Matt Locke - Commissioning Editor, New Media Channel 4
It's not about the technology – it's about the warm bodies. Trouble is finding the language that is meaningful both to the creative TV people and the technology people. Is it about a utopian dream or a distopian future? The same kind of discussions took place when the telegraph started.
Don't think about the technology but ask what structures people are creating in their head. What spaces are they inhabiting while they use the technology? Some spaces are:
Private spaces – like using mobile phones.
Group spaces – Bebo, Facebook etc. Often these are more public than people think but they are used to create a social group.
Publishing spaces – Blogs, Flickr etc. Can be same tools as above but tend to be used in a different way. Teenagers can use these tools to explore their identity. Rehearse what their voices sound like to an anonymous audience.
Performing spaces – Second Life, world of Warcraft, … People perform to show off their skills for example videoing themselves playing games.
Paricipating spaces – Marches, meetings etc. For example Threadless - a t-shirt design community. People organising themselves online. {Like the TeachMeet wiki? - DM}
Watching spaces – Television, gigs etc. people sharing their experiences for others {Like the sharing of SLF – technology means that the ripples are felt much further afield that the event itself. - DM}
Alternate reality game (ARG) – Jane McGonigal from the Institute for the Future created World Without Oil where the participants had to write about how their life was in an alternate reality where the world was without oil. Often an ARG has the idea of creating a mission – a quest for people to complete in the real world e.g. get a group of people to a gathering/party by public transport. It's that kind of blended activity Channel 4 wants to create.
These are the guiding principles (according to Matt) – make them playful (not necessarily fun!). How can the learning come from the play? Allow people to be exuberant, to show-off, to cheat (like cheat sheets in a game). Not about creating a resource library. Do one thing well. Give things away {cf. my excitement of getting a free Second Life t-shirt! - DM}. Messy is good! Make your audience your hero – opposite in network world to X-Factor style TV where slowly large numbers are whittled down to just one winner. Immerse yourself – find the things that make sense to you and be passionate!
Technorati Tags: ScotLearnFest07, SLF, In the Wild, Matt Locke, DavidDMuir, EdCompBlog
Saturday, September 22, 2007
Thursday, September 20, 2007
How to create successful online communities
Seminar based on work of Heads together/Deputes together.
Can online users find they have too many ways to go - too much choice leading to confusion and rejection of all the tools. Why have previous Scottish communities struggled?
Too high expectations?
Activity levels - 2006 Nielson noted 90% lurkers, 9% contribute a little and 1% account for most. For blogs it is 95%, 5% and 0.1% "Blogs are interesting like diaries but if you don't have time to read through them..." {Blogs like diaries? Not convinced - DM}
Learning communities, communities of interest or communities of practice. Communities of practice take time, sustained interaction and trust. Confidence to share not just facts but trusts and beliefs. Changing practice requires reflection and time to reflect so that deep learning can take place. {So blogs can't be used for this reflection? - DM}
How do you encourage this?
Software has to be robust, easy to use, attractive and fast or the users will not come back. {As an example of ease of use, they have a button that says, "Thanks, I found this discussion useful". I wonder how this is set up? It could lose value if overused but I wonder if it is more like a rating system? - DM} There are resources there to bring people in but the community learns that the real pearls are in the discussion forums.
Staffroom - an area for relaxing. Example from current staffroom was a story from an early years head describing how a child told her they'd found a dead cat. "How do you know it was dead?" the head asked.
"I pissed in it's ear and it didn't move."
"You what?!"
"You know... I went 'Psst!" in it's ear and it didn't move."
Successful online communities need:
It takes time to get a community up and working.
Technorati Tags: ScotLearnFest07, SLF07, Online Communities, eLearning, DavidDMuir, EdCompBlog
Can online users find they have too many ways to go - too much choice leading to confusion and rejection of all the tools. Why have previous Scottish communities struggled?
Too high expectations?
Activity levels - 2006 Nielson noted 90% lurkers, 9% contribute a little and 1% account for most. For blogs it is 95%, 5% and 0.1% "Blogs are interesting like diaries but if you don't have time to read through them..." {Blogs like diaries? Not convinced - DM}
Learning communities, communities of interest or communities of practice. Communities of practice take time, sustained interaction and trust. Confidence to share not just facts but trusts and beliefs. Changing practice requires reflection and time to reflect so that deep learning can take place. {So blogs can't be used for this reflection? - DM}
How do you encourage this?
- Invest in the means, not the end. Focus on generating traffic. Regular communication about what's happening in the communities.
- Oops... missed this
- Focus on the needs of the members. If something is set up by the members themselves it will be more successful.
- Resist the temptation to control. {Is this a lesson Authorities need to learn about Glow? - DM}
- Don't assume the community will be self sustaining. "It is nice that things change". The site should be refreshed.
- Collaboration has to be an over-arching theme.
Software has to be robust, easy to use, attractive and fast or the users will not come back. {As an example of ease of use, they have a button that says, "Thanks, I found this discussion useful". I wonder how this is set up? It could lose value if overused but I wonder if it is more like a rating system? - DM} There are resources there to bring people in but the community learns that the real pearls are in the discussion forums.
Staffroom - an area for relaxing. Example from current staffroom was a story from an early years head describing how a child told her they'd found a dead cat. "How do you know it was dead?" the head asked.
"I pissed in it's ear and it didn't move."
"You what?!"
"You know... I went 'Psst!" in it's ear and it didn't move."
Successful online communities need:
- Purpose.
- Induction. People need support - not just tools
- Monitoring. "Sooner or later, someone will put up something inappropriate" {Is there a tension here with point 4 above? - DM}
It takes time to get a community up and working.
Technorati Tags: ScotLearnFest07, SLF07, Online Communities, eLearning, DavidDMuir, EdCompBlog
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
In the Wild - Ewan McIntosh
Ewan McIntosh - Edublogger
Do our children snack on the media? Are they snacking on education? In fact the history of snacking is very long - back to the 19th Century.
Have we always had short attention spans and always had a snack culture? Possibly, but Ewan thinks something has changed. Ewan showed the cup-stacking video. The mum just didn't get it! The children do - and they are reaching a worldwide audience. Also showed a one-man band type video to show the creative possibilities.
{Rats. My machine crashed and I lost some of what I’d typed in.}
We tend to ban the collaborative tools in school but allow the insular, individual uses. In the “real world” it’s about social networking and collaboration. Wigitised not webified. Our pupils don’t care about lost IDs etc. They have sites that they use for a while and then drop and move on.
Is life a list? A look at Bebo pages suggests no? Inventing by imposing shape on nature or discovering by revealing. Ewan prefers discovery.
Technorati Tags: ScotLearnFest07, SLF07, In the Wild, Ewan McIntosh, DavidDMuir, EdCompBlog
Do our children snack on the media? Are they snacking on education? In fact the history of snacking is very long - back to the 19th Century.
Have we always had short attention spans and always had a snack culture? Possibly, but Ewan thinks something has changed. Ewan showed the cup-stacking video. The mum just didn't get it! The children do - and they are reaching a worldwide audience. Also showed a one-man band type video to show the creative possibilities.
{Rats. My machine crashed and I lost some of what I’d typed in.}
We tend to ban the collaborative tools in school but allow the insular, individual uses. In the “real world” it’s about social networking and collaboration. Wigitised not webified. Our pupils don’t care about lost IDs etc. They have sites that they use for a while and then drop and move on.
Is life a list? A look at Bebo pages suggests no? Inventing by imposing shape on nature or discovering by revealing. Ewan prefers discovery.
Technorati Tags: ScotLearnFest07, SLF07, In the Wild, Ewan McIntosh, DavidDMuir, EdCompBlog
In the Wild - Pat Kane
Pat Kane - Pat Kane (author and musician and...)
Part of the etymology of happiness is hap as in happenstance.
What are we teaching children to do in schools, compared with what they are doing with technology elsewhere? In schools we try to stop them using the tools they take for granted elsewhere. The reality of today's technology world is that it is confusing - yes, but the technology world our children inhabit is global and exciting!
What is happening in our society? Politicians are keen to build a sense of national identity and so all are talking about some form of national service but Pat thinks this is going about it the wrong way.
{Pat is really interesting and speaks intelligently but I'm finding it hard to follow his train of thought... I'll try and grab bits as they pass.}
Internet has grown out of contradictory roots:
ARPANET, the American military, the cold war and the nuclear threat <---> Tim Berners-Lee and the world wide web to allow people to share stuff.
Young people downloading with a careless disregard for musical property rights <---> Young people with a real passion for live music who discuss and share everything from an event.
Young people are looking for team, agency and purpose (in the way that say shipbuilding did). Is society/politics offering this? Pat says no but thinks artistry could. {Including the "artistry of care" Eh? - DM} Look for Michel Bauwens on Google: We regard what is truly plentiful as scarce [i.e. information] and what is truly scarce as plentiful [i.e. the environment]. Information does not need to be managed and controlled.
What we have is information, the possibility to choose and an unprecedented personal autonomy.
Technorati Tags: ScotLearnFet07, SLF07, In the Wild, Pat Kane, DavidDMuir, EdCompBlog
Part of the etymology of happiness is hap as in happenstance.
What are we teaching children to do in schools, compared with what they are doing with technology elsewhere? In schools we try to stop them using the tools they take for granted elsewhere. The reality of today's technology world is that it is confusing - yes, but the technology world our children inhabit is global and exciting!
What is happening in our society? Politicians are keen to build a sense of national identity and so all are talking about some form of national service but Pat thinks this is going about it the wrong way.
{Pat is really interesting and speaks intelligently but I'm finding it hard to follow his train of thought... I'll try and grab bits as they pass.}
Internet has grown out of contradictory roots:
ARPANET, the American military, the cold war and the nuclear threat <---> Tim Berners-Lee and the world wide web to allow people to share stuff.
Young people downloading with a careless disregard for musical property rights <---> Young people with a real passion for live music who discuss and share everything from an event.
Young people are looking for team, agency and purpose (in the way that say shipbuilding did). Is society/politics offering this? Pat says no but thinks artistry could. {Including the "artistry of care" Eh? - DM} Look for Michel Bauwens on Google: We regard what is truly plentiful as scarce [i.e. information] and what is truly scarce as plentiful [i.e. the environment]. Information does not need to be managed and controlled.
What we have is information, the possibility to choose and an unprecedented personal autonomy.
Technorati Tags: ScotLearnFet07, SLF07, In the Wild, Pat Kane, DavidDMuir, EdCompBlog
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In the Wild - Carol Craig
Carol Craig – Chief Executive of the Centre for Confidence and Well Being
Are we too interested in what's wrong with people than what's right? Seligman's book - Authentic Happiness explores aspects of happiness and well-being.
Pleasure. First level: Most people associate money with happiness but once basic needs are met, more money does not bring more happiness. We can get on a hedonic treadmill (spelling?). It was as a taxi driver described it, "I am a monster of my own making."
Engagement. Second level - engagement: we get lost in the process of doing things. We get in the flow. We lose track of time. We get involved in things that are challenging (so we are not bored) but not too challenging (so we don't get discouraged). When in the flow, we don't feel happy - it is afterwards we feel the pleasure. (Carol claimed that teachers often experience flow.)
Purpose. Third aspect chimes with Scottish values service to others. People who are happy have meaning in their lives.
Are we too focused on ourselves as individuals? The fixation on trying to make people feel good about themselves is not doing people any favours. If I do not see myself as the centre of the universe I am better able to cope with setbacks. Choice can be paralysing rather than empowering. It is possible that trying to boost self-esteem we could be make it harder for people to be happy.
English initiative (SEAL) which seeks to teach all children (3-18) emotional well-being (for example by expressing their feelings) could store up mental and emotional problems for the future. Problem children may be too narcissistic and think of themselves as too important. Cf. confident individuals - are we going to set targets and checklists etc. in A Curriculum for Excellence? In Scotland we are working on confidence rather than happiness but the danger is that it focusses in on self instead of
We need to reconnect people with what is important in life. Positive psychology is good and is researched based but if politicians turn it into checklists and measuring the happiness of pupils it will be a disaster.
Technorati Tags: ScotLearnFest07, SLF, In the Wild, DavidDMuir, EdCompBlog
Are we too interested in what's wrong with people than what's right? Seligman's book - Authentic Happiness explores aspects of happiness and well-being.
Pleasure. First level: Most people associate money with happiness but once basic needs are met, more money does not bring more happiness. We can get on a hedonic treadmill (spelling?). It was as a taxi driver described it, "I am a monster of my own making."
Engagement. Second level - engagement: we get lost in the process of doing things. We get in the flow. We lose track of time. We get involved in things that are challenging (so we are not bored) but not too challenging (so we don't get discouraged). When in the flow, we don't feel happy - it is afterwards we feel the pleasure. (Carol claimed that teachers often experience flow.)
Purpose. Third aspect chimes with Scottish values service to others. People who are happy have meaning in their lives.
Are we too focused on ourselves as individuals? The fixation on trying to make people feel good about themselves is not doing people any favours. If I do not see myself as the centre of the universe I am better able to cope with setbacks. Choice can be paralysing rather than empowering. It is possible that trying to boost self-esteem we could be make it harder for people to be happy.
English initiative (SEAL) which seeks to teach all children (3-18) emotional well-being (for example by expressing their feelings) could store up mental and emotional problems for the future. Problem children may be too narcissistic and think of themselves as too important. Cf. confident individuals - are we going to set targets and checklists etc. in A Curriculum for Excellence? In Scotland we are working on confidence rather than happiness but the danger is that it focusses in on self instead of
We need to reconnect people with what is important in life. Positive psychology is good and is researched based but if politicians turn it into checklists and measuring the happiness of pupils it will be a disaster.
Technorati Tags: ScotLearnFest07, SLF, In the Wild, DavidDMuir, EdCompBlog
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Scottish Learning Festival
The Scottish Learning Festival is up and running... and I'm not there! :-( I'm snatching 5 minutes between a lecture and a tutorial to see what's happening. There's a good bit of activity on Twitter, photos are appearing, blog entries are being made on individual's blogs and on the Connected Live blog... and I'm looking forward to catching up in Second Life later too. The word technology may have gone from the title of the event but I'm pleased that technology is letting me see what's going on now and will allow me to follow it up later. Excellent! :-)
Technorati Tags: ScotLearnFest07, SLF07, Twitter, blogs, Flickr, EduFlickr, DavidDMuir, EdCompBlog
Technorati Tags: ScotLearnFest07, SLF07, Twitter, blogs, Flickr, EduFlickr, DavidDMuir, EdCompBlog
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Monday, September 10, 2007
TeachMeet and more
Can I start by saying I'm a bit miffed. I thoroughly enjoyed the TeachMeet at SETT last year and was looking forward to going to TeachMeet07 - 4th Edition this year. However, it clashes with the official opening of out new church halls, so I'm going to have to miss most of it! Scunner! I can stay until 6:30 and then I'll have to go (and even 6:30 is leaving it a bit late).
I'm also miffed that I'll miss the meal at Khublai Khans afterwards. The menu sounds fascinating. I think it is fairly safe to assume there's no other menu like it in Glasgow. (Fish dumplings, crocodile steaks, Mars Bar cheesecake...) Currently my plan is to text Ewan as soon as I can get away from the hall opening and see if it is worth dashing over for at least a look at the leftovers. I'm not sure if wi-fi is available at the restaurant this year but even if it isn't I'm sure someone will moblog on what the food is like as it's served. (If I were a gambling man, my money would be on Ewan to be the moblogger!)
I'm willing to spend a couple of hours travelling and risk the wrath of kith, kin and Kirk Session so I can catch as much as possible of the TeachMeet event. What lengths are you willing to go to to get there? :-)
Technorati Tags: teachmeet07, DavidDMuir, EdCompBlog
I'm also miffed that I'll miss the meal at Khublai Khans afterwards. The menu sounds fascinating. I think it is fairly safe to assume there's no other menu like it in Glasgow. (Fish dumplings, crocodile steaks, Mars Bar cheesecake...) Currently my plan is to text Ewan as soon as I can get away from the hall opening and see if it is worth dashing over for at least a look at the leftovers. I'm not sure if wi-fi is available at the restaurant this year but even if it isn't I'm sure someone will moblog on what the food is like as it's served. (If I were a gambling man, my money would be on Ewan to be the moblogger!)
I'm willing to spend a couple of hours travelling and risk the wrath of kith, kin and Kirk Session so I can catch as much as possible of the TeachMeet event. What lengths are you willing to go to to get there? :-)
Technorati Tags: teachmeet07, DavidDMuir, EdCompBlog
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