The Care and Feeding of Technopedoagoical Visionaries
NETEACH Nook
------- ----
A spacious classroom with a comfortable, lived-in feeling to it.
In
addition to all the decorations brought by teachers from all parts
of the globe, there is a large, up-to-date world map with brightly
colored push-pins showing where NETEACHers have connected from.
So
far, there are pins in Japan, Korea, Hong Kong, Australia, Greece,
UK, Brazil, Israel, Canada, France, Germany, Kuwait, Cyprus, and
all
over the US.
You see Gregor, Flemmex, sally [Guest], Mehitabel, archy, Colega,
and Percy here.
You see Teacher's Desk, Big Table, Bulletin Board, Beanbags, Fireside
Bearskin, Kitchen Table, Wading Pool, and Hot Tub.
You see LCD Panel.
Obvious exits: out
Gregor says, "We're just about to start."
Flemmex needs drugs and will be back shortly.
Colega grumbles about three ISPs that were giving her trouble.
Colega grins at Flemmex.
Gregor [to Colega]: Stupid technology!
Colega says, "Real life is better. So everybody scoot!"
Colega laughs.
Gregor says, "Nah, let's pick some brains first."
Colega settles in to typing.
Percy says, "I'm using the Java interface today."
Percy says, "It's kind of jumpy. "
Gregor [to Percy]: Let me know how you like it. I've been recommending
it.
Colega digs into a pocket and finds a fresh, sweet-smelling catnip
mouse. She tosses it across the floor.
Gregor pokes Sally. "Ready to type like a demon?"
Gregor turned on LCD Panel.
Gregor puts Transparency No.1 on the stage.
On the screen you see...
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Welcome to NETEACH-L's MOO discussion sessions!
(with much appreciation to schMOOze University
and its fine players, programmers, and wizards!)
Please note! Our sessions are always logged.
By participating, you give permission
to Greg Younger to allow
access to the transcripts for research purposes
at his discretion.
Before using any part of our logs for research
or publication, please
obtain the permission of Greg Younger
at youngerg@colorado.edu
For a transcript, please see our web page:
http://spot.colorado.edu/~youngerg/netmoo.html
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mehitabel [to Percy]: Are you using IE?
Gregor puts Transparency No.2 on the stage.
On the screen you see...
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*** INTRODUCTIONS ***
You are of course welcome to remain anonymous,
but at this time
we invite all of you who wish to do so
to identify yourselves by
your name and affiliation.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gregor says, "A caveat..."
Percy says, "Communicator 4.5"
Gregor says, "If you're going to say really rotten things about
your boss..."
Colega giggles.
Mehitabel says, "That's strange. It works well for me."
Gregor says, "Now would be a good time to reconnect with an untraceable
alias. :o)"
Gregor says, "Cuz this puppy's going on the web."
Gregor grins.
Colega gives some deep thought to that.
Percy pauses.
Steve_in_Japan [Guest] is going to try to join you.
Colega laughs evilly.
Steve_in_Japan [Guest] has arrived.
Colega says, "Hi, Steve!"
Percy says, "HiSteve in Japan"
Colega decides to remain circumspect.
Gregor, however, has no shame. "I'm Greg Younger, Economics Institute,
Boulder, Colorado, USA."
Colega high-fives Gregor.
Steve_in_Japan [Guest] says, "Nice welcome"
Gregor says, "Hi, Steve! Welcome. We're just getting started."
Mehitabel is Julie Falsetti from Hunter College in New York.
sally [Guest] says, "I'm Sally Green and I work with Greg and this
is my first MOO"
Flemmex is Mex Butler from MOOnee Ponds in Victoria, Australia.
Gregor reruns the last slide for Steve.
Gregor puts Transparency No.2 on the stage.
On the screen you see...
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*** INTRODUCTIONS ***
You are of course welcome to remain anonymous,
but at this time
we invite all of you who wish to do so
to identify yourselves by
your name and affiliation.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Colega says, "Hey, Gregor! I'm Lonnie Turbee, Syracuse Language
Systems, Syracuse, New-York-but-not-a-borough-of-New-York."
Colega high-fives anyone who will high-five with her.
Steve_in_Japan [Guest] high fives
Flemmex hi5s cheerfully.
Gregor reaches up to give Colega a highfive!
<<< WHAM! >>>
FUM-BUL-LI-AH!!!!!
sally [Guest] Sally does, but being new at this, misses
Colega says, "wow!"
Gregor puts Transparency No.3 on the stage.
On the screen you see...
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*** The Care and Feeding of Technopedagogical Visionaries ***
In this session, we'll discuss problems faced by the "Designated
Innovators" regarding institutional support. How do administrators
thwart your efforts? On the other hand, what is your administration
doing right?
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Colega wants to know who on earth came up with that title.
Gregor adds, "or even UN-designated innovators."
Gregor raises his hand sheepishly.
Colega says, "How many of us are TVs?"
Yoshi is going to try to join you.
Yoshi has arrived.
Colega giggles.
Gregor [to Yoshi]: Hey!
Flemmex is a tranny
Colega high-fives Yoshi.
Yoshi says, "Hi. Just returned from a meeting."
Flemmex [to Yoshi]: Hi bro
Yoshi lives in a country called Meeting.
Gregor [to Yoshi]: Glad you could make it. We just finished intros,
and you might want to look at slide 3.
Steve_in_Japan [Guest] says, "O-hisashiburi, Yoshi."
Percy is leaving to change to MUDDweller.
Colega announces to all, "That was TVs as in Technopedagogical
Visionaries."
Flemmex laughs at Yoshi.
Percy has disconnected.
Yoshi [to Steve_in_Japan [Guest]]: Yeah, long time no see, Steve.
Colega does not have an administration, but rather a marketing
department.Gregor made up the word and requested it for his job title but
got turned down by the powers that be.
Flemmex says, "Oh! Drat, there goes my anonymity."
Colega grins.
Yoshi grins at the transparency.
You wink at Yoshi.
Colega says, "Gregor, could you paste that slide again so we can
try to answer the question, now that we're all through being excited by
Yoshi's arrival?"
Colega winks at Yoshi.
Yoshi says, "Can only think of institutional interferrance."
Gregor says, "OK, I thought we might start with some gripes. I'd
like to have a sort of balanced discussion though, so somebody stop things
if it starts to get ugly. :o)"
Flemmex is not through.
Gregor puts Transparency No.3 on the stage.
On the screen you see...
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*** The Care and Feeding of Technopedagogical Visionaries ***
In this session, we'll discuss problems faced by the "Designated
Innovators" regarding institutional support. How do administrators
thwart your efforts? On the other hand, what is your administration
doing right?
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Steve_in_Japan [Guest] says, "I have to laugh because there's no
technical support at my college except full-time computer teachers, and
what the administration is doing right is to let me run wild."
Colega [to Steve_in_Japan [Guest]]: And is that a good thing?
Letting you run wild?
Flemmex [to Steve_in_Japan [Guest]]: Not a bad situation to be
in.
Mehitabel says, "I am the tech support, but no one listens to me."
Yoshi laughs.
Gregor [to Steve_in_Japan [Guest]]: do they have any expectations
of you to train your colleagues, keep computers running, choose software,
etc.?
Flemmex is now the overdog in a lab previously 'administered' by
someone who has now left.
Steve_in_Japan [Guest] says, "In Japan you can be the protruding
nail by excellence, so the administration _quietly_ lets me be and doesn't
say much to other faculty, most of whom don't use the Net."
Percy has connected.
Gregor [to Steve_in_Japan [Guest]]: so are you happy with your
situation/
Colega [to Steve_in_Japan [Guest]]: I like that metaphor - the
protruding nail. Is that particularly Japanese?
Flemmex suspects that the situation Steve_in_Japan is describing
is fairly
common.
Gregor [to Colega]: Look at Yoshi's desc.
Yoshi nods to Colega. "There's a saying.
A young Japanese who isn't like a Japanese in his heart at all,
but trying hard to act like one to get along with his colleagues.
Some clever ancestors made a proverb especially for him, which goes:
The nail that stands up gets hammered
down.
But, don't worry he's a good-hearted guy, as you'll find it when
you talk to him. He teaches English at a college in Japan.
Father of a very large five-year-old son and a year-old daughter, and crazy
about his Macintosh.
He is awake and looks alert.
Carrying:
Notebook
A Common Topic To Begin With
Generic Form Object
Places
Fill_In
envelope
Colega wonders how cultural viewpoint affects the way administrations
care for and feed their TVs.
Yoshi gets self-conscious.
Colega says, "Ah!!"
Steve_in_Japan [Guest] says, "Re: Gregor's question, other faculty
would avoid learning from me, but some have dropped in on Web chat sessions
of my Practical English class. The President does when reporters come."
Yoshi says, "Maybe Steve might be in a better situation than I
am. Being a non Japanese helps."
Colega grins.
Gregor grins and nods at Steve.
sally [Guest] Sally laughs
Steve_in_Japan [Guest] looks at Yoshi incredulously
Colega says, "My guess is that it's not all that difficult to get
hardware and software in the States, but that money for maintenance and
training lags terribly..."
Colega says, "...whereas perhaps innovation is handled in a different
way in other cultures."
Yoshi [to Colega]: I think that's a universal problem. same
here.
Gregor [to Colega]: That seems to be the common complaint... admins
somehow get the sense that they must have computers, but they don't believe
you when you tell them the need to budget for training.
Percy agrees.
sally [Guest] says, "exactly"
Mehitabel does too.
Colega says, "I was just chatting with some RL buds about how the
focus is on technology first, pedagogy last if at all."
Steve_in_Japan [Guest] says, "So desu ne..."
Yoshi says, "on the other hand, I see problems among innovators
longing for the latest/most powerful hardware/software even though they
may not really necessary if they really make most of what they've got at
hands."
Gregor [to Steve_in_Japan [Guest]]: eigo o hanasana kattara tataku
yo!
Colega says, "But it seems to me that technology isn't good until
you don't think of it any more, like a phone or ball-point pen. Then
what's left? Content! Pedagogy! Good curricula!"
Gregor [to Yoshi]: Ah, interesting... so sometimes admins might
be wise to be careful with their wild innovators!
Mehitabel says, "In my school they buy a new computer when the
hard drive is full."
Colega [to Yoshi]: Excellent point. You can go a long way
with older technology if your pedagogy is up-to-date, well thought-out.
Yoshi's eyes widens at Mehi's remark.
Colega grins at Mehi.
Yoshi nods to colega.
Mehitabel says, "I am serious."
Colega's eyes widen.
Steve_in_Japan [Guest] says, "Yes, Clega, a Web chat administrator
keeps telephoning me from California because she doesn't even have time
for Web chat, ironically."
Yoshi says, "In my lab, all the computers except for the teacher
is good old 68k."
Colega [to Mehitabel]: You mean nobody taught them how to clean
out a hard drive?
Mehitabel says, "RIght."
Colega nods to Steve.
Mehitabel says, "And why should they bother."
Colega says, "With the price of computers *and* long-distance phoning
dropping so fast..."
Mehitabel says, "I think Begum wants to come here."
Colega says, "everyone will always do what's easiest."
Gregor [to Mehitabel]: I paged her.
Flemmex has the same sort of lab as Yoshi
Gregor says, "At our school, after years of harranguing on my part,
the teachers finally have the same computers as the student labs."
Flemmex [to Yoshi]: 68k Mac - that's sort of equivalent of 486
PC would you say?
Colega says, "Is it money that makes them slow? Or a lack
of vision?"
Steve_in_Japan [Guest] says, "I teach in Windows, Mac and Language
labs, with no manuals in English for any of them <whew>."
Colega says, "or something else?"
Gregor says, "Before, the students had pentiums while the teachers
made do with 386s and, if they were lucky, 486s."
Yoshi says, "But staying moderate with the technological update
with hardware/software is difficult because some software or OS won't support
older hardware even though they still perfectly meet the needs."
Yoshi [to Flemmex]: I'd say so.
Colega nods.
Percy says, "That gress!"
Colega says, "What's going to happen when computers are as cheap
and easy as phones?"
Gregor [to Percy]: Don't talk with your mouth full, dear. :o)
Percy says, "oops"
Colega says, "Will we finally be able to focus on pedagogy?"
Steve_in_Japan [Guest] says, "Colleges can be penny-wise and pound-foolish,
cutting corners on computers/support when they need to be competitive."
Mehitabel says, "That will be the end of Bill Gates."
Percy says, "I'm having problems wit the Cup-OMUD Client!"
Mehitabel [to Percy]: What problems?
Percy says, "And my MUDDweller files are gone."
Begum [Guest] is going to try to join you.
Begum [Guest] has arrived.
Flemmex has an interesting support situation in one workplace.
Yoshi [to Colega]: I'd surely hope so, but not necessarily.
There'll be some other glittering toys that nail teachers' eyes by then.
Mehitabel says, "Hi, Begum."
Mehitabel is a real cool cat.
Colega bows deeply to Begum.
Begum [Guest] says, "hi"
Yoshi waves to Begum.
Gregor greets Begum. "Glad you could make it! Did you get my email?"
Flemmex [to Begum [Guest]]: Hi!
Colega [to Flemmex]: What is that support situation?
Begum [Guest] says, "yes thnx"
Gregor [to Begum [Guest]]: No problem.
Begum [Guest] says, "I am still struggling with the commands here""
Colega . o O ( bad technology... )
Colega grins.
Percy says, "It's jerky and I can't type when something else is
going on. It's like it freezes and I lose the cursor."
Gregor [to Begum [Guest]]: that's OK... all you need to do is talk
tonight. :o)
Begum [Guest] says, "ok"
Flemmex says, "The manager applied for fund (successfully) to establish
a small mantoring project with a research focus. She employed me as the
mentor, and got 4 teachers from our local network of schools to be the
'mentees'."
Yoshi says, "I always make anology between this computer enthusiasm
in language teaching with the old language lab that was once in vogue and
was thought to be a cure-all."
Colega [to Flemmex]: Excellent! How is it working out?
Mehitabel [to Percy]: I don't know how well it works with a Mac.
Gregor [to Flemmex]: That's great!
Colega nods to Yoshi. "Behaviorism was supposed to be a cure-all,
too."
Colega grins.
Flemmex says, "The project was regarded as successful, and the
previous mentees are this year starting to become mentors themselves in
an extension of the project."
Colega nearly faints.
sally [Guest] says, "That sounds great"
Colega says, "Now *that's* a beautiful thing!"
Yoshi [to cle]: Right. And is it still?
Yoshi giggles.
Colega doubts it.
Flemmex says, "I remain as the uber-mentor :) while we do
more work with the original 4 in first term. The new ones will start in
second term."
Colega thinks Flemmex has a magical way with people.
Steve_in_Japan [Guest] says, "Our World Association for Online
Education (WAOE) <http://waoe.org/> is
tryiong to turn online teaching into a professional discipline driven by
pedagogy rather than economics or even technology. I think you all could
contribute and perhaps grow from the collaboration globally."
Flemmex grins at Colega.
Yoshi puts aside the document he was supposed to be working on
and concentrates on this.
Gregor says, "I used to do workshops that had no real effect because
my colleagues had such crappy computers to work with... they didn't want
to have to wrestle with students to practice things in the lab. Now that
they have good computers, I'm seeing them make lots of progress."
Colega blushes in Steve's direction.
Flemmex says, "One of the key elements in making this project work...."
Colega [to Steve_in_Japan [Guest]]: I started doing a little something
with WAOE, but then got overwhelmed by about a gazillion other things.
Gregor [to Steve_in_Japan [Guest]]: thanks for the URL! I'll link
it on the log of this discussion.
Colega cocks an ear in Flemmex's direction.
Percy has disconnected.
Flemmex says, "... we held an 'open' meeting at the start of the
project, inviting interested people from the four schools to come. We made
it clear what kind of committmenmt was required from them, and looked for
responses...."
Flemmex says, "We decided that it was essential that the person
had a computer at home, but not that they were on the net already"
Flemmex says, "We allocated funds to help them get on the net at
home. Most didn't use it in the end."
Flemmex says, "We made them keep journals."
Colega says, "You mean most didn't get on the net?"
Colega says, "Or most didn't need the money to get on the net?"
Flemmex says, "In the last two months of last year, we had weekly
meetings where they acted as supports for each other."
Colega can't imagine not using free money.
Flemmex says, "They all had to integrate the use of internet into
their classes in some way, but how was up to them."
Flemmex [to Colega]: They knew that they would want to own their
own modems in the end anyway.
Gregor [to Flemmex]: What types of schools/students did they have?
Was this a homogenous group?
Flemmex [to Colega]: And the money was still used in the project
anyway.
Colega nods.
Flemmex says, "Adult literacy and ESL"
Gregor nods to Mex.
Flemmex says, "Would you like to look at the associated site?"
Gregor [to Flemmex]: Please.
Colega thinks of this program... learner becomes teacher, teaches
learners who become teachers...
Yoshi [to Flemmex]: I believe things would have worked better vice
versa, that is, they already had some vague image what they really needed
in their classes before they tried to incoporate something fromthe net.
Gregor reminds people to surf, bookmark, and then get their buns
back here for the discussion. :o)
Flemmex says, " http://www.vicnet.net.au/~carlrw/nlt
""
Gregor says, "There's an important issue here... selection of participants."
Flemmex [to Yoshi]: I think that these people had so little idea
of what the net offers that they were almost 'blind' at the start.
Gregor says, "Has anyone been in a situation where innovation was
MANDATED?"
Colega says, "Yeah... get the wrong participants, and you can end
up getting it from below as well as from above."
Mehitabel says, "My school wants to do that."
Colega shudders.
Flemmex [to Gregor]: Yes! We chose people who were willing to be
committed. The journal keeping was a very powerful element in the project,
and still is.
Colega [to Mehitabel]: they want to mandate innovation?
Yoshi [to Flemmex]: doesn't matter. Did they have any opinions
or notion what they lack in their classes or schools, or at least some
complaints in their environment?
Mehitabel nods.
Flemmex adds that the site is still being built.
Mehitabel says, "They want me to mandate it, and I'm not the boss."
The housekeeper arrives to cart Percy off to bed.
Colega laughs an ironic laugh.
Colega patsa kitty onna head in sympathy.
Gregor says, "At my school, some updating of skills is mandated
by the changing computer environment. We don't send many paper memos anymore...
everyone has to use email at the very least."
Mehitabel says, "Who mandated that?"
Gregor [to Mehitabel]: Asking me?
Colega thinks mandating a basic level of technology use is fine,
as long as the mandator has teeth.
Mehitabel nods to Greg.
Gregor says, "Umm..."
Colega mandated email use in language classes. They resisted
at first, were grateful by the end of the semester. But this was
only teacher to students.
sali [Guest] slides in, ready to NETwork.
Mehitabel says, "I was asked to start a list, which I did, but
no one including the people who asked me to start it uses it."
Colega bows deeply to sali.
Yoshi says, "Hi, sali."
Colega [to Mehitabel]: Are these people using email at all?
Gregor says, "I guess the admin did. We had a crappy internal email
system, which had to be ditched, so it seemed a good time to move everyone
to real email."
Mehitabel says, "Some."
Colega [to Mehitabel]: and did they know what the purpose of the
list was?
sali [Guest] says, "Hi, this is Sally back from cybervoid"
Mehitabel says, "Yes."
Colega [to Mehitabel]: What was the purpose, and who invented that
purpose?
Mehitabel says, "For the teachers to communicate."
Gregor [to Mehitabel]: About...?
Colega finds that every single time a project starts to go awry,
it's because nobody defined the objectives clearly enough and in a way
that all could participate in meeting them.
Mehitabel says, "who knows? It was not my idea."
------- Colega pastes info to the screen ---------
and who invented that purpose?
------- Colega stops pasting ---------
Begum [Guest] agrees with Colega
Mehitabel [to Colega]: I agree too.
Yoshi says, "I've set up several mailiing lists for teachers/students
here, and out of those, only the ones where people were ready/eager to
communicate are still active, while those I made by being just asked to
set up one aren't."
Gregor elbows Sally, er, sali, and points to Yoshi's comment.
Yoshi says, "My point again comes back to the issue of one's readiness."
Colega says, "This one of the most basic problems... People get
dragged into something they are not invested in. They have no idea
what they're doing there. They can't get the job that they *do* understand
done properly because they have to spend time on something they don't own."
Colega says, "Then they get mad at the leader. The TV."
Yoshi [to Colega]: Exactly.
Gregor says, "I've started 3 different discussion lists for faculty/staff
committees, and the only one active is among our small group of ESP teachers
working together on a DE project."
Colega would like to know of instances when the poor "underling"
took out frustrations on the technopedagogical visionary.
Flemmex [to Yoshi]: I missed your q before.
Colega says, "Has anyone here been directly undercut, even attacked
in some way, for being in a innovator position?"
Flemmex thinks so.
Colega [to Flemmex]: Can you talk about that?
Gregor nods slowly. "Kinda..."
Colega throws a hood over Flemmex's head.
Yoshi says, "As an innovator or missionary?, I believe it's also
an important job to enlighten those who still don't know the power and
help them get ready to incorporate new things, only by very subtle and
indirect manners."
Colega prances around shouting "Gregor said kinda!!!"
sali [Guest] says, "Greg is being polite'"
Flemmex says, "It's not the norm, but I've had some negative stuff
from colleagues who are probably pissed off that I get a certain amount
of attention because of the 'glamour' aspect of internet stuff - invited
to speak at conferences and things."
Colega hopes Flemmex is composing a nice long response to her question.
Yoshi [to Flemmex]: which q of mine was it?
Colega smiles.
Colega thinks Yoshi said something important...
Flemmex [to Yoshi]: About the problems of the mentee teachers.
Mehitabel's husband just got home and she has to fix dinner.
------- Colega pastes info to the screen ---------
only by very subtle and indirect manners."
------- Colega stops pasting ---------
Gregor says, "Well, there's this facilities manager at school...
she didn't want to give up space for a media center. I have to say she
did just about everything she could to undermine the project and got really
nasty when she saw that it was going to happen anyway."
Mehitabel is a real cool cat.
Colega waves to the kitty.
Yoshi [to Colega]: I meant to say we can just force them into something.
Gregor [to Mehitabel]: Gotta go? Aww... bon apetit!
Flemmex waves to robert.
Colega [to Gregor]: Was it just because of the loss of space that
she considered to be hers?
Yoshi [to Mehitabel]: Bon appetite.
Gregor [to Colega]: It was a power/political thing.
Colega [to Gregor]: and does that eventually translate into money?
Colega thinks money drives a lot of things we don't want to think
about.
Gregor looks to Sali... "What do you think? It's just power with
her, isn't it?"
Flemmex agrees with Colega
------- Colega pastes info to the screen ---------
Yoshi [to Colega]: I meant to say we can just force them into something.
------- Colega stops pasting ---------
Yoshi [to Colega]: Like your hard drives?
Colega [to Yoshi]: Did you mean we can, or we can't, just force
them into something?
sali [Guest] says, "She likes control!"
Yoshi says, "Can't."
Colega nods.
Flemmex thinks that job insecurity is one of the main causes of
adverse behaviour.
Begum [Guest] says, "Yoshi, enlightening and helping people to
incorporate new things is not easy when it involves more money and more
time."
Colega thinks about the hard drives.... whose cost is dropping.
Colega says, "Ah, time! Who the heck has the time for this
nonsense, anyway?"
Yoshi says, "so, imho, no matter how much they're threatened like
not getting jobs etc, they won't learn a thing in the end unless they're
"ready" to incorporate something."
Gregor [to Flemmex]: Interestingly, our recent hard times have
pulled us together in many ways. Things are FINALLY happening along the
lines I've been wanting.
Colega [to Flemmex]: How do people think they might lose their
jobs if they stay educated about new technology?
Gregor [to Colega]: Exactly.
sali [Guest] says, "That's true, Greg, but only becasue individuals
are individually motivated, not becasue there's much institutional support"
Yoshi [to Begum [Guest]]: But fortunately I'm not a money-driven
person and am a teacher who's not supposed to be.
Gregor [to sali [Guest]]: Yes and no... even considering the difficult
negotiations we've faced so far and will continue to face, there's more
support now than ever.
Flemmex [to Colega]: I think they're afraid of learning the new
stuff - that they don't have the time, fear they aren't smart enough etc
etc so they behave badly towards those who are doing it
Colega tries and tries to figure out people who resist learning
about something so obviously useful.
Begum [Guest] says, "Yoshi, it is good that u r not money driven..but
in Malaysia we r constrained...even internet connection is expensive""
Steve_in_Japan [Guest] says, "In Japan's f2f culture it takes extra
time and energy to make your innovations appear to be a group accomplishment
within the existing hierarchy, lest innovation be seen as a challenge to
the system."
sali [Guest] says, "It's intimidating, Colega"
Heidi [Guest] is going to try to join you.
Heidi [Guest] has arrived.
Colega bows deeply to Heidi.
Gregor sings, o/~ Heidi heidi heidi ho! o/~
Heidi [Guest] says, "Hi!"
Colega [to sali [Guest]]: You have a point. Until technology
looks like a telephone or ball-point pen, it will definitely intimidate.
Begum [Guest] says, "Hi Heidi"
Flemmex [to Colega]: People who are already ovcerwhelmed by what
they have to manage and aren't already competent users of computers or
the net....
Flemmex agrees with sali
Begum [Guest] dittos Colega
sali [Guest] says, "I love that analogy, and I am so far from being
that comfortable with it! But I'm persisting."
Steve_in_Japan [Guest] says, "Yoshi is more constrained to work
within the Japanese sytem; I guess that's what he meant earlier about a
foreigner being more free."
Yoshi [to Begum [Guest]]: by being not money driven, it doens't
mean I'm being cheap. I used to spent a lot of money into computers/network
when it was still very expensive in Japan. I had to and was willing
to because I knew it would make changes and was important.
Gregor cheers on sali, newbie technopedagogue!
Heidi [Guest] listens to what's going on
Flemmex [to Heidi [Guest]]: Hi
sali [Guest] says, "I think we 'outies' also perceive that a certain
kind of person is able to do this, adn we aren't one of them.. I'm gradually
trying to rethink my own identity along these lines. Also, for a
newbie, the gap between our thoughtful approaches to pedagogy and our infantile
tech abilities is depressing"
Flemmex agrees with Yoshi. "I spend $4,000 on a Macintosh Plus,
which you can now scarcely give away.
Colega sees two things happening at the same time: the younger
generation - those who grew up with computers - is getting old enough to
make a difference in the adult world. And technology is becoming
easier to use, slowly but surely.
Flemmex corrects a typo: spent
Gregor nods to Sally.
Colega smiles warmly at sali.
Gregor says, "sali"
Gregor grins.
Yoshi wonders which side he belong to. Maybe the younger.
Younger?
Colega grins.
Gregor is the Younger.
Yoshi giggles.
Heidi [Guest] laughs at Gregor
Colega thinks we could use an awful lot more of the thoughtful
pedagogical types and fewer of the whoop-dee-do tech-heads running all
over the place.
Gregor [to Colega]: And then there are the lucky Mothers of Geeks.
Colega says, "Well..."
Colega blushes.
Colega says, "He came by it naturally!"
Gregor giggles.
Heidi [Guest] laughs
Flemmex [to sali [Guest]]: Yea, that rethinking the identity is
a major thing!
Colega says, "his great-grandfather invented electricity."
Colega laughs.
Colega owns, or used to own, a home-made Geek.
Yoshi [to Steve_in_Japan [Guest]]: I don't think I made myself
understood in that one with you. I meant non Japanese have advantage
of doing something without being interferred because they're usually thought
to be 'outsider' from their culture, but at the same time they have more
difficulty in being regarded accordingly.
Flemmex [to Colega]: Which bit of electricity? Who?
Heidi [Guest] says, "I invested in a mac plus too, flemmex"
Gregor nods to Mex. "I think it's easy to forget how tied up with
our identities the techno aspect is. The same has to be true of those we're
trying to train/change/convert."
sali [Guest] says, "yoshi, that makes sense to me"
Colega [to Flemmex]: I'm only half-joking. My grandfather
was an engineer at GE back in the teens, I think. And my son is a
MOO and other environments programmer.
Flemmex smiles at Heidi. "Werren't they great! DId it pay off for
you?"
Yoshi doensn't need any recognition and wishes he were a gaijin
too....
Flemmex remembers Colega's son's PuebloLinda
Heidi [Guest] says, "I love my Mac Plus! I remember reading
about how people were converting them to fishtanks"
Begum [Guest] says, "Everything rests on readiness. If the players
are willing to use the techonology and they see the benefits, things will
start moving"
Colega [to Begum [Guest]]: You hit the nail on the head!
Colega thinks the nail metaphor is getting lots of use here tonight!
Colega says, "They must see the benefits."
Gregor [to Begum [Guest]]: How do you get the ball rolling, then...
demonstrations? reseaarch? numbers?
Flemmex decides not to recognise yoshi, just to make him happy.
"Who's that tall, spunky Anglo-Saxon guy over there with the amazing hair-cut?"
Begum [Guest] smiles
Heidi [Guest] says, "The players need an incentive to use the technology
too"
Colega says, "Which means TVs have to know how to sell those benefits."
Yoshi agrees with Begum a lot and adds, "Right,and again, the more
difficult part is how we can motivate tthem.
Begum [Guest] says, "" yes clear cut benefits...numbers perhaps...."
to gregor"
Heidi [Guest] says, "why bother using technology?"
Gregor nods to Begum.
Gregor [to Heidi [Guest]]: To MOO, of course!
Steve_in_Japan [Guest] says, "About being recognized for academic
accomplishments in the new media, maybe those in traditional 4-year colleges
have had the hardest time. Since 1996 I've submitted e-publications to
reference sources like the Ministry of Education surveys and the Kenkyusha
Yearbook of English. Maybe no one wants to seem like a Luddite since technological
advances are a sacred cow."
Gregor grins.
Yoshi laughs at Greg.
Colega thinks about the concept of motivation. How do we
motivate learners of language?
Flemmex rotfls about Greg's MOO comment.
Colega lands on the concept of ownership.
Heidi [Guest] says, "to MOO!"
sali [Guest] has received your message, but is idle, so don't expect
an answer soon.
Colega shakes the concept of ownership like a dog with a bone.
Flemmex moos at Heidi [Guest].
Yoshi [to Steve_in_Japan [Guest]]: I've heard about that before.
Heidi [Guest] says, "we're trying to build shared ownership around
here"
Colega says, "you have to feel you have some ownership over something
before you'll be willing to invest time and effort in it."
Yoshi [to Heidi [Guest]]: There're certain aspects of technology
I dare not bother. I only use what I need.
Heidi [Guest] says, "so people aren't just doing their own thing
but are working together cooperatively"
Colega says, "So the leaders have to help people find a reason
to need this stuff."
Flemmex [to Colega]: Are you sure that's the leaders' job?
Colega [to Flemmex]: In cases where they're tasked with getting
people to use technology, and they won't do it themselves, yes.
Heidi [Guest] says, "When do we stop needing technology?
How do I know if I have what I need?"
Yoshi [to Flemmex]: I'm not sure if it's leaders' but am sure that
it's one of the important jobs for a teacher.
Flemmex says, "I mean, there's nothing wrong with them doing that,
but I think people mostly *know* they need to understand this stuff, somewhere
inside them. They come at different speeds. Not many resist forever."
Yoshi [to Heidi [Guest]]: when you're happy:)
Flemmex nods at Colega.
Heidi [Guest] says, "how do I talk with someone directly?
i.e. reference someones name I forgot the command :-/"
Flemmex [to Heidi [Guest]]: to flemmex like this
Gregor [to Heidi [Guest]]: Type - name message
Yoshi says, "They both work:-)"
Begum [Guest] says, " even the pedagogical aspects r not clear
to many of us. Can anyone point me to some online resources which
provide pedagogical foundations for online teaching of ESL?"
Flemmex [to Yoshi]: Who, greg and me? Well, we pretend to.
sally [Guest] has disconnected.
A campus caretaker arrives, and escorts sally [Guest] to bed.
Colega [to Begum [Guest]]: I believe that there are several dozen
URLs for that, at least...
Flemmex needs to surrender this machine shortly.
Yoshi says, "But another?"
Colega [to Begum [Guest]]: ... and I'd bet any one of us could
come up with them with some good keyword searches.
Heidi [Guest] says, "what do you teach, Begum?"
Gregor says, "Yeah, we've gone over our hour here... I spose we
should wrap up."
Colega will have to disconnect in a couple minutes.
Begum [Guest] says, "Heidi, I teach ESL"
Yoshi hands Greg some wrapping paper.
Flemmex donates a ribbon.
Colega hands Gregor a pretty bow.
archy is going to bill for the overtime
Gregor tries to make it look like a crane, but it looks like a
wrinkled frog instead.
Heidi [Guest] turns on some music
Begum [Guest] thanks greg
Gregor puts Transparency No.5 on the stage.
On the screen you see...
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A REMINDER...
Please note! Our sessions are always logged.
By participating, you give permission
to Greg Younger to allow
access to the transcripts for research purposes
at his discretion.
Before using any part of our logs for research
or publication, please
obtain the permission of Greg Younger
at youngerg@colorado.edu
For a transcript, please see our web page:
http://spot.colorado.edu/~youngerg/netmoo.html
Please link to our online suggestion box
at the website to suggest future topics!
****** Thanks for participating! ******
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Kinshasa has been moved, possibly against its will. We hope Those
Responsible
are happy.
Flemmex [to Kinshasa]: Hi!
Yoshi says, "Hi, Kinshasa."
Steve_in_Japan [Guest] says, "Begum, in the World Association for
Online Education we plan to have a Non-Native English Online Course and
Resource Evaluartion Workgroup for non-native users and EFL/ESL teachers.
Cf. http://waoe.org/"
Gregor says, "Thank you all VERY much for participating tonight/today/whatever!"
Flemmex is partially responsible, and quite happy.
Heidi [Guest] says, "thanks greg"
Kinshasa says, "hi""
Flemmex [to greg_and_colleagues]: Good luck with your presentation
sali [Guest] says, "thanks greg"
Begum [Guest] thanks Steve
Gregor says, "I'll put this log on the web by tomorrow, with links
to the URLs you've supplied."
Kinshasa wonder at being in this room.
Gregor says, "There will be a repeat of the same topic (but who
can ever tell what direction it will go...)"
Yoshi is glad his office people are computer illeterate and will
never know he was doing all this while he was supposed to turn in a paper
quickly.
Yoshi giggles.
Begum [Guest] says, "bye all"
|----------------[Gregor slaps some spam on the screen]----------------|
NETEACH MOO Session 20-B (Friday,
Feb 26, 10 AM EST)
(3:00 PM London, Midnight Tokyo)
(NOTE: That's *SATURDAY* [sort of] in parts of Asia, Australia,
etc.)
|---------------------[Gregor wipes off his hands]---------------------|
Flemmex [to Kinshasa]: you wanted to come to this meeting?
Flemmex waves at Begum [Guest].
Begum [Guest] has disconnected.
A campus caretaker arrives, and escorts Begum [Guest] to bed.
Kinshasa says, "I thought I did.""
Yoshi says, "Bye, Begum. Oops."
archy starts folding chairs
Gregor hands archy a broom.
This page is maintained by Gregor
(Greg Younger, NETEACH-L MOO-Master).
Please send comments to Greg@Dyvic.com.