Way back in ‘aught-two Fox had a science-fiction program called “Firefly.” It was a “space western” that had the worst slot on the schedule, was interrupted for special programming, had constant problems with the Network Executives, and never was even able to air all the shows that were filmed before it got cancelled. The DVDs have been in the top 100 of Amazon for a year or more. At one point in the last couple of months it was the number 2 DVD on Amazon. There are podcasts, blogs, cafepress shops, and all nature of spin-off activity in the community of people who fell in love with the show and want it to continue. In a couple of weeks Universal will release a feature film entitled “Serenity” that is based on this cancelled show. The actors are all signed for a three picture deal and the Browncoats are already figuring out how to make sure Universal stays interested.
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There’s a conversation happening on the SPTF mailing list about the final report and what kinds of recommendations we should make in it. David Wiley reminded us that in any congregation, the same 5% of the members can be found washing the dishes and cleaning up after the church supper. He suggests that it’s a waste of time for the task force to find any kind of unifying Greater Good(tm) for the AECT to adopt because, no matter what we adopt, there’ll be only a small faction who’ll want to do it. The corollary is that a large faction will want to do nothing different.
That was a “Duh on me!” moment and several points all flashed into high relief for me.
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Will Richardson is another one of those places I can usually find something important. Read the full post and look over his blog if you’re not familiar with his writings. As follow up to my Janitor Model, I submit for your edification:
Teaching Ourselves Right Out of a Job
[W]e’re going to have to let go of the idea that we are the most knowledgable content experts available to our students. We used to be, when really all our students had access to was the textbook and the teacher’s brain. But today, we’re not. Not by a long stretch. And we don’t need to be. What we need to be is connectors who can teach our kids how to connect to information and to sources, how to use that information effectively, and how to manage and build upon the learning that comes with it.
Keep in mind that Will Richardson is not a member of AECT and probably couldn’t imagine why he should be, but he is doing our work …
What would Jim Finn say if a member of DAVI couldn’t thread a 16mm projector? Or didn’t know why they should?
Up until about last year, if you were going to teach online, you had to get the full class Analysed, Designed, and Developed BEFORE the Implementation could happen. The lead times for production of the online content required the collaboration of a team of individuals with instructional design, graphic production, and web implementation skills. It takes a lot of time to do this. Many teachers create the equivalent of complete text books online. This is a slow, labor intensive, and — for the student — absolutely boring in about 90% of the cases.
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I love these people:
Creating Passionate Users: You can out-spend or out-teach
Nobody becomes passionate until they’ve reached the stage where they want to grow in a way <>they deem meaningful. Whether it’s getting better at a game or helping to save the world, there must be a goal (ideally, a continuously progressive goal) and a clear path to getting there. It’s our job, if we’re trying to encourage others to become passionate, to enable it. And the only way to do that is by teaching.
It occurred to me that one of the things I’m fighting in getting the AECT members engaged is that they’re not passionate.
Do you supposed it’s coincidence that the difference between “engaged” and “enraged” is one letter?
Don Little and I are struggling with what to put in the SPTF Report. We have some survey data from current members and some data from lapsed members. We have a list of “issues” that came from the Summer 2004 meeting and a whole bunch of data points – some of which go together.
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