A focused teaching and learning potential at the Cove

[WALLACE]

After a note to Marc,
I have attached below the text body of my mail to Marc regarding the set up of a focused teaching and learning area of the Cove.


Taking into consideration, the Reading room is getting on quite fine. May I
suggest, the set up of a portion of the Cove that would focus on teaching?
The reading room accomodates threads and posts regarding papers, articles and publications.
I firmly believe a "room" that would accomodate, teaching, learning and Peer
recognition would be a natural development.
A name? I thought of "The classroom", "The auditorium", and "The Cove
college". Sounds kind of cheesy I know, yet a thread discussing this may bear some fruit.
Wallace.

The Cove seems to be the ideal place for many rooms associated with teaching and learning. You could say, it's a possible and potential "cyber college".

[Jennifer Kirley]

It is an interesting prospect and one that we could expect to discuss in the course of this forum's development.

But I must say that developing a course, deliverable either in person or through a cyber forum, is a very large amount of work. Folks typically engage in such an effort with expectation that there will be some sort of compensation.

I write my materials (now editing Arresting Absenteeism, Part 3 of the Stealth Quality Series) with a how-to format that would possibly be transferrable to a textbook or other publishable medium. Their context is suitable for a training environment, I think and I hope.

I won't deny that I hope to print them at some point--would my articles, if added together and formatted to fit a book, be worthy of publishing and (gasp!) sell? I will admit to some selfishness now and say I send them to The Reading Room so as to get feedback and sometimes editing insight. I can't do all this (it really does take a lot of time) out of sheer altruism, as I'm still a working stiff with occasional time off to pursue my true interests.

All of this is why we still have institutions for delivering structured classes, online or in person.

Informal learning is, of course completely opportune. When people post questions or browse here, they do so out of having an interest or questioning mind. They have a specific problem or just want to see what's churning right now. I have had my best moments when my students ask me a question and I can give about 10 to 15 minutes of this-and-that. It is information they wanted and, since they asked they are really soaking it in. It is hard to do in a set format, where one goes through a curriculum, covers points and assesses results afterward.

Students will always take what feels relevant and forget the rest, so I am not sure how we could build a teaching forum without losing our freewheeling sense and scope.

Does this make sense?

[WALLACE]

Originally Posted by Jennifer Kirley

Students will always take what feels relevant and forget the rest, so I am not sure how we could build a teaching forum without losing our freewheeling sense and scope.
Does this make sense?

Relevant points Jennifer,
Formats of communications are in a cycle of change, and, I frimly believe we at the Cove may wish to investigate and even participate in some of the new formats of communication.
One format that seems to becoming a mainstream format of communication is "Pod casting".
I took part in my first Pod cast recently. It related to my involvement with an information management tool, and, I'm really excited about this new form of communication.
The setting up of a learning and teaching room at the Cove, may be quite easy.
Offering lectures and or presentations that can be accessed through the Cove for learning and teaching purposes, would be an asset for the future support and development of the Cove.
I believe we would indeed retain our free flowing and relaxing atmosphere.
There's lots of opportunities for sure.
Wallace.

[Jennifer Kirley]

Pod casting sounds fascinating. Can you direct me to a place where I can better understand its dynamics?

My thanks!

[WALLACE]

Originally Posted by Jennifer Kirley

Pod casting sounds fascinating. Can you direct me to a place where I can better understand its dynamics?

Pod castings kind of new. it's a form of mp3 downloading from the web. you simply download and load into your media player, and there you have it. Pod casts cover any thing from politics to religion.
Google search pod cast and you'll get a few hits.

Pod casts would be just one of many aspects of a teaching and learning room at the Cove. A knowledge base of lectures could be compiled to form the basis for this suggestion.
I'm thinking more like, the Cove is a place with many rooms and, each room has a teaching and learning aspect.
Wallace.

[Jennifer Kirley]

Sounds very good in that such a recording might be playable in the car while commuting--is this so? Like audio books, which I enjoy when the radio stations stink.

Again, we find ourselves at the point where the products are being created.

Who among us would be good with recording a lecture for such availability?

Does a lecture that is given in the business--internal training--belong to the business, or is this an issue only if the product is being sold?

My mind is moving forward into aspects like that.

You input, everyone?

[WALLACE]

Originally Posted by Jennifer Kirley

Sounds very good in that such a recording might be playable in the car while commuting--is this so? Like audio books, which I enjoy when the radio stations stink.
Again, we find ourselves at the point where the products are being created.
Who among us would be good with recording a lecture for such availability?
Does a lecture that is given in the business--internal training--belong to the business, or is this an issue only if the product is being sold?
My mind is moving forward into aspects like that.
You input, everyone?

Pod casts are public domain just like radio stations.
Casts are just an avenue of possibility.
A teaching a learning room at the cove may be a mixture of transmissions (Pod casts), zipped lectures, and an open college of sorts.

Where are we placed now in relation to these future possibilities?
I believe we already have the structure in place. The Cove is an open forum College of sorts as it stands now. People come to the Cove to learn and teach.
I can reveal that many of my most senior colleagues have visited the Cove, and used it as an open College. Since my joining, I have indeed matured regarding my business acumen and knowledge of system.
Wallace

[Jennifer Kirley]

Originally Posted by WALLACE

Pod casts are public domain just like radio stations.
Casts are just an avenue of possibility.
A teaching a learning room at the cove may be a mixture of transmissions (Pod casts), zipped lectures, and an open college of sorts.

Where are we placed now in relation to these future possibilities?
I believe we already have the structure in place. The Cove is an open forum College of sorts as it stands now. People come to the Cove to learn and teach.
I can reveal that many of my most senior colleagues have visited the Cove, and used it as an open College. Since my joining, I have indeed matured regarding my business acumen and knowledge of system.
Wallace

The Cove is a splendid open college. I really enjoy lurking here, as it provides me with unparalleled learning opportunities.

Certainly this provides a good place of availability for audio offerings, to go with The Reading Room and an educational forum is, I am sure, a step in the natural progression of the place.

I remain stuck on the How's and Wherefore's, as with AllanJ's concept of a cyberlearning institute because of the commercial nature of our world.

Where shall we generate such freeware?

Would the originators ever hope to commercialize on the offerings that were once freely available in cyberspace? (we must all earn our livings and I reiterate that creating a class is a large amount of work--this being noted while I prepare a curriculum for an adult ed class in personal financial management)

If the recording is of an existing lecture, would there be constraints such as corporate permission of ownership release, privacy issues or the like?

Can we ensure the Cove is protected against claims involving accusations of flawed or faulty content? (I am thinking about the kind of Errors and Ommissions insurance that consultants are advised to get)

And so on. The devil is in these details, I am thinking.

Input, anyone?