Comments on: Writing to Connect

By: Clay Burell

Clay Burell — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 21:26:08 +0000

Late to the party, but the “network” instead of “global audience” angle takes me back to the findings by Ito and boyd that teens don’t seem to give much of a flip, at their stage of psycho-social development, for “global” connections, but do give said flip for local ones.

To me, that pulls the focus of classroom blogging back to the local in interesting ways that have been borne out in my own experiments: instead of pushing for “global” responses, teachers should consider exploiting student preferences for feedback from their local peer-group (and that doesn’t have to be an exclusive either/or). It seems both easier to pull off, and more effective to boot: win/win.

On a larger scale, I’m curious to know about any “local” classroom blogging projects that have aimed to connect students not across a school, but across a town, city, or county. That seems an intermediate step that could get kids beyond “cafeteria networking” (TM) to the type of far-flung networking we adults are so ga-ga (rightly) about, while still feeling local enough for students to experience said network as “potential cafeteria (or mall, or whatever) network”. Then they’d taste the power that might meet them on their psycho-social developmental level.

Disclaimer: it’s 6.25 a.m., and I shouldn’t try to write at such a time.

By: mister moe

mister moe — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 21:17:56 +0000

“I share my learning and have knowledge and learning?”.. I understand the importance of networking in order to learn.. but what is it we are learning? I have been immersed in the web 2.0 movement for the past six years…. and have only learned about the more tools to use to network and “keep learning.” I still rely on traditional methods for investigation when researching complex issues. It is important that educators be careful not to place all their eggs in one basket. The irony of the “network” revolution is that complete access by all has relegated many forms of information to mere editorializing, thus limiting its validity in many arenas… so what is the knowledge being produced within these arenas, other that our self serving desire to “network” for we enjoy these “spaces?” over others?s.

By: Langwitches » Sharing in Education- Is it Changing?

Langwitches » Sharing in Education- Is it Changing? — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 01:17:30 +0000

[...] Richardson also posted Writing to Connect that relates to my thoughts on the change occurring in sharing among educators. He says: We write [...]

By: Langwitches » links for 2008-11-29

Langwitches » links for 2008-11-29 — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 23:05:29 +0000

[...] Weblogg-ed » Writing to Connect we write to communicate. But now that we are writing in hypertext, in social spaces, in “networked publics,” there’s a whole ‘nother side of it. For as much as I am writing this right now to articulate my thoughts clearly and cogently to anyone who chooses to read it, what I am also attempting to do is connect these ideas to others’ ideas, both in support and in opposition, around this topic. (tags: writing collaboration networking web2.0 blogging hypertext_writing quotable) [...]

By: Sarah Parker

Sarah Parker — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 14:29:26 +0000

In December of 2006 I wanted to quit teaching. I was so frustrated with the walls that kept defining my classroom while my mind soared beyond. Blogging has changed that forever. Now, it is becoming an integral part of how I survive knowing there are others in the network who think the way I do. Even though I still long to connect within my building with others on this level, knowing there is a presence of minds to support my thinking and continued learning puts me at ease. I’m still adjusting to the type of new professional relationship that develops in this space. It continues to be far more than any static, prepackaged, one-size-fits-all PD. Now, I hope someone in central office can get a taste. Soon.

By: Det magiske nettverket « Mitt hJØRNe av web’en

Det magiske nettverket « Mitt hJØRNe av web’en — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 18:13:49 +0000

[...] gårsdagens innlegg om frustrasjonen knyttet til å komme videre med deling, sitter jeg i dag og skumleser om skumlesing og hva det kan lede til – på Will Richardson’s blogg - og linkes videre til Scott Leslies innlegg fra snart tre [...]

By: Bill Ferriter

Bill Ferriter — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 20:41:04 +0000

Will wrote:
Oh. Yeah. How nice that is to hear, isn’t it? Not “global audience,” but “network”. And as Bud unpacks his conference experience, you get the sense that this whole blogging thing may finally, finally, finally be tipping over the edge in terms not just of a tool to publish but of a tool to connect.

Great semantic distinction, Will and Bud—and one that is still lagging behind in the way that digital tools are being introduced to kids. The prevailing message around using blogs (even in my own classroom) is that digital forums provides students with a broad and inherently motivating audience.

A static audience isn’t why I read and write in the blogosphere. I read and write to be challenged—and that challenge doesn’t come from readers. Instead, it comes from participants who are willing to push my thinking.

And kids are inherently social creatures driven by connections and turned off by static anything!

Until we push connections over audience as the real benefit of digital writing, we’ll be missing out on meaningful change.

Thanks for pushing my thinking on the day before break…

Bill

By: Beth Still

Beth Still — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 20:08:43 +0000

Tyler,
Why just once a year? I feel like I have a window into so many different classrooms thanks to the people in my PLN who blog, tweet, and discuss what is going on in different Ning networks. I cannot figure out why teachers turn their nose up at collaborating and learning from these types of environments. Maybe because it is intimidating to those uncomfortable with technology? I would like to think that all teachers are life-long learners and that they enjoy being exposed to new ideas that challenge them, but that is simply not true.

By: Tyler

Tyler — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 19:35:36 +0000

Thanks to all here for allowing me to sympathize and empathize with this “network” issue, since I deal with many of the same issues on a daily basis. As a high school teacher, I personally believe that each teacher in the building per term should be allowed a day to observe other teachers at work in the same building or beyond in order to ENCOURAGE this sharing of ideas, methods, approaches, etc. What a simple idea! We let most of our teachers-in-training and first-year teachers do this (i.e. “observe”), but why not every year?! I agree with those who’ve alluded to the sense of secrecy pervading many schools, and all I can ask is “WHY?!”

By: Beth Still

Beth Still — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 04:09:51 +0000

Will,
I only started building my PLN early in the summer, but it has made a dramatic impact on my career. I rely on my network for about 95% of my PD. I teach in western Nebraska where not too many educators are quick to embrace change, especially if those changes involve technology. I set up a Ning (Nebraska Educators Network) as a way to help teachers get their feet wet with networking. It is growing….slowly. I hope someday it helps connect teachers in my region to others who are blogging and using Twitter and other tools that will help weave us together. I am just a teacher and I do not have that much influence, but for now this is what I can do to fulfill my role as an agent of change.

By: Sue King

Sue King — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 00:17:58 +0000

Being in the midst of trying to encourage, cajole, and at some level,coerce the professionals within the walls of my school to share their learning and knowledge even with each other and knowing the unbelievable resistance to that, I wonder how to convey to others what you and Scott Leslie both describe – the power of the learning networks that are accessible & incredibly valuable – if not crucial to continued professional growth and the creation of meaningful learning opportunities for our students. In a traditional educational system with professionals who are entrenched in their way of doing things – this is the biggest frustration I am facing! I would love to get some insight into this dilemma and how others are bringing about genuine change – not just the tiny steps we have been seeing. BTW, Will – teachers from my building and admin from the district had rave reviews of your keynote! (But then, I have been telling them how powerful a message you deliver!)

By: Connecting « Notes on a Wired Life

Connecting « Notes on a Wired Life — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 19:48:04 +0000

[...] Read more because he expresses these themes much better than I could. [...]