FLNW Progress

[mich...@chariot.net.au]

Some relatively random thoughts on what we've been doing and thinking....

We have spent the last 3 days driving and walking around beautiful
Washington state. Conversations have flowed around numerous topics –
fall out from the Open Ed conference in Vancouver, and sundry issues as
they occur. There has been no agenda, and no grand manifestos. It would
appear that none of us has a burning desire to achieve any major goal
other than to engage in professional conversations across our fields of
expertise and interest.

Leigh has written on OER as the new colonialism
(http://leighblackall.blogspot.com/2009/08/looking-into-sky-open-ed-oh-nine.html)
– how the well-intentioned use of Creative Commons licensing may
inadvertently be forcing content creators in the developing world to pay
heed to copyright in a way they never did before. My own reservation
about what I saw at the Open Ed conference (an otherwise excellent 3
days of consistent high level discourse about learning and methodology)
was the fact that it was dominated by well-meaning white folks from the
developed world espousing a philosophy that at least in part is supposed
to benefit those less able to produce quality content. So why was this
conference held in North America? Why wasn't it held in somewhere like
Mexico that may have enabled participants from central and South
America? Or Nigeria? Or Laos?

I did learn that 'openness' is not just about creating content that is
freely available to all, but also an attitude that acknowledges that all
nations have educators with talent and enthusiasm that we can exploit
together on a level playing field in the sense that we all have
something to learn from each other, and further, that it's about an
approach that acknowledges the role of the learner in crafting
educational offerings, and other multiple resources that may make up an
individual's PLE.

We have already explored what a future FLNW event may look like –
modelled on a broad unconference approach that would include streams
outside of education such as the arts, tourism, and trades. Central to
this would be the inclusion of multiple streams running concurrently in
different spaces, and examples of how a new model of teaching may look.
It was very noticeable once again that the Open Ed conference consisted
mainly of stand and deliver presenations – as excellent as they were –
but it's time to model what is so often suggested, but rarely seen in
practice at conferences.

In our travelling group we have touched on what the world would look
like if all schools were closed, the propensity of some to create
technical changes because they can (eg single sign-on, learning object
repositories) and whether we need them, and the recurring problem of
bringing in others less disposed to engage in teaching with technology.
We have the gold, we all appreciate the wonders of what the technolgy
can bring, but still armies of educators in all sectors resist our
advances. “Don't worry about people stealing a new idea.. If it's
original you will have to ram it down their throats.”
(http://img.ffffound.com/static-data/assets/6/b42b207e1650338824063f69c8d69fb7b1637378_m.jpg)
So why is this? After 10 plus years of this technology being available
we are still pushing the proverbial uphill. Clearly not everyone is
going to adopt this technology in any way that instances significant
change. Why not? Is it a teacher's personal values? Is it not as
fundamentally good as we converts believe? Is the 'gold' too far away in
'them thar hills.'

We are questioning our assumptions (Nancy is great with clarifying
questions and reality checks), pushing each others' boundaries and being
honest with each other. Lots more I coud add.....but more to come next
time.....

[Nancy White]

Thanks for this post, Michael. I need these "bookmarks" of the conversations because my memory is more and more like a sieve.

I was conversing w/ Derek on the beach yesterday about this next FLNW y'all envisioned on the way down the mountain. I am sure I did not get the details right, but Leigh said something that stuck. "It would take a year to plan and we'd raise XX dollars."

I kept thinking something about this catches in my net. Why on earth should fabulous conversations around diverse issues and topics over 5 days take a year of planning? For a 100 people? That seems like a lot of resources and complexity. Why not set the conditions in place (location, support for travel and inviting the diverse people you need to weave across silos) and then let people figure out their conversations in situ. Really OPEN the SPACE. If someone wants to lead a food stream, they do. If someone wants to visit teachers, they set that up.

I kept running into my own self contradictions when I think about this thing we call a meeting, or a conference. It confounds me. When we talk about openness and the internet as the platform, why do we continue to actually close in our own events? Is there a reason ? (And there might very well be a good one, but the contradiction intrigues me.)

[Barbara Dieu]

Do you accept it to be in Brazil  next year or are you going to go on having futures of learning only in Anglo-Saxon countries?
Warm regards,
Bee

--
Barbara Dieu
http://barbaradieu.com
http://beespace.net

[Peter]

I so appreciate the boldness of this type of future of learning
discussion. I am so aligned with Leighs' colonialism thoughts. I
wonder how different OpenEd would be if it had to take place in a
location where bandwidth, ESL and access were a big issue. And the
networked nature was limited to older style cell phones due to it
being the only reasonable wireless available. I wonder if all the rich
media and internet access would seem rather ridiculous (or even
impossible) if OpenEd took place in Laos, Ghana, Equator or Samoa...
Recently I have been scratching me head a lot about the whole
copyright issue. Is it a concept that is really a distraction with
little value in the context of learning?

<big smile) Wondering if this group should be renamed to Future of
Learning in the Angle-Saxon Network (FLASN)?

Thanks for your eyes...

Peter

[Derek Chirnside]

Peter!!  :)
It was nice to meet you last week, and many thanks for the hospitality.
I presume you mean the OpenEd conference?  How different would it be?  A good question.  Probably more butchers papers and coloured markers maybe? 
But: "alignment with Leigh's colonialism thoughts"  Isn't there a risk in going to these places you mention?
Wherever we end up, there needs to be a lot of listening.

And Barbera: who is the 'you' you are talking to?

-Derek




From Derek Chirnside.

2009/8/20 Peter <praws...@gmail.com>

[Barbara Dieu]

>And Barbera: who is the 'you' you are talking to?

An impersonal you, aimed at all participating in the flnw :-)
Warm regards,
Bee

--

[Vance Stevens]

I'm ready for a trip to South America.

I would have been on the left coast now except faculty have been in attendance where I work for the past week already.

Hope we can coordinate a better time for me this time around.

Were you thinking summer or winter btw?

Vance

--
Vance Stevens
http://adVancEducation.blogspot.com

[Barbara Dieu]

Let me give you an idea of what is happening formally so you might
want to tie both as you are traveling such distance.

End of June there is usually the FISL (Free Software) get together in
the South of Brazil, which might be interesting for some of you to
visit (however, this is still being discussed as they plan to do it in
an open area, which might be too cold at that time of the year). Mid-
July there will be the Braztesol conference for those interested in
being part of my EduTech SIG presenters.

If you demonstrate interest now, I can start planning and checking
what can be done and where and if any sponsorships are available.
For me, the best month would be July, which is when I have my winter
holidays. I also have about 14 days around Easter and another 14 days
somewhere in October but the dates have not been defined yet.

Tell me what interests you, what you would like to do/see and kind of
people you'd like to meet .

[Brent]

from my understanding of it in Maori cosmology men are perceived of as walking into the future with their backs turned:

http://pedagogyofthecompressed.blogspot.com/2007/03/scraping-feeding-and-spitting-out-flnw2.html

brent.

--------------------------------------
http://www.waihekeradio.org.nz
http://pedagogyofthecompressed.blogspot.com/

[Leigh Blackall]

"men are perceived of as walking into the future with their backs turned"

That's because the real enemy of the future is the back stabber

--
--
Leigh Blackall
+64(0)21736539
skype - leigh_blackall
SL - Leroy Goalpost
http://leighblackall.blogspot.com

[alexanderhayes]

"......why do we continue to actually close in our own events? Is
there a reason ? "

Cause' its convenient.

Bringing the world into great physical activity is demanding.

Makes us think | map connectivity.

Reposition of privilege.

Leigh is on the right track. Mountains need to be climbed.

Each FLNW is different and that's what matters most :)

[alexanderhayes]

Touche'.

Is there mosquitoes ?

Will I have connection ?

Do I have to see dirty people ?

Is there poverty ?

I'll be there with bells on.....literally.

Please avoid January 2010 as my little son Oliver Philip ( 5 months in
utero) will see the light of day around then.

Mid winter 2010 would be one way for me to experience the swelter of
what I accept as FLNW 4.

Thanks Bee.

[alexanderhayes]

Peter.

lolz.

Yup.....drop the 'as'.

Get on a plane and see you in Sao Paulo.

[alexanderhayes]

The only colonists are those brave enough to enabling others to drive
deeper west into the jungle of open anything.

On Aug 20, 3:09 pm, Derek Chirnside <derek.chirns...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Peter!!  :)
> It was nice to meet you last week, and many thanks for the hospitality.
> I presume you mean the OpenEd conference?  How different would it be?  A
> good question.  Probably more butchers papers and coloured markers maybe?
> But: "alignment with Leigh's colonialism thoughts"  Isn't there a risk in
> going to these places you mention?
> Wherever we end up, there needs to be a lot of listening.
>
> And Barbera: who is the 'you' you are talking to?
>
> -Derek
>
> From Derek Chirnside.
>

> 2009/8/20 Peter <prawstho...@gmail.com>

[alexanderhayes]

This aint a holiday Vance.

On Aug 20, 10:50 pm, Vance Stevens <vances...@gmail.com> wrote:
> I'm ready for a trip to South America.
>
> I would have been on the left coast now except faculty have been in
> attendance where I work for the past week already.
>
> Hope we can coordinate a better time for me this time around.
>
> Were you thinking summer or winter btw?
>
> Vance
>

[alexanderhayes]

I'm interested.......

[alexanderhayes]

Must hurt Leigh.

Give it some times and the wounds heal.

Think of how many knives you've drawn in time and how many innocent
recipients of your wrath have smarted.

I like the fact that your doing your best to lead others into a new
future.

On Aug 21, 10:42 am, Leigh Blackall <leighblack...@gmail.com> wrote:
> "men are perceived of as walking into the future with their backs turned"
>
> That's because the real enemy of the future is the back stabber
>
>
>
> On Fri, Aug 21, 2009 at 9:41 AM, Brent <pumiceh...@gmail.com> wrote:
> > from my understanding of it in Maori cosmology men are perceived of as
> > walking into the future with their backs turned:
>

> >http://pedagogyofthecompressed.blogspot.com/2007/03/scraping-feeding-...

>
> > brent.
>
> > --------------------------------------
> >http://www.waihekeradio.org.nz
> >http://pedagogyofthecompressed.blogspot.com/
>

[alexanderhayes]

Time to talk to that Waiheke taxi driver.

See you in Sep.

On Aug 21, 7:41 am, Brent <pumiceh...@gmail.com> wrote:
> from my understanding of it in Maori cosmology men are perceived of as
> walking into the future with their backs turned:
>

> http://pedagogyofthecompressed.blogspot.com/2007/03/scraping-feeding-...
>
> brent.
>
> --------------------------------------http://www.waihekeradio.org.nzhttp://pedagogyofthecompressed.blogspot.com/

[Vance Stevens]

Hi Bee,

I'm overdue for another trip to South America.  It would be great to spend some time there with good friends in Brazil and Argentina & etc.

I'm not sure exactly when my summer holidays will be but July is always off for me with parts of June and August on either side.  This summer I was in the southern hemisphere freezing in the mountains of Lesotho so I should be able to handle Brazil at that time of year.

BrazilTESOL would be in interesting target for you and me :-)

best,
Vance

[Barbara Dieu]

> BrazilTESOL would be in interesting target for you and me :-)

We could work on an pre-conference unconference whole day event and do
some listening instead of speaking - would love Michael and others to
be present as well.
B.

[Barbara Dieu]

>I'm interested.......
Bring some spare Edupovs so we can have a go at them down here

[Barbara Dieu]

> Please avoid January 2010 as my little son Oliver Philip ( 5 months in
utero) will see the light of day around then.

Congratulations on the Aquarian to be. We'll celebrate it later.