Any such resistance will have to emerge in forms borrowed from the system we have now, in a stepwise process using the political tools already at hand. This is a depressing thought, but as methods go, itâs the lesser of many evils. The other options include things like world revolution (messy, murderous, prone to failure or blowback); or a fall into a new Dark Age, followed by a renaissance some centuries later; or â well, what else is there? Alien or divine intervention I leave to others to imagine. In our timeline, it seems to me the only real option is politics. Or to be more specific, political economy.
This ‘political economy’ would be post-capitalism. In many respects this touches on Douglas Rushkoff’s push for more human intervention and involvement.
A political economy like this would be a âpost-capitalismâ one in which everyone could live at adequacy, including wild and domestic mammals, birds, fish, insects, plants, bacteria, and all the other parts of Earthâs living symbiosis. What weâre doing now makes it harder to get to that good future, but the goal is still physically possible to attain. This is the project that human civilization has to take on to survive, and one that will provide not just employment, but purpose. We all crave meaning in our lives, and by a strange twist of fate, a very meaningful project has been given to us: Prevent a mass extinction event, and build a better world for the generations to come.
My Month of November
It is always odd coming to the end of the year, but not being in a school. We have continued to grapple with scalability, reviewing workflows to identify gains. I have also spoken to a few schools about what they are doing next year.
It feels like every month is eventful. Makes me wonder if in part this is a mindset? Ms 2 graduated in swimming and will skip the next class. This means I will no longer need to get in the water. Ms 7 had her yearly keyboard recital. It is always fascinating watching her learn her pieces and develop confidence over time. Practice makes perfect? Lastly, we had some issues with our roof, which involved water getting into the house.
Personally, I think this is the first month in a long time where I have not written any long form posts. I have started a few drafts and written some lengthy comments on other posts, but never really found the time and energy to finish gathering my thoughts on anything.
In regards to music, I have been listening to the new album from Muse, as well as the VAST compilation, featuring a range of Australian artists. In addition to this, I have found myself listening to a lot of old St. Vincent.
Here then are some of the thoughts that have also left me thinking. Based on some feedback, I have tried something different for this edition âŚ
Education
Image via âDiallingâ by Oblong https://flickr.com/photos/oblongpictures/5685283018 is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA | Quote via Future Tenseâs Reflections on the Smart Phone
Making change in education â champions are for charlatans: Dave Cormier reflects upon the change approach of âworking with the âwillingâ firstâ and wonders if this is wrong approach. Rather than sustainable change, focusing on the guaranteed +1 is both unethical and creates a super star culture. Something I have touch d upon in the past. Cormier instead argues that the focus needs to be on long term change, with a plan to solve an actual problem. Associated with this, it is important to make space for such change, what Tom Barrett describes as innovation compression. This is also something that I have discussed in regards to my concern about âgreat teachersâ. Rather than the right teacher, I would argue that we need to focus on the right culture and environment. Cormier also addresses this in regards to the complex versus the complicated.
ePortfolios: Competing Concepts: Tom Woodward addresses a number of considerations associated with ePortfolios, including strategy, audience, ownership and privacy. Woodward provides a lot of nuance throughout his discussion and provides a number of examples to support this. It is a worthy addition to the discussion of ongoing reporting and ways to blog. Woodward also reflected on the skills required for living online.
Twenty things I wish Iâd known when I started my PhD: Lucy Taylor provides some suggestions of things to consider when starting a PhD, such as identifying a work/life balanace, set yourself goals early, write down everything and backup your work. This reminds me of posts from Gayle Munro and Deborah Netolicky sharing some of their experiences.
The plastic backlash: whatâs behind our sudden rage â and will it make a difference?: Stephen Buranyi unpacks the worldwide rage against plastic. This is a part of the wider discussion of global warming. Whether it be in the drinking water or the ocean tip, rubbish has become an important conversation.
QandA:âwhat worksâ in ed with Bob Lingard, Jessica Gerrard, Adrian Piccoli, Rob Randall,Glenn Savage (chair): Glenn Savage chairs a conversation with a varied group of voices discussing impact of evidence, Think Tanks and NAPLAN on education.
Technology
Image via âDiallingâ by Oblong https://flickr.com/photos/oblongpictures/5685283018 is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA | Quote via Future Tenseâs Reflections on the Smart Phone
Reflections on the smart phone: Antony Funnell speaks with Professor Genevieve Bell, Ariel Bogle, Distinguished Professor Larissa Hjorth and Emma Bennison about the history and affordances of the smart phone. They discuss the walled garden created by apps, the way devices inform our humanness, the cross-cultural appropriation of new technologies, support for accessibility and the surveillance built in. I have been thinking a lot about smart phones lately, especially while reading James Bridleâs New Dark Age and Adam Greenfieldâs Radical Technologies. The conversation that I think is interesting is whether there is a future beyond the templated self produced by a handful of social silos.
Checking Out Online Shopping (IRL Podcast): Manoush Zomorodi investigates the big data associated with shopping online and off. This reminds me a comment by Ben Williamson in regards to Class Dojo that âsensitiveâ data is often about how as much as what is captured.
Secrets of the Edu-Twitter Influencers: This is a reflection from a number of educational âthought leadersâ. What stood out was the intent of self-promotion that many started their journey with. One thing that I found interesting was how much time different people spend. It makes me think that being a âthought leaderâ is something that needs to be maintained.
Why people troll others online: Ian OâByrne discusses some of the reasons why people troll online and how to respond to them. For a deeper look at the types of trolls, read Molly Hillâs post.
Avoiding the Lock-in Effect in WordPress: Antonio Villegas discusses much-dreaded lock-in effect that can occur with WordPress when utilising a particular feature provided by a plugin.
Avoiding the Lock-in Effect in WordPress: In this extract from The Curse of Bigness: Antitrust in the New Gilded Age (Columbia Global Reports), Tim Wu explains how todayâs monopolies were able to avoid regulation. He give the particular example of Facebook and Instagram:
Storytelling and Reflection
Image via âLego Subwayâ by Friscocali https://flickr.com/photos/friscocali/6906585459 is licensed under CC BY-NC | Quote via When Elon Musk Tunnels Under Your Home by Alana Semuels
When Elon Musk Tunnels Under Your Home: Alana Semuels explores the intricacies associated with Elon Muskâs boring project in Los Angeles. She highlights the many ways in which innovation is able to bypass the rules and regulations that hamper the development of public infrastructure. For me this is highlighted by fifty year plan associated with transport in Melbourne. I agree with Semuelsâ that it would be better to see such time and money spent supporting the state, rather than endlessly trying to circumvent it.
Should we really all fly less?: Diego Arguedas Ortiz discusses a recent study unpacking the individual actions that can help lead to climate change. Some of these actions include taking public transport, invest in renewable energies, eat less meat and stop flying. If this is too much then Arguedas Ortiz provides a list of actions to offset your activities. On the flipside, Martin Lukacs argues that individual action is a con and that what is really needed is collective action.
Zambia may serve as a crystal ball for countries looking to deal with Beijing: Siobhan Heanue reports on Chinaâs growing influence in Zambia. This is part of the Belt and Road Initiative. Even more interesting than Chinese ownership (do they own the third world?) was the ownership of business for 20 years. This investment, both private and state, is nothing new and is a part of a long-term strategy. It would be fascinating to see a breakdown of Chinese investment and ownership from around the world.
âA wall built to keep people outâ: the cruel, bureaucratic maze of childrenâs services: Jake Anderson recounts the journey associated with gaining support for their daughter, who has ASD. One of the things that stood out was the blur between private and public connected with the privatization of government contracts.
Dropping Acid: Shuja Haider talks about the sounds and methods associated with Acid House music. Along with the TR808 and the Line 6 DL4, this article documents the place of the TB303 on modern music.
Focus on #CPDin140
I have been following Ian Guestâs research into the potentials associated with Twitter in regards to teacher professional development for a few years. Having submitted his thesis, Guest has been openly unpacking his work in a series of posts in preparation for his viva. Here is a summary of those posts:
Thesis submitted. Next steps: Ian Guest outlines what is next now that his thesis has been submitted, including developing responses to possible questions
Thesis Abstract: Ian Guest provides a summary of his research, as well as an explanation of why he moved away from the traditional contents page.
Foreword: Ian Guest provides a forward to provide preliminary explanation of terms like flâneur.
Chapter 1: Introduction: Ian Guest breaks down the different parts of his research.
Chapter 2: Hinterlands: Ian Guest provides a summary of the supporting and sustaining literatures which informs his research.
Chapter 3: Sensibilities: Ian Guest explains his choice of flânography and how this sits with the Actor Network Theory.
Chapter 4: Assembling methods #1: Ian Guest explains how he took on three methods of research â participant observation, semi-structured interviews, blog post analysis and interviews â but these were supplemented with additional methods which emerged during the study.
Chapter 4: Assembling Methods #2: Ian Guest addresses questions of ethics, data management and analysis associated with his research.
Introducing the Gatherings: Ian Guest explains that in presenting his work as âgatheringsâ, he has assembled a variety of actors and data, and through sociomaterial description, to produce âan adequate account.â
Thesis submitted. Next steps: Ian Guest uses EduTweetOz as a catalyst for an examination of the parts associated with Twitter.
Chapter 6: Gathering: Assembling actors, maintaining relationships: Ian Guest explores the sense of hygge found by many connected educators.
Chapter 7: Gathering: Itâs personalâŚ: Ian Guest discusses some of the benefits and drawbacks to learning with Twitter he found through his research.
Chapter 8: Retracing my steps: Ian Guest explains how professional development on Twitter is an ongoing process of assemblage in which actors like teachers and tweets, hashtags and hygge, communities and crib sheets, are bundled together, form, reform and break associations.
Ethics revisited: Ian Guest revisits the question of ethics when researching in online environments in light of some of the challenges faced.
Chapter 9: Concluding: Ian Guest discusses some of the implications and limitations, including four contributions to knowledge.
Why did you undertake this study?: Ian Guest discusses the three nudges that led to his research.
Can you summarise your findings in a few sentences?: Ian Guest summarises his research by providing answer to three key questions: How are professional learning practices of teachers on Twitter manifest, How does the Twitter social media platform support the professional learning practices of teachers, and How does professional learning practice extend beyond Twitter into the wider social media ecosystem and the ârealâ world?
Where did you make âthe cut?â: Ian Guest discusses some of his choices and constraints associated with the field, the collection of data and the writing process.
âFlânography? Isnât it just an ethnography?â: Ian Guest documents some of the differences and similarities between flânography and ethnography, including impact on immersion, mobility and visibility.
In your flânography, how should we conceive the âfield?â: Ian Guest discusses the notion of field and how it is performed through the act of research.
Which theoretical framings did you consider and why did you settle on ANT?: Ian Guest reflects on the various methods he explored, including communities of practice, connectivism and rhizomatic learning, and why he ended up choosing actor network theory.
READ WRITE RESPOND #035
So that is November for me, how about you? As always, happy to hear.
Also, I am interested if anyone has any feedback on the style and structure of this newsletter. I would love to know if there are things that people like or if there are things that you would change?
Cover image via JustLego101.
Antony Funnell leads an investigation of the future of Antarctica, including the positioning of different countries in relation to 2048 when the current treaty to protect the continent expires. The feature investigates the geopolitics associated with military, research and resources. This also includes the place of the surrounding nations as launching points for this activity. I remember teaching about the resources associated with Antarctica in Geography, but what I feel was missed in hindsight was why it matters, especially as the world progressively warms up. Discussing the Arctic, Dahr Jamail explains how the degredation of such spaces impact us all. This is also something James Bridle discusses in his book the New Dark Age.
Also on:
I think that it is fair to say that the new school year brings fear for those inside and out of education. I have been flat chat in getting everything in place for the schools we support. This feels strangely different to the rush of being in a school. I think what makes it hard is that structural aspects like timetables and attendance are often the last consideration in schools. However, what I am learning is that in an age of systems and technology things quickly breakdown when these aspects are not in place. Must admit, definitely have some work to do to make this process more seamless and streamlined as we scale up.
On the family front, I have been making the most of the nice weather with the girls. Getting out and about, including visits to IKEA, the aquarium and Lillydale Lake. My wife has also started her Masters in Educational Leadership.
Personally, I read Cory Doctorowâs novel Walkaway. A part of my attempt to read more fiction. Watched Season 1 and 2 of The Handmaidâs Tale, as well as A Star is Born and Bohemian Rhapsody. I wrote a post on On the Challenges of Being Typecast. I listened to Maggie Rogers, G Flip, The Killers and Missy Higgins.
Associated with my new word for 2019, I started some new habits, including writing regular quick thoughts (although I think I might move them to my main blog) and eating in a âtwelve hour windowâ. This second habit was inspired by David Truss.
Here are some links that have supported my learning this month âŚ
Learning and Teaching
Letter Grades are the Enemy of Authentic & Humane Learning: Bernard Bull discusses how grades work against authentic and self-determined learning. Although they are ingrained in education, he recommends considering the aspects of life free from grades and having these conversations with others. What is interesting is this is only one post being shared at the moment. Bill Ferriter shared his concerns about the association between standard grades and fixed mindset, while Will Richardson argues that grades only matter because we choose to let them matter.This continues some of the points discussed in Clive Roseâs book The End of Average and Jesse Stommellâs presentation on grades and the LMS. It is also something that Templestowe College has touched in the development of alternative pathways to higher education.
What future Antarctica?: Antony Funnell leads an investigation of the future of Antarctica, including the positioning of different countries in relation to 2048 when the current treaty to protect the continent expires. The feature investigates the geopolitics associated with military, research and resources. This also includes the place of the surrounding nations as launching points for this activity. I remember teaching about the resources associated with Antarctica in Geography, but what I feel was missed in hindsight was why it matters, especially as the world progressively warms up. Discussing the Arctic, Dahr Jamail explains how the degredation of such spaces impact us all. This is also something James Bridle discusses in his book the New Dark Age.
A New Approach for Listening: Maha Bali reflects on the different approaches to listening, including widely, deeply, openly, repeatedly, outside, inside, to silence, between the lines and to take action. On the flip side, Bali warns about lip service listening.
If you want to be a writer, you have to be a reader first: Austin Kleon provides a collection of quotes outlining the importance of reading before writing. It is interesting to think about this in regards to J. Hillis Millerâs argument that reading itself is an act of writing.
What the earliest fragments of English reveal: This collection of historical artefacts is insightful both from the perspective of language, as well as the origins associated with each. It seems that every piece involves some element of luck as to how it survived that it makes you wonder the texts that have been lost over time and how this may impact our appreciation of the past.
Technology
The Rise and Demise of RSS: Sinclair Target unpacks the history associated with RSS, including the parts played by those like Dave Winer and Aaron Swartz. This includes the forking to ATOM. Having come to RSS during the demise I was not aware of the background, especially in regards to ATOM, associated with the standard. (Although Cory Doctorow argues that Target focuses too much on the micro rather than macro.) It is interesting to consider that its demise is associated with the rise of social media. Ironically, I came to RSS dissatisfied with social media. Also, I wonder what happens if social medias promise fails? A return to RSS or is there something else again in the development of the web?
Teachers and Technology â Time to Get Serious: Neil Selwyn provides seven brief bits of advice for any teacher wanting to make sense of technology. They include: be clear what you want to achieve, set appropriate expectations, aim for small-scale change, pay attention to the âbigger pictureâ, think about unintended consequences, consider collective concerns and beware of over-confident âexpertsâ. This all reminds me of my call for pedagogical coaching when it comes to technology. Also another post to add to my list of research associated with technology.
Steve Jobs Never Wanted Us to Use Our iPhones Like This: Cal Newport argues that the Steve Jobsâ initial vision for the iPhone was never meant to be a new form of existence where the digital encroached upon the analogue. He therefore calls for a return to the early minimalist days from early on. This is similar to Jake Knappâs efforts to regain his attention by removing apps and notifications from his smartphone. I still have concerns about the analogue and digital divide and what that actually means. I also think the request for responsibility ignores the systematic concerns associated with smartphones. This is something Grafton Tanner picks up on in regards to Simon Sinek and ClassDojo.
12 Tips For Maintaining Momentum With Blogging: Closing off the 28 day blogging challenge, Kathleen Morris provides a list of strategies for maintaining momentum. On the flip side, Aaron Hogan provides a list of blogging rules that you do not have to follow. These include the idea that blogs need to look a certain way or be perfect. Shawn Wang says it is just about learning in public, while Bill Ferriter argues that we need to actively be someone elseâs conversational followers.
âThe goal is to automate usâ: welcome to the age of surveillance capitalism: In an interview with John Naughton, Shoshana Zuboff touches on the feeling of âinformed bewildermentâ that marks that current transformation associated with platform capitalism. This includes the many aspects which feed into the surveillance economy, such as smartphones and digital assistants. Zuboff argues that the goal is to automate us. Rather than reviewing what should and should not be collected, the question that needs addressing is why is it collected at all.
Reflections
Book Launch: A Live Team Human Conversation with Douglas Rushkoff and Seth Godin (Team Human Ep. 117): Seth Godin and Douglas Rushkoff discuss why âteam humanâ. They address how we got to now, the challenges faced in being human, the hope for the future and whether it matters that âNPRâ does not care. I purchased the book and corresponding audiobook. I loved Throwing Rocks at the Google Bus and Programming or be Programmed. I have also enjoyed the podcast. I also enjoy listening to Rushkoff read his own work.
Fables of School Reform: Audrey Watters brings together a tangled narrative of innovation associated with educational technology. She explains how in search of the mercurial solution, computers and coding are brought in with the only clear outcome being privitisation. This is all built on the back of networking between the same names for the last thirty years. This is a useful read alongside Ben Williamsonâs Big Data in Education.
Why Are Pregnant Black Women Viewed as Incompetent?: In an extract from Tressie McMillan Cottomâs new book Thick, she unpacks the politics and biases associated with being being a black women. She reflects on the feeling of incompetence she was made to feel when she was pregnant. This a harrowing story made even sadder by the grim reality of the statistics. This makes me wonder about the realities of Australiaâs indigenous people and and systemic inequality in Australiaâs society.
Playable Lego Piano: I recently stumbled upon the Lego Ideas series. The intent is for creators to share their custom creations, with some going through the process of being put into production. There are some fantastic creations, but the one that stood out to me was the working piano. What stood out for me was the way in which pieces were appropriated for different purposes.
Focus on ⌠Flanerie
For a couple of years now, I have been focusing on one word, rather than goals or resolutions. This was inspired by Kath Murdoch. My word this year is flanerie. Here then is a list of readings and resources associated with the topic:
Suis-je flâneur?: Ian Guest puts flesh on the matter as a basis for investigating data associated with Twitter.
Increasing your âserendipity surfaceâ: Doug Belshaw discusses extending your opportunities by continually exploring new possibilities.
#rawthought: On Ditching the (Dangerous) Dichotomy Between Content Knowledge and Creativity: Amy Burvall argues that in order to connect dots, one must first have the dots.
3 quick thoughts about walking: Austin Kleon highlights some of the benefits of walking and the âwalkshedâ. This is something he also touches in his talk on how to keep going.
Will Self | Talks at Google: Will Self discusses walking around urban spaces to capture a different perspective.
Thick Description â Toward an Interpretative Theory of Culture: Clifford Geertz argues that we are always a part of the situation really guided me and my thinking. This is one of those pieces that has really stuck with me since my university days.
Are there any other texts that you would add to my list to guide my personal inquiry this year?
Read Write Respond #036
So that is January for me, how about you? As always, happy to hear.
Also, I am interested if anyone has any feedback on the style and structure of this newsletter. I would love to know if there are things that people like or if there are things that you would change? I am looking to change things up in the new year.
Cover image via JustLego101.
Also on: