The frustration of exclusion

Reflections on the use of twitter for an online discussion. I can see how it might work, bit like a msn messaging system or a skype with the written board underneath. But as I could not participate due to some unknown issue I learnt what it is like to feel totally impotent and unheard, rather like in a face to face session dominated by one particular adult asking all the questions at length. so as a lesson in what it feels like to be included gives good food for thought.

Usual issue with this online stuff is the 'technology' and getting it to work for everyone. At least with face to face if I can get my 'body' there there is some opportunity to participate and interact. the importance of knowing the technology and how to coach someone through it is ever present. Not sure I have the technological competence to do the coaching bit yet. Do I have the time/will to put in the hours to 'play' over and above what I use already.....

pull rather than push

Finally I have got to the end of the week ending 16th! I am definitely ending up in the lurking category. Had got behind. Whats the learning for this week then.
the idea from Stephen Downes [following that link was great] of pull not pushing the learner... this course is emphasising so much more the instrumental nature of learning through self-directed learning..... this contrasts to the idea of experts defining the learning. Does this allow us to avoid uncomfortable ideas though... How much self choice/self direction is too much. Some of my best learning was being required to tackle topics/ideas I was not keen to address.

the ideas of how to moderate asynchronous discussions mirror my ideas about sourcing ideas from the group rather than jumping in with answers. I can see well how this would work through this medium. Finally I feel I am beginning to get a sense of where this might be useful in my context. But so many options and how to choose them. and the technical stuff that we have to understand to support them seems very challenging.

Identities and control - new ideas

Finally got to hear the two sessions on the 9th and 14th. Would be great to have been present and try the whiteboard tools myself. What is our online identity. A bit shattering to find we all have one. googling oneself an enlightening exercise. Really impressed with Sarah's comment about taking charge of your online identity rather than just letting it happen. Still not as comfortable with this idea compared to the children though. Instinct to reveal not too much. What would you like on a billboard is a good question to think about. Also the various identities we have. True. Catching up with old friends often reminds us of a historical identity we wanted to 'lose'.

Community and networks discussions. Really like the boundedness of groups concept here. In the face to face setting versus the online setting is it more likely that those excluded just drop away. striving to encourage people to stay engaged on a network must be tricky? How does one get a sense of the degrees of engagement I wonder.

good points about summaries and not taking over meaning making. Does online facilitation give more power to the learner. and learning communities appeals with the intermittent engagement that it allows. how to facilitate such networks?

Three weeks in and I am sooo frustrated to find I shall miss both meetings this week due to family commitments and a workshop I have to run in real time on Saturday. I enjoyed greatly the presentation on the use of second life [what a great idea to provide virtual role playing as a learning aspect] and put in lots of smiley faces during the meeting to try to show I was paying attention to it. Read also the evaluator's report on this as I am trying to get to grips with the nature of evaluation as well. I need to listen again but there were some really valuable comments made that I could totally get the point of.

I must make time to hear the recorded sessions and do all the homework still. Still not sure if it will be possible to arrange to facilitate a meeting in our setting so will remain as an informal participant I think. Even the observation role and learning what is possible has given me huge confidence to do more exploring and paying attention to what is actually happening in my setting.

Reading and watching the stuff for this week I was interested in the ongoing debate about 'networks' versus 'communities' and especially the reading about differing levels of participation in communities. Some of the issues covered in this applied to a discussion board a few years ago with one person posing as multiple identities and aiming to create conflict. Great food for thought. Moderation is obviously a key aspect for these.

And I got distracted by the advertising of other videos and watched a short clip on facilitation with 'disruptive' learners. I am totally blown away by what is online - not just the comic clips and other frivolity my children keep pasting on their facebook. Lots of short clips to show me how to 'do stuff' too.

it seems online communities remain very fluid and we have to be very flexible.... Looking forward to maybe making it to the next eluminate meeting. The differences between synchronous and asynchronous learning highlighted aspects I had not even considered under this definition.

The seven tips for great facilitation, yes I would agree totally with these. How to challenge yet support and keep the environment safe are probably the most tricky.

Unbelievable that it has taken me a good 15 minutes to work out how to post something new to my blog again! Practice is definitely needed. Yesterday i got the opportunity for some hands on 'play' with 'flash' meetings and google 'docs' with the help of Jan whom I discovered has also enrolled on this course. So reassuring. So many applications that are being used in this course and so many bits and pieces to visit. And each person you talk to has their own 'favourite' programme.

On the way back from the airport today an interesting interview about how all these techniques are encouraging us to interact and maybe think/respond in short and shallower ways. the 'need' to be hooked into all the networks and keeping up on all the 'new information' as it happens does not leave alot of time for reflection. How much time to spend on the net each day? How to control the inflow of copious bits of information yet keep up with the play by visiting blogs, emails etc etc.

I can see managing this will be a challenge to my current preferred way of working.

Learning what is possible

What do I want to learn from the facilitating online course. I am a confident face to face presenter/facilitator. But getting to grips with the challenges of mastering various programmes and translating this into the online environment is more difficult.

1. I want to develop a sense of what is good practice when facilitating asynchronous discussions.

2. I want to develop greater understanding of what is possible with synchronous tools online.