Comments on: Global v local, wired individualism v real communities http://blog.larkin.net.au/2009/02/24/local-versus-global-wired-individualism-versus-real-communities/ Thoughts on teaching, technology, learning and life in an era of change. Sun, 28 Aug 2011 03:48:24 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.2 By: John Larkin http://blog.larkin.net.au/2009/02/24/local-versus-global-wired-individualism-versus-real-communities/comment-page-1/#comment-937 John Larkin Tue, 24 Feb 2009 20:21:11 +0000 http://blog.larkin.net.au/?p=838#comment-937 Yes, Dean, I agree. Thank you for your comment. An 'open high school' that caters for those in remote situations, isolated by illness or simply seeking an alternative route to the current bricks and mortar model. The 'open high school' could be peopled with experts, far and wide, tapping into a skill and knowledge set that may not be available in a single institution normally. Such a school(s) could augment existing structures as well. At the same time change needs to happen with the bricks and mortar schools that surround us all. I am not sure to what extent but change in some form is needed. The local school is an important aspect of society and I hope this 'local' aspect is not lost in this rapidly changing world. I was heartened to see how the local schools acted as rallying points for the locals during the Victorian bush fires. More than 500 HSC students could receive it if it was set up properly. Yes. Global is staring us in the face. I just hope that local and community does not come out second best. I am always keeping an eye out for that Kombi van on your blog header. Cheers, John. Yes, Dean, I agree. Thank you for your comment. An ‘open high school’ that caters for those in remote situations, isolated by illness or simply seeking an alternative route to the current bricks and mortar model. The ‘open high school’ could be peopled with experts, far and wide, tapping into a skill and knowledge set that may not be available in a single institution normally. Such a school(s) could augment existing structures as well.

At the same time change needs to happen with the bricks and mortar schools that surround us all. I am not sure to what extent but change in some form is needed. The local school is an important aspect of society and I hope this ‘local’ aspect is not lost in this rapidly changing world. I was heartened to see how the local schools acted as rallying points for the locals during the Victorian bush fires.

More than 500 HSC students could receive it if it was set up properly. Yes.

Global is staring us in the face. I just hope that local and community does not come out second best.

I am always keeping an eye out for that Kombi van on your blog header.

Cheers, John.

]]> By: Dean Groom http://blog.larkin.net.au/2009/02/24/local-versus-global-wired-individualism-versus-real-communities/comment-page-1/#comment-936 Dean Groom Tue, 24 Feb 2009 13:24:23 +0000 http://blog.larkin.net.au/?p=838#comment-936 Thanks John, I was thinking as I looked at Gmail today, and then at Photobucket, just what the numbers that spin to indicate 'new' and 'more' actually represent the fact that there is not 'end', no 'maximum', what we can store, and what we can retrieve gets bigger and bigger. Not better, just bigger, more of it, faster, more mobile. So much is duplicated, the same 'thing' is loaded into thousands of other places, waiting to be discovered. I think that there is room for Virtual HSC Classroom, and I think that there would probably be many teachers willing to add to it, for all the reasons you mention. I've posted before about my belief in 'learning centred design' and how we need to blend instructional with exploratory and socially constructed learning. I can't see that it will burst into every classroom, but there are now emerging Virtual Classrooms that represent a maturation of educational technology. I am not at all sure that Florida is 'the model', but it is interesting to think that we could be constructing these for students here. Perhaps for distance students, indigenous, gifted or special needs. If we are not yet ready to see reform on any scale in the mainstream classroom - I can't see why we cant extend the 'open university' to the 'open high school'. An optional, measured approach to supplement, not replace face to face and local - would allow schools to un-burden staff and at the same time give students access to greater experiences. I think that schools could make choices and limit the risk, but selecting classes or students to form 'the open high school' classroom. We used to do it with radio (and maybe we still do), logistically it does not seem that hard, and certainly should be at least on the table as an option for Mr Rudd's revolution. 500 students, receiving voluntary assistance for the HSC online ... surely we could manage that? Thanks for the reply - always love to read your work. Thanks John, I was thinking as I looked at Gmail today, and then at Photobucket, just what the numbers that spin to indicate ‘new’ and ‘more’ actually represent the fact that there is not ‘end’, no ‘maximum’, what we can store, and what we can retrieve gets bigger and bigger. Not better, just bigger, more of it, faster, more mobile. So much is duplicated, the same ‘thing’ is loaded into thousands of other places, waiting to be discovered.

I think that there is room for Virtual HSC Classroom, and I think that there would probably be many teachers willing to add to it, for all the reasons you mention. I’ve posted before about my belief in ‘learning centred design’ and how we need to blend instructional with exploratory and socially constructed learning.

I can’t see that it will burst into every classroom, but there are now emerging Virtual Classrooms that represent a maturation of educational technology. I am not at all sure that Florida is ‘the model’, but it is interesting to think that we could be constructing these for students here. Perhaps for distance students, indigenous, gifted or special needs. If we are not yet ready to see reform on any scale in the mainstream classroom – I can’t see why we cant extend the ‘open university’ to the ‘open high school’. An optional, measured approach to supplement, not replace face to face and local – would allow schools to un-burden staff and at the same time give students access to greater experiences. I think that schools could make choices and limit the risk, but selecting classes or students to form ‘the open high school’ classroom. We used to do it with radio (and maybe we still do), logistically it does not seem that hard, and certainly should be at least on the table as an option for Mr Rudd’s revolution. 500 students, receiving voluntary assistance for the HSC online … surely we could manage that?

Thanks for the reply – always love to read your work.

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