truth at the heart of the story. Much of what I come across in the blogosphere strikes me as personal confesssions or someone else reading the newspaper on my behalf. Of course there is wonderful reportage to be found on blogs, just as there is in other forms of media. Having an audience is critically important to the author whether or not the audience is well-served. Kids have been engaged in collaborative problem solving and project-based learning for thousands of years - naturally and before we had a theoretical context for it. Perhaps we marvel at the novelty of online collaboration because schools have imperiled such social learning over the past few generations. I defy anyone who read last week's Time cover story on "reinventing education" to identify ONE new idea. The state of discourse regarding learning is woeful. It is pretty sad indeed that those of us in the knowledge "business" are so self-loathing and filled with doubt that we seek affirmation from Time Magazine or Tom Friedman. Don't get me wrong. I love YouTube, etc... Finding videos of Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers from the 1960s or Keith Olbermann's special comments from last night is wondrous. It just won't sustain a democracy. It is certainly not revolutionary. Gary Stager http://www.districtadministration.com/pulse Will,

As an English teacher, could you imagine asking students to discuss the Time selection of “Person of the Year” in terms related to Orwell’s 1984? Al Gore’s film may change the world. Who knows? Weren’t Jack Murtha or Nancy Pelosi or Howard Dean or Rahm Emmanuel or Chuck Schumer or President Bush or Rummy or one of the Middle East leaders more important than me/you? I fear that all of this hooplah by the powerful is just Potemkin Village 2.0.

Sure there is citzen journalism in the blogosphere. How does that compare to the work of Thomas Paine or Woodward and Bernstein? Everyone gets excited about how Dan Rather was brought down by a blogger who announced that the 60 Minutes documents were bogus. What we forget in all of this self-congratulatory euphoria across the blogosphere is that the substance of the forged documents has never been in doubt. In fact, the discussion of the document’s provenance may have obscured the truth at the heart of the story.

Much of what I come across in the blogosphere strikes me as personal confesssions or someone else reading the newspaper on my behalf. Of course there is wonderful reportage to be found on blogs, just as there is in other forms of media.

Having an audience is critically important to the author whether or not the audience is well-served.

Kids have been engaged in collaborative problem solving and project-based learning for thousands of years – naturally and before we had a theoretical context for it. Perhaps we marvel at the novelty of online collaboration because schools have imperiled such social learning over the past few generations.

I defy anyone who read last week’s Time cover story on “reinventing education” to identify ONE new idea. The state of discourse regarding learning is woeful. It is pretty sad indeed that those of us in the knowledge “business” are so self-loathing and filled with doubt that we seek affirmation from Time Magazine or Tom Friedman.

Don’t get me wrong. I love YouTube, etc… Finding videos of Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers from the 1960s or Keith Olbermann’s special comments from last night is wondrous. It just won’t sustain a democracy. It is certainly not revolutionary.

Gary Stager
http://www.districtadministration.com/pulse

]]> By: Chris Harris http://weblogg-ed.com/2006/community-and-collaboration-on-a-scale-never-seen-before/comment-page-1/#comment-8412 Chris Harris Tue, 19 Dec 2006 04:12:10 +0000 http://weblogg-ed.com/2006/community-and-collaboration-on-a-scale-never-seen-before/#comment-8412 Will, Thanks for a great article. I have learned much from you in the last several months and am beginning to catch your passion. Are we on the precipice of a serious, national discussion about education reform? Maybe. I certainly hope so. However, those who hold the reins power are still steeped in traditional ideas about what learning should look like. I am afraid that until adminstrators, legislators, parents, and unfortunately, many teachers hold on to what worked in the 50's, there will be no meaningful system wide reform. I have a "revolution" tag and I think the revolution has begun, but it is still in its infancy, not many soldiers have signed on yet. We all know that change is painfully slow, but change we must. If we don't, as a nation and a culture we will be left in the ash-heep of history. Will,
Thanks for a great article. I have learned much from you in the last several months and am beginning to catch your passion.

Are we on the precipice of a serious, national discussion about education reform? Maybe. I certainly hope so. However, those who hold the reins power are still steeped in traditional ideas about what learning should look like. I am afraid that until adminstrators, legislators, parents, and unfortunately, many teachers hold on to what worked in the 50′s, there will be no meaningful system wide reform. I have a “revolution” tag and I think the revolution has begun, but it is still in its infancy, not many soldiers have signed on yet. We all know that change is painfully slow, but change we must. If we don’t, as a nation and a culture we will be left in the ash-heep of history.

]]> By: Dan’s Blog : Blog Archive : Congratulations! You’re the Person of the Year http://weblogg-ed.com/2006/community-and-collaboration-on-a-scale-never-seen-before/comment-page-1/#comment-8407 Dan’s Blog : Blog Archive : Congratulations! You’re the Person of the Year Tue, 19 Dec 2006 02:18:20 +0000 http://weblogg-ed.com/2006/community-and-collaboration-on-a-scale-never-seen-before/#comment-8407 [...] Will Richardson points to 2007 shaping up to be a pivotal year in the school reform discussion. I’m not so sure. It’s not like collaboative technologies are that new (even blogging’s roots span back to the late 90s). Before today’s technologies were tools, although not at the social nor collaborative level as today’s, that could break down the barriers and connect students with peers and mentors. There have long been online projects that invite students to participate in real scientific processes, contribute data, and connect with scientists to address real-life global issues. For the most part, however, classrooms maintain the status quo. [...] [...] Will Richardson points to 2007 shaping up to be a pivotal year in the school reform discussion. I’m not so sure. It’s not like collaboative technologies are that new (even blogging’s roots span back to the late 90s). Before today’s technologies were tools, although not at the social nor collaborative level as today’s, that could break down the barriers and connect students with peers and mentors. There have long been online projects that invite students to participate in real scientific processes, contribute data, and connect with scientists to address real-life global issues. For the most part, however, classrooms maintain the status quo. [...]

]]> By: Pat Aroune http://weblogg-ed.com/2006/community-and-collaboration-on-a-scale-never-seen-before/comment-page-1/#comment-8405 Pat Aroune Tue, 19 Dec 2006 01:14:30 +0000 http://weblogg-ed.com/2006/community-and-collaboration-on-a-scale-never-seen-before/#comment-8405 As an archivist in the library at St. Bonaventure University in the late 1980s, I could not agree with the Thomas Merton analogy more. Call me a simple, a techno-geek, a Web 2.0 drone, or just call me excited, but I agree this year may be a watershed year in classrooms across the country. Locally, the superintendent within the district I teach, conducted a skype call with Karl Fisch, (http://thefischbowl.blogspot.com/) to brainstorm ideas of change. It is these types of exchanges that may have the greatest effect on grass roots transformation within the districts across the country. The traditional managerial role of superintendents is being transformed with the technology of the times. No longer will administrators be CEOs, rather, they will become the catalyst for curriculum re-engineering. 2007 will be a tremendously important year, whether or not the mainstream media catches on. As an archivist in the library at St. Bonaventure University in the late 1980s, I could not agree with the Thomas Merton analogy more. Call me a simple, a techno-geek, a Web 2.0 drone, or just call me excited, but I agree this year may be a watershed year in classrooms across the country. Locally, the superintendent within the district I teach, conducted a skype call with Karl Fisch, (http://thefischbowl.blogspot.com/) to brainstorm ideas of change. It is these types of exchanges that may have the greatest effect on grass roots transformation within the districts across the country. The traditional managerial role of superintendents is being transformed with the technology of the times. No longer will administrators be CEOs, rather, they will become the catalyst for curriculum re-engineering. 2007 will be a tremendously important year, whether or not the mainstream media catches on.

]]> By: Terry Elliott http://weblogg-ed.com/2006/community-and-collaboration-on-a-scale-never-seen-before/comment-page-1/#comment-8403 Terry Elliott Mon, 18 Dec 2006 23:41:04 +0000 http://weblogg-ed.com/2006/community-and-collaboration-on-a-scale-never-seen-before/#comment-8403 A good rule of thumb: if Time says it, then it may be a fact, but it hardly qualifies as the truth, a distinction that Faulkner said we should never mistake. I don't think you get wisdom from conventional people. If you do, it is a very guarded, status quo-ish and careful kind as opposed to the kind that helps you live in the new world that is unfolding. I prefer another kind of truth, crazy wisdom, the favored fountain of which for me is William Blake. In his aphoristic essay(?) "The Marriage of Heaven and Hell" he speaks as sage and fool when he prophesizes that, "The tygers of wrath are wiser than the horses of instruction." Chris is looking for a grassroot efforts and what amounts to more of the same, but Gary on the other hand understands that there must be a significant breakdown in the power relations in order for crazy-wise change to occur. Even the monk Thomas Merton in the hinterlands of Kentucky and removed utterly from the world realized just before he died that his community of practice, the monastery, had become a "bunch of cozy cheesemakers." Time Magazine is not wise. It is in both fact and truth the largest possible scheme for promoting the status quo. My question to all of us is simple: are you a cozy cheesemaker? If not, what are you? A good rule of thumb: if Time says it, then it may be a fact, but it hardly qualifies as the truth, a distinction that Faulkner said we should never mistake.

I don’t think you get wisdom from conventional people. If you do, it is a very guarded, status quo-ish and careful kind as opposed to the kind that helps you live in the new world that is unfolding.

I prefer another kind of truth, crazy wisdom, the favored fountain of which for me is William Blake. In his aphoristic essay(?) “The Marriage of Heaven and Hell” he speaks as sage and fool when he prophesizes that, “The tygers of wrath are wiser than the horses of instruction.” Chris is looking for a grassroot efforts and what amounts to more of the same, but Gary on the other hand understands that there must be a significant breakdown in the power relations in order for crazy-wise change to occur.

Even the monk Thomas Merton in the hinterlands of Kentucky and removed utterly from the world realized just before he died that his community of practice, the monastery, had become a “bunch of cozy cheesemakers.” Time Magazine is not wise. It is in both fact and truth the largest possible scheme for promoting the status quo. My question to all of us is simple: are you a cozy cheesemaker? If not, what are you?

]]> By: David Truss http://weblogg-ed.com/2006/community-and-collaboration-on-a-scale-never-seen-before/comment-page-1/#comment-8397 David Truss Mon, 18 Dec 2006 20:35:34 +0000 http://weblogg-ed.com/2006/community-and-collaboration-on-a-scale-never-seen-before/#comment-8397 I love the quote you chose, “The one thing that is indispensable is a new system. The problem is not with our educators. It is with the system in which they work.” A quote from Stafford Beer that I wrote in my first ever blog entry, not too long ago... "The purpose of a system is what it does." Our system is good for weeding out those that don't fit in, rather than creating a learning space where all students can blossom. Systemic change is neither simple nor comfortable... but it is necessary! I love the quote you chose,
“The one thing that is indispensable is a new system. The problem is not with our educators. It is with the system in which they work.”
A quote from Stafford Beer that I wrote in my first ever blog entry, not too long ago…
“The purpose of a system is what it does.”
Our system is good for weeding out those that don’t fit in, rather than creating a learning space where all students can blossom. Systemic change is neither simple nor comfortable… but it is necessary!

]]> By: Nate Stearns http://weblogg-ed.com/2006/community-and-collaboration-on-a-scale-never-seen-before/comment-page-1/#comment-8393 Nate Stearns Mon, 18 Dec 2006 19:43:12 +0000 http://weblogg-ed.com/2006/community-and-collaboration-on-a-scale-never-seen-before/#comment-8393 Great post, Will. I have to say it's hard not to be impressed that Time Magazine is so far in front of this. If you take a look at a classroom--at least out here in Seattle where I live--they are right on. But, I'd also have to say, that the idea of what a fully 2.0 classroom is not only shrouded in mystery; it's almost impossible to find. Who out there has--as a part of their everyday practice--students linking up with other students in collaborative meaning making? Most of us are still at the stage where we are replicating what we've done before in to YouTube videos or blogs replacing journals. Still, does the Time article have links to teacher blogs and other pioneers (such as Marco Vargas or the The Fischbowl or Wes Fryer)? Currently, in order to get a classroom collaboration going you have to go through Global Schoolhouse or troll through school blogs, convince someone you're not a stalker, and then figure out a way to do something useful. A quick plug for our efforts out here. This is a school-wide movie making collaboration which is shamelessly derivative of Marco Vargas. Check it out <a>here</a>. Great post, Will.

I have to say it’s hard not to be impressed that Time Magazine is so far in front of this. If you take a look at a classroom–at least out here in Seattle where I live–they are right on. But, I’d also have to say, that the idea of what a fully 2.0 classroom is not only shrouded in mystery; it’s almost impossible to find. Who out there has–as a part of their everyday practice–students linking up with other students in collaborative meaning making? Most of us are still at the stage where we are replicating what we’ve done before in to YouTube videos or blogs replacing journals.
Still, does the Time article have links to teacher blogs and other pioneers (such as Marco Vargas or the The Fischbowl or Wes Fryer)? Currently, in order to get a classroom collaboration going you have to go through Global Schoolhouse or troll through school blogs, convince someone you’re not a stalker, and then figure out a way to do something useful.

A quick plug for our efforts out here. This is a school-wide movie making collaboration which is shamelessly derivative of Marco Vargas. Check it out here.

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