A central point, reply to Linn

“My point is, I do like freedom like in CCK11. However I think it would be possible to include more people in, and deepen the discussion if a SIMPLE center with ONE suggested starting point was offered.” wrote Linn Gustavsson

Linn, You wrote a very clear post on the importance of a good starting point. I like the examples of the students and your solution.

Now you want somewhere a central point to focus the CCK!! course for students. And you writing this post is a good starting point for you and maybe for some other people to do the course.

I agree on the necessity of a starting point in instruction. To teach a skill, in writing or in social behavior, a good starting point is valuable. Teachers know a path for students to follow to mastering a skill.

To study in a MOOC you need to find your own starting point. It is broadening the network of knowledge, and a network does not have a starting point, not even a central point. It is like hiking in a wood, in hiking it is important to know where you are. And where you are is the central point. From here you can go everywhere. And all students in MOOC are on a different path. They might even go in different directions. Some students in CCK11 are not even teaching. So you would be forced to make different starting points for all possible students. And that is impossible.

That is why it is important to make y ourself a central point, or to plan the travel in the network. And you could choose people in the course to follow and to make conversation with them.

2 thoughts on “A central point, reply to Linn”

Thanks Jaap for reading my post and anwering. And what a nice picture:)!
If I where to hike in the wood (as a beginner)I would like a spot (a red helium ballon maybe or a satellite) to help me knowing where I was. That would be much more fun than just sticking to the path, the map or follow someone else. Call it a beginners corner, or a starting point/instruktion for finding a starting point. Why can´t a network have a starting point or a fixed spot? Just a suggested spot to return to if you are a beginner or if you get lost. Otherwise I think there is a risk beginners will just follow the person other people seem to follow, not exploring the area on their own.
Thanks again for your answer.

Linn, I do understand now your idea of offering a little course as a preparatory, a CCK11-for-beginners course with some marks on a road to the free movement in the great network. I guess some school classes (and workshops for teachers) do need such a little course.
Of course some people would need that. Maybe this course will have some pages or questions on using Twitter, Facebook, and other web 2.0 apps. And some remarks on how to behave in a learning network. And of course some articles, blogs, video on the subject, with the sugestion to write a bog post or message on these articles.
Or you could offer these newbies a helpdesk for the first period of the course.
Seems to me here is an opportunity to start a series of workshops in Sweden.
regards Jaap