Comments on: Invention Sessions vs. Personal Learning Communities http://edinsanity.com/2008/06/23/invention-sessions-vs-person-learning-communities/ “Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.” Albert Einstein Tue, 17 Jan 2012 14:57:43 +0000 hourly 1 By: Robin Ellis http://edinsanity.com/2008/06/23/invention-sessions-vs-person-learning-communities/comment-page-1/#comment-760 Robin Ellis Sat, 28 Jun 2008 01:51:54 +0000 http://edinsanity.com/?p=128#comment-760 If I had read this post a year ago I would have agreed with you that face to face "invention sessions" necessary for success of the invention. But in the last year my experience in co teaching OpenPD with Darren Draper has completely changed my thoughts on this. As Darren said in his response we have been successful with OpenPD and we were able to plan, organize, brainstorm and create our professional development sessions only through the use of CMC. I also believe face to face is important and can add a richness to the relationships, whichever comes first. If I had read this post a year ago I would have agreed with you that face to face “invention sessions” necessary for success of the invention. But in the last year my experience in co teaching OpenPD with Darren Draper has completely changed my thoughts on this. As Darren said in his response we have been successful with OpenPD and we were able to plan, organize, brainstorm and create our professional development sessions only through the use of CMC. I also believe face to face is important and can add a richness to the relationships, whichever comes first.

]]> By: Jon Becker http://edinsanity.com/2008/06/23/invention-sessions-vs-person-learning-communities/comment-page-1/#comment-717 Jon Becker Tue, 24 Jun 2008 01:17:46 +0000 http://edinsanity.com/?p=128#comment-717 Thanks for those resources, Darren. I'll certainly peruse. Thanks for those resources, Darren. I’ll certainly peruse.

]]> By: Darren Draper http://edinsanity.com/2008/06/23/invention-sessions-vs-person-learning-communities/comment-page-1/#comment-715 Darren Draper Mon, 23 Jun 2008 21:31:02 +0000 http://edinsanity.com/?p=128#comment-715 OpenPD began with this post: http://drapestakes.blogspot.com/2007/09/open-professional-development-whole-new.html Culminated with this site (our class): http://openpd.wikispaces.com/ And a number of posts that I have written describing our efforts can be read here: http://drapestakes.blogspot.com/search/label/openpd Also, if you're really serious about learning more about OpenPD, check out the video we created to describe the what and why behind it. By the way, I've never met most of the people in the video, either - and yet we were able to throw it all together in less than 24 hours. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-0qsdzxz0UM OpenPD began with this post:

http://drapestakes.blogspot.com/2007/09/open-professional-development-whole-new.html

Culminated with this site (our class):

http://openpd.wikispaces.com/

And a number of posts that I have written describing our efforts can be read here:

http://drapestakes.blogspot.com/search/label/openpd

Also, if you’re really serious about learning more about OpenPD, check out the video we created to describe the what and why behind it. By the way, I’ve never met most of the people in the video, either – and yet we were able to throw it all together in less than 24 hours.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-0qsdzxz0UM

]]> By: Jon Becker http://edinsanity.com/2008/06/23/invention-sessions-vs-person-learning-communities/comment-page-1/#comment-714 Jon Becker Mon, 23 Jun 2008 21:26:18 +0000 http://edinsanity.com/?p=128#comment-714 @Susan - hello in Fredericksburg! I have a few doc. students from Spotsy county, so I'm learning more and more about your neck of the woods. I didn't even know that VCU offers a post-bac. certificate in Instructional Tech. until looking it up after your comment. I have to find out who runs that program since I'm finding the School of Ed. faculty woefully low tech. And, I'm just now learning about Sheryl and Will's PLN program. VERY interesting. Thanks for stopping by and we'll have to meet somewhere soon! @Susan – hello in Fredericksburg! I have a few doc. students from Spotsy county, so I’m learning more and more about your neck of the woods. I didn’t even know that VCU offers a post-bac. certificate in Instructional Tech. until looking it up after your comment. I have to find out who runs that program since I’m finding the School of Ed. faculty woefully low tech.

And, I’m just now learning about Sheryl and Will’s PLN program. VERY interesting.

Thanks for stopping by and we’ll have to meet somewhere soon!

]]> By: Jon Becker http://edinsanity.com/2008/06/23/invention-sessions-vs-person-learning-communities/comment-page-1/#comment-713 Jon Becker Mon, 23 Jun 2008 21:10:46 +0000 http://edinsanity.com/?p=128#comment-713 @Darren - I have to learn more about OpenPD. Re: research questions...most of the research I've read about online learning has been of the sort where the same "course" is taught online and f-2-f and outcomes are compared across the two groups. I think there are lots of problems with those studies. I could imagine a good action research project where a group of educators within a school or district engage in a reform effort of some kind by engaging in purely online "invention sessions" and the researcher documents participants' reactions, feelings, etc. about the process. The study would be guided by a question about the viability of Web-based invention sessions. I'd have to think it through a bit more... @Darren – I have to learn more about OpenPD. Re: research questions…most of the research I’ve read about online learning has been of the sort where the same “course” is taught online and f-2-f and outcomes are compared across the two groups. I think there are lots of problems with those studies. I could imagine a good action research project where a group of educators within a school or district engage in a reform effort of some kind by engaging in purely online “invention sessions” and the researcher documents participants’ reactions, feelings, etc. about the process. The study would be guided by a question about the viability of Web-based invention sessions. I’d have to think it through a bit more…

]]> By: Susan Morgan http://edinsanity.com/2008/06/23/invention-sessions-vs-person-learning-communities/comment-page-1/#comment-712 Susan Morgan Mon, 23 Jun 2008 20:31:46 +0000 http://edinsanity.com/?p=128#comment-712 Jon, first, hello from Fredericksburg, and from someone who earned an M.Ed. from VCU in Instructional Tech before there was truly such a program:) I am going to be involved in Will Richardson's and Sheryl Nussbaum-Beach's Powerful Learning Practice next year (here at FA). I look forward to our f2f meeting in September to kick it off. The rest of the year, we will be engaged in synchronous and asynchronous learning, but our initial meeting will set the tone and help us form relationships. I believe it matters. Jon, first, hello from Fredericksburg, and from someone who earned an M.Ed. from VCU in Instructional Tech before there was truly such a program:) I am going to be involved in Will Richardson’s and Sheryl Nussbaum-Beach’s Powerful Learning Practice next year (here at FA). I look forward to our f2f meeting in September to kick it off. The rest of the year, we will be engaged in synchronous and asynchronous learning, but our initial meeting will set the tone and help us form relationships. I believe it matters.

]]> By: Darren Draper http://edinsanity.com/2008/06/23/invention-sessions-vs-person-learning-communities/comment-page-1/#comment-711 Darren Draper Mon, 23 Jun 2008 19:16:30 +0000 http://edinsanity.com/?p=128#comment-711 Fantastic post, Jon, discussing ideas not new to the field of online learning. While the majority would likely agree with you (in stating that invention sessions require a face-to-face component), recent improvements in social networking and online tools have come together to persuade me into a greater appreciation for online interactions – and even such interactions that lack a face-to-face component. In addition to the format changes and directions taken in relation to NECC Unplugged (to which I think Steve has alluded in his comment above - and which is an invention in and of itself, evolving without the luxury of face-to-face interaction), I think OpenPD</a> is a second example of an invention that has come about through completely online interactions. With OpenPD, we’ve shown that a wiki can be used as “classroom”. We’ve also shown that people can come together for a learning experience (previously called “class”), create products, and learn together without ever meeting face-to-face. In fact, Robin Ellis and I have taught 3 classes together and given three conference presentations together – and <i>we’ve never met face-to-face</i>. Thus, my PLC includes a number of people whom I have yet to meet face-to-face. Would our relationships improve with face-to-face interaction? Most likely. Nevertheless, I can’t deny the richness of the relationships I’ve been able to develop without such a luxury. As a side-note, if you were to find a doctoral candidate willing to pursue this further, what research questions would you particularly have in mind? Fantastic post, Jon, discussing ideas not new to the field of online learning. While the majority would likely agree with you (in stating that invention sessions require a face-to-face component), recent improvements in social networking and online tools have come together to persuade me into a greater appreciation for online interactions – and even such interactions that lack a face-to-face component.

In addition to the format changes and directions taken in relation to NECC Unplugged (to which I think Steve has alluded in his comment above – and which is an invention in and of itself, evolving without the luxury of face-to-face interaction), I think OpenPD is a second example of an invention that has come about through completely online interactions. With OpenPD, we’ve shown that a wiki can be used as “classroom”. We’ve also shown that people can come together for a learning experience (previously called “class”), create products, and learn together without ever meeting face-to-face. In fact, Robin Ellis and I have taught 3 classes together and given three conference presentations together – and we’ve never met face-to-face.

Thus, my PLC includes a number of people whom I have yet to meet face-to-face. Would our relationships improve with face-to-face interaction? Most likely. Nevertheless, I can’t deny the richness of the relationships I’ve been able to develop without such a luxury.

As a side-note, if you were to find a doctoral candidate willing to pursue this further, what research questions would you particularly have in mind?

]]> By: Jon Becker http://edinsanity.com/2008/06/23/invention-sessions-vs-person-learning-communities/comment-page-1/#comment-707 Jon Becker Mon, 23 Jun 2008 16:03:50 +0000 http://edinsanity.com/?p=128#comment-707 Interesting, Steve. I've had mixed experiences with real-time web meetings and I think much of that variation is due to the number of participants. Also, the success seems to depend on how the "meeting" is structured. With many participants, voice+chat can get a little overwhelming (at least for me). The conversations get all miscellaneous, which is not always bad, but sometimes problematic. Also, there have been times when I want to "speak up" but can't read others body language to know if it's an appropriate time to do so. Maybe that will come with time and even more experience with computer-mediated communities. I do also like your use of the word "egalitarian;" I think that's am important idea for any kind of invention session. I think everyone needs to feel like they are on equal grounds and there's no one "dominant" figure. In any event, I think there's some good, deep thinking that needs to be done about online communities relative to f-2-f ones and hybrid ones. I know there's some good research to be done...now if I can just find one willing doctoral candidate... Interesting, Steve. I’ve had mixed experiences with real-time web meetings and I think much of that variation is due to the number of participants. Also, the success seems to depend on how the “meeting” is structured. With many participants, voice+chat can get a little overwhelming (at least for me). The conversations get all miscellaneous, which is not always bad, but sometimes problematic. Also, there have been times when I want to “speak up” but can’t read others body language to know if it’s an appropriate time to do so. Maybe that will come with time and even more experience with computer-mediated communities. I do also like your use of the word “egalitarian;” I think that’s am important idea for any kind of invention session. I think everyone needs to feel like they are on equal grounds and there’s no one “dominant” figure. In any event, I think there’s some good, deep thinking that needs to be done about online communities relative to f-2-f ones and hybrid ones. I know there’s some good research to be done…now if I can just find one willing doctoral candidate…

]]> By: Steve Hargadon http://edinsanity.com/2008/06/23/invention-sessions-vs-person-learning-communities/comment-page-1/#comment-706 Steve Hargadon Mon, 23 Jun 2008 15:10:21 +0000 http://edinsanity.com/?p=128#comment-706 Great topic. I have found that some of the Elluminate sessions that I have held which were set up for the purpose of brainstorming have been extremely effective at producing creative outcomes. In fact, some of my thinking about innovation have come from these experiences. I think I was surprised at how effective a real-time, "web meeting" could be. I think it's been a combination of having a platform that approximates physical closeness but also allows for more "egalitarian" discussion (voice + chat makes it easier to actually bring up an idea)--and promoting the idea of seeking for brainstormed outcomes from the meeting. Steve Great topic.

I have found that some of the Elluminate sessions that I have held which were set up for the purpose of brainstorming have been extremely effective at producing creative outcomes.

In fact, some of my thinking about innovation have come from these experiences. I think I was surprised at how effective a real-time, “web meeting” could be. I think it’s been a combination of having a platform that approximates physical closeness but also allows for more “egalitarian” discussion (voice + chat makes it easier to actually bring up an idea)–and promoting the idea of seeking for brainstormed outcomes from the meeting.

Steve

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