Facilitators

This post brought to you by Mimi’s meandering reflections + Jamieson’s data wizardry

Warning: Post is both LONG and META

This summer, I was part of program that invited teens in some of our local LA libraries to take part in fun networked learning opportunities, including digital storytelling activities designed by Connected Courses’ very own @Jonathan_Worth. Most were reluctant to share on the open Internet unless they thought their photos were really good. Many were reluctant to share at all. They enjoyed seeing the stream of photos flowing through the aggregated Instagram and Flickr feeds on the Phonar Nation site, posted by enthusiastic net savvy participants in the phonar world at large. Despite the encouragement of local mentors, they didn’t see themselves are part of that world and ready to contribute, at least not yet. These same kids were happy to share with their local community, and by the end of the summer were being coaxed to post some of their work online.

I’ve been reminded of these quietly cautious kids in my first weeks of ccourses, when I also happen to be listening to Susan Cain’s Quiet: The Power of Introverts as my walking-the-dog book. I’ve thrilled in watching the growing blog count and the lively #ccourses tweet stream, and unexpected wonders being generated by generous contributors.Comics!Visual Note-taking!A Folding Story! A G+ community! Diigo! Ridiculously thoughtful seemingly instantaneous blogging synthesis of live events! My excitement quickly turned to terror as I watched the social media stream turn from a trickle to a whole web of lively tributaries, and I went running to help to @cogdog. Help! How do I know what to pay attention to?? Thank goodness for my more experienced co-facilitators and the power of co-learning.

“We can’t fail. When your goal is to transform higher education, you can’t really succeed—so that means you can’t really fail.  Everything we do will be interesting.” - Cathy Davidson

 

Unlike entering an established educational institution, where the forms and norms precede you, beginning work with the Futures Initiative felt like an aleatory encounter. There were no scripts here, Java or otherwise.

 

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