Hello network! I need your help…
Last month, I passed something of a milestone in terms of Twitter followers (thanks to Mrs. C. from Victoria, Australia). It got me thinking about online social learning networks, what they have meant for me personally and professionally, and what role they might play in terms of informal personal & professional development. Inspiration for this post (it’s a monster, sorry!) also came by way of Dean Shareski’s recent blog entry, Disrupting Professional Development, Clayton Christensen’s Disrupting Class blog, and Dr. Scott McLeod’s K12Online presentation.
The seeds for this conversation were sown way back in July, when David Warlick and I spent two days with about 45 New Jersey K-12 school administrators (principals, vice principals, curriculum coordinators and even a superintendent or two) at NJELITE exploring the future of teaching & learning. This event enabled (required!) David and me to leverage our online learning networks to help guide the conversation. It was great fun to introduce concepts, tools and REALLY AMAZING, REAL PEOPLE in our learning network (like Vicki Davis and Maria Knee) to this group of educational leaders. It also got me thinking how these two constructs – one online and global, the other face-to-face and local – could somehow be brought together.
Fast forward to about a month ago, when I started envisioning an Educon session proposal about taking personal responsibility for one’s own professional learning. I then ran across Mark Wagner’s NECC submission blog posting, “Maybe You Should Drive: Taking Control of Your Own Professional Development.” EUREKA! Mark nailed it. Or did he? Something was missing. Something even more personal. Something face-to-face and local.
I began to envision a grassroots movement – VERY small, informal, topical, conversational meetings – barcamp style, outside of school – bringing together educators from local schools interested in improving professional practice. (I know what you’re thinking – WHO HAS THE TIME? Please keep reading.) People would attend because they WANTED to, because they had something to gain, not because they were required to, to satisfy someone else. The focus would be classroom applications, not tools. Everyone would be a teacher, and everyone would be a student, just like we are online. We would support each other afterwards, just like we do online. We would develop deep knowledge and skills while making personal connections, just like we do online.
Except we wouldn’t just be online. We’d be together, face to face, maybe at a local restaurant’s happy hour, someone’s house, or at a public library. We’d be UStreaming/Skyping/OpenPD‘ing, bringing the world in. We’d be out of school. On our own. Responsible for our own learning. Just like we are online.
Imagine the power this could have. Imagine being able to tap a resource – perhaps a fellow educator in a local school experienced with a particular resource – to gain the knowledge you need to deliver a lesson or introduce a new, collaborative technology to your district. Imagine growing your own personal learning network – including peers in your school and others nearby. Imagine truly viral professional development – driven by local teachers and their real needs. All for free.
So where does this go from here? I’ve got two things planned…
First, a small group of local folks with whom I’ve been discussing this idea are going to give it a try. We’ll organize ourselves using Meetup.com and Twitter, pick a time and location, and see who shows up. The overarching goal for the first meeting will be to discuss the idea and determine if there should be a second meeting. :-) The people I’ve spoken with so far are enthusiastic, but you never know; as the expression goes, “the Devil is in the details.” Will we be able to agree on a shared vision? Do we think such meetings can bridge online and face-to-face networks? Will we have the time? Will we have fun doing it? Most of all, will it MATTER?
Second, Kristen Hokanson (a Technology Integration Coach at Upper Merion Area High School) and I submitted and Educon session proposal on this very topic. We skyped the other day about it, and her reaction convinced me that we’re onto something. If our proposal is accepted, here’s what you can expect:
Network Globally ~ Act Locally: bringing global learning to local communities of practice learning networks (clarification courtesy of Sylvia Martinez)
The proliferation of participatory social media tools like Twitter, Skype, Nings and Blogs has helped a growing number of educators build global personal learning networks. Curiously, despite the fact that these powerful networks can consist of hundreds (even thousands) of followers / contacts / friends / commenters, sometimes only a few (if any) of the educator’s own local colleagues participate. We think this is a problem – and an opportunity.
Why do educators seek support from these global networks? Often, it is because they feel they can get better, faster, and more relevant information – particularly when it comes to use and application of 21st century learning tools – than they can from traditional district channels. We believe educators must bring this information back to their local networks (schools and communities) via personal, informal initiatives, outside of established district professional development programs. The question is, how?
Participants in this conversation will discuss this premise, and more importantly, identify and evaluate models of knowledge exchange that can work in their own communities. Action plans will be developed. The goal: bridge online and face to face networks in a way that maximizes learning for all involved.
As a friend of mine put it, upon hearing my brainstorm: “I think you are absolutely out of your mind. Which, in this case, is a good thing.”
What? You’re still reading? Cool! I’ll close with a few questions:
- Would you attend meetings like this, if they were available to you locally? Why or why not?
- What would be the optimal size and duration for such gatherings?
- I’d really like to find a way to include PARENTS, students, and other community members in these conversations. (Credit: Future Search philosophy.) What do you think? Would that change your answer to #1? Why?
Wish us luck!
-kj-
28 responses so far ↓
1 Dan Callahan // Nov 2, 2008 at 11:30 am
Sign me up! As can be told by the flurry of Tweets I just sent, I find the idea rather exciting.
2 Kevin Jarrett // Nov 2, 2008 at 11:33 am
Dan, that’s great! Thanks for commenting. I got your answer to #1 (except for the why part), how about your answers to the other questions? I’d really love your input! -kj-
3 Angela Stockman // Nov 2, 2008 at 11:54 am
As something of a newbie to all of this, I hesitate to share too many thoughts on this…but I will say this: IT SOUNDS INCREDIBLE, and I know that many in my personal learning network would take advantage of something like this.
In my own much smaller experience, I bring students together outside of school to support their writing interests/publication efforts and teachers are invited to attend these sessions to earn free pd credit as well. We have a small but wonderful group that gathers for a week in the summer and bi-monthly throughout the year on Saturdays. Teachers meet for an hour prior to arrival of kids, stay after if they wish, and stay connected to one another via Twitter, FB, email and wikis in between. We’re just starting, and it is a whole new world of pd for us, but we are loving it.
I can’t wait to see what becomes of your efforts with this. Very exciting.
4 Angela Stockman // Nov 2, 2008 at 11:55 am
Could I have used the word *this* any more than I did in that comment? Some writing teacher I am ; )
5 Tammy // Nov 2, 2008 at 12:45 pm
I am in! Would love to “host” one of these discussions in the Milwaukee, WI area. This would be very exciting–put a name with a face to all the people I learn from on a daily basis.
6 Tammy // Nov 2, 2008 at 12:46 pm
Sorry–meant to add that in Twitter I am TamL17 if we want to continue conversation there.
7 Kevin Jarrett // Nov 2, 2008 at 1:26 pm
Angela, and Tammy,
Thanks for commenting! Could you answer questions #2 and #3 for me? :-)
One of the things we’d like to accomplish would be to set up something of a process, a structure, possibly a Ning, that would allow people to come in, organize events, and report back. But only if they WANTED to, because the LAST THING any of us need is ANOTHER Ning to have to remember to check. :-) That said, since many of the folks coming into this conversation would be NEW, a Ning might in fact be the best vehicle for communication. Right now though, it’s email and blog comments. :-)
Keep the ideas coming,
-kj-
8 Scott McLeod // Nov 2, 2008 at 5:05 pm
Kevin, I think this is a GREAT idea. We still need face-to-face connections, despite our online connectivity. Go to your nearest big bookstore, buy a copy of Seth Godin’s Tribes book, and then nurture your group into something amazing. Have fun!
9 Liz Davis // Nov 2, 2008 at 11:27 pm
Kevin,
I love this idea. I have been wanting to put together a “critical friends” group for a while, but I haven’t been able to find people to participate. I think the CFG model from the National School Reform Faculty, “a professional development initiative that focuses on developing collegial relationships, encouraging reflective practice, and rethinking leadership in restructuring schools — all in support of increased student achievement.” http://www.nsrfharmony.org/ would be a great resource for you.
Now to answer your questions.
1. Would you attend meetings like this, if they were available to you locally? Why or why not?
Yes – if I could find people to participate and if we could find times that would work for all of us.
2. What would be the optimal size and duration for such gatherings?
I think a group of 4-8 people for 90 minutes would be idea.
3. I’d really like to find a way to include PARENTS, students, and other community members in these conversations. (Credit: Future Search philosophy.) What do you think? Would that change your answer to #1? Why?
I’m not sure how I see Parents, students and other community members fitting in. It would (perhaps) change the way we define the goals of the group. It might change my answer, depends on who the members are and why they are there.
I hope your proposal is accepted and I look forward to seeing you (again) at Educon 2.1, I’ve already booked my flight!
-Liz
10 Mike Heidelberg // Nov 3, 2008 at 9:45 am
Kevin,
Great post.
I think that meeting in person is an essential piece of establishing a personal learning network. For example, I wouldn’t have your blog in my Google Reader, if I hadn’t met you in person at Kean last year… but that isn’t really what usually happens of course, we meet online first.
But meeting in person, and establishing that personal connection really adds the depth and builds the relationship in ways that that acting in an online space simply cannot. Most of the successful PD organizations that I am a part of are so successful because of exactly what you hit on in this post – you need people to take this journey with together, and sometimes the informal discussions and smalltalk that I have with my peers during breaks or at the bar afterwards are better than the formal ones. My most successful project based learning experience that I’ve ever created came out of a short conversation on a bus with someone I’d only known online, until we met at a conference at Microsoft.
And if I’ve learned one universal truth – everyone usually gets along much better, and works together more easily after a night out.
However, this meeting on the web and having a relationship before actually meeting is a new dynamic in interpersonal relationships, and I think that there are many who struggle with it. I think that having meetups to support what we do online can get some of the more “traditional” teachers onboard, and more comfortable to try new things on an online space.
So anyway, long way of saying, if you have a meetup in NJ, count me in.
MIke
11 Kevin Jarrett // Nov 3, 2008 at 9:54 am
Scott, thanks for commenting – Tribes is definitely on my list, but I have to finish Disrupting Class first!
Liz, thanks for the NSRF link, very helpful indeed, especially the nomenclature – we need to be able to describe this initiative, and framing it in the context of school reform makes sense (even if it’s a bit heady – we’re just teachers talking about doing cool lessons with our kids.)
Keep the ideas coming!
-kj-
12 Kenyon Kummings // Nov 3, 2008 at 11:07 pm
Kevin,
This is a great idea. I think it will be fun to begin to demystify technology to some of the people who attend. You know that I am in, regardless of the makeup of the group. This hybrid model of a PLN has the potential to bring out the best in people. They will have a lot of options in which to find their comfort zone for communication. I think a small group, maybe ten max will be a good start. As far as duration is considered, I would keep the first couple of meetings under an hour.
Can’t wait to see where this goes. Please don’t schedule for the third Wednesday of the month (board meetings).
Kenyon
13 Kevin Jarrett // Nov 4, 2008 at 7:54 am
Kenyon,
Thanks. We’re especially counting on you to Be The Change.
For those of you who don’t know Kenyon:
http://tinyurl.com/63claf
-kj-
14 Kevin Jarrett // Nov 4, 2008 at 8:28 am
Mike! Can’t believe I missed your comment. :)
You said it all, right here:
“sometimes the informal discussions and smalltalk that I have with my peers during breaks or at the bar afterwards are better than the formal ones.”
That is exactly what we are striving for; assembling groups of dedicated professionals who WANT to be part of a conversation, not who are REQUIRED to be.
Imagine, the end of “I don’t have the time…”
With a blended F2F/online model, and, if we’re lucky, a true community of innovative professionals bent on helping each other, we can really make a difference in our classrooms and districts.
As far as a meeting in NJ … chances are, ours will be way too far for you. I’ve got a better idea: we’ll help you schedule and execute one of your own, in your community.
Viral PD … FTW, baby!
-kj-
15 Cheryl Oakes // Nov 4, 2008 at 9:18 am
Kevin, great ideas!
You need to know that there is a great informal/formal gathering of people already happening at http://www.edtechtalk.com. There are many free webcast internet radio shows delivered by teachers in the trenches, with unbelievable guests each week. This offering goes worldwide. It has been a common denominator when people mention how they have been able to create professional development opportunities when they are isolated by geography or by the current culture in their buildings.
I would attend meetings locally. Not during ski season:-)
Meetings for about 2 hours with about 12 people would be great for me.
Inclusive groups at specific meetings would be great, but I would still like times to meet with other educators too.
Great post and great conversation.
16 Cheryl Oakes // Nov 4, 2008 at 9:19 am
PS. Kevin, would you be available to come to a SEEDLINGS show after Jan. 2009, 7:30 PM Thursdays, EST. We would love to have you as a guest.
17 Kevin Jarrett // Nov 4, 2008 at 9:33 am
Hi Cheryl!
I love EdTechTalk, and would be thrilled to appear on the show. EdTechTalk is a great example of the kind of personal, flexible, powerful PD that more people need to know about. That’s exactly what this initiative is all about – connecting people, already terrific educators, with the edtech world we all know and love! I could easily see us featuring & promoting EdTechTalk’s in our meetings.
Keep on payin’ it forward!
-kj-
18 Angela Stockman // Nov 4, 2008 at 9:52 am
Responses to 2 and 3:
I guess I would probably start small if the group is comprised of new unknowns, simply because it’s easy to get lost in a crowd and disconnect. If people know each other well, though, most support and sustain each other within a larger group and new members can still connect well to those leading the project or the smaller communities within the larger one.
I always prefer to have parents and kids involved, and it wouldn’t change my desire to participate at all, but I can imagine it might for some. If this were the case, perhaps meeting as a professional group first to define needs/aspirations would make sense? Locally, we invited kids and teachers first, shared updates and work via a blog and a ning and then parents began taking an interest and particpating too. Still very small, and none of these people are tech savvy at all—but it’s working well nonetheless. I think a ning could be a great tool.
19 Kevin Jarrett // Nov 4, 2008 at 2:25 pm
Angela, perfect, thanks. You have hit the essence of what I think this is all about. Small collaborations that bridge online and F2F networks, particularly among people who don’t yet have an online network, to show them what’s possible and provide local support.
The people I am talking to now (the core group if you will) are definitely capable of leading small groups on their own. So by default I see these gatherings as small: less than 8 would be great, more than 10 is the absolute max.
Ideally we would have a few meetings and create a structure, a community, perhaps using a Ning, that would facilitate these connections. That said, creating the community will be difficult work, requiring time investment from many people besides me.
I’m just hoping that we can agree on a shared vision, keep our focus, and in some small way at least, help bring the richness of online networks to the local communities we live and teach in!
Best, kj
20 Kim Monroe // Nov 4, 2008 at 9:51 pm
1. I would attend a local gathering of this nature. I am new to all of this and do the best I can. I am continuously overwhelmed yet thrilled about the possibilities for our students. I always feel like if I could spend an hour a day with someone like you…I might actually be good at my job.
2. I think 10-20 adults for an hour or so would be good.
3. I don’t think I’m not ready for parents and kids…yet.
21 Kevin Jarrett // Nov 4, 2008 at 10:41 pm
Kim! Thanks for chiming in (and for answering the questions!).
Don’t sell yourself short! You and Betty Napoli and all the great folks in Galloway are actually ready to have the kind of meetings I’m envisioning. You are of course more than welcome to attend some we get going. The point is to make the meetings personal, connected, and relevant. Stay tuned!
-kj-
22 Howard Rheingold // Nov 8, 2008 at 4:44 pm
GREAT idea, KJ! And you are a great person to start it. One good point to use in selling the idea — by the time they get to college, many students are puzzled and even angry that the working world they will be entering in a few years will require a wide range of social media skills that they were never taught in school. One thing parents and students are always anxious about is whether they will be prepared to get a job. I know, certainly, that learning and social media are about much more — about how to live a fulfilling life and be a contributing citizen, among other things — but I think preparedness for the working world is a selling point to today’s parents.
23 Kevin Jarrett // Nov 8, 2008 at 5:41 pm
Howard, thanks for jumping in here.
Working with social media brings with it natural opportunities to develop teamwork, leadership, creativity, and communication skills, all of which are crucial in the workforce (Conference Board, 2006). Seems logical that we learn about these tools ourselves and then bring the rest of the system into the conversation. That’s what this initiative is about – getting others excited about social media as a learning environment. With buy-in and a little luck, the results could be transformative indeed.
-kj-
24 Paula Naugle // Jan 24, 2009 at 2:39 pm
I just found this post while reading about the conference you are presenting at this weekend. I started a Ning for the fourth grade teachers in my school system (a suburban system near New Orleans) as one of my New Year’s resolutions. I am a newly evolving technie and was able to get through the setup rather easily. Then I sent out emails to some of the other fourth grade teachers, asking them to join and to spread the word, and then I waited. I checked back hourly and nothing had happened for most of the weekend. Then on Sunday (before we returned from our winter break) it started to happen. Someone joined and responded, and then another person, and then another. In three short weeks we are 25 members strong and have had some great collaboration happening. Last week I started thinking about how I could get the more involved members together for a meeting. After reading this post I now know that it will happen.
I would like to gather 5 or 6 of us together in a casual setting for about one hour. At this point I would not want to have parents or students involved but will keep them in mind for later.
25 Kevin Jarrett // Jan 25, 2009 at 6:06 am
Paula! Nice to ‘meet’ you – thanks for commenting. In a few hours, Kristen and I will be talking about this very topic at EduCon – so your timing is incredibly good.
Yours is a perfect example of our thesis – connected educators like yourself using freely available tools (like a Ning) to facilitate local learning networks. Congratulations! Assembling the ‘more involved’ members for a F2F meeting is a logical next step. To prepare, you MUST read this outstanding piece by Sheryl Nussbaum-Beach, Virtual Communities as a Canvas of Educational Reform:
http://21centuryconnections.com/node/215
What I like best about your approach is that it sounds like it wasn’t a mandate, it was an invitation … and they responded enthusiastically. Dwight Eisenhower said, “Leadership is the art of getting someone else to do something you want done because he wants to do it.”
http://quotationsbook.com/quote/22813/
So simple. It’s amazing how many people don’t get that…but I digress.
You’ve provided the context and the tools to start a real, participant-driven learning community. Let me ask:
1) Why do you think it has been successful so far?
2) What are your plans for the future?
3) What is your role in the district? Are you a teacher? Administrator? I can’t tell from your post.
So glad my post resonated with you. Thanks for joining the conversation!
-kj-
26 Paula Naugle // Jan 25, 2009 at 7:51 pm
Hello Kevin,
Thanks for commenting back and for the article you shared with me. I am a fourth grade teacher with thirty-three years of experience and love my profession even more now thanks to technology. I think the Ning has been successful so far because people were invited to check it out and decide whether they wanted to join or not. Several have posted some great resources. Others say they are thankful for the sharing and will post some things at a later time. I think they are not quite ready for that step yet.
I would like to set up the first F2F in the next two weeks. Then I would like to set up a tech sharing afternoon about two weeks from the initial meeting to get others more involved. I’ll let you know how it goes.
27 Kevin Jarrett // Jan 26, 2009 at 9:03 am
Paula, that’s wonderful! Good luck and thanks for sharing! Can’t wait to hear more. Maybe we could make your school & situation into a case study! -kj-
28 Paula Naugle // Jan 27, 2009 at 12:27 am
I’ll stay in touch. Would love to collaborate. Let me know what I need to do.
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