A photocopy of the article has been sitting near my computer ever since I became self-employed in 2007. I’ve been meaning to type in the story as I still think it’s relevant.

Talking over a wedge of cake at my son’s shared birthday party last Saturday has prompted me to do the typing. It didn’t take long after I started conversing with Sam to dig into permaculture, swapping garden surpluses, community organising and the like.

When Sam comes to dinner I’ll show him some of the books I’ve acquired over the years on different aspects of social ecology, over-consumption, reimagining cities and mending our ways generally. For now, this article will have to suffice as a sweeping introduction to some thinkers that have helped form my thoughts on ‘sustainability’.

If I decided to re-write this article today, many of the issues raised are still pertinent almost 20 years later. Taking just one example, on my reading list is a new take on Ted Trainor’s arguments: “The End of Growth: Adapting to Our New Economic Reality” (2011) by Richard Heinberg.

I’d be tempted to find out whether Ted Trainor is still so optimistic about neighbourhoods being the locus for social change. My limited involvement in the Brooklyn Transition Towns food group, a variety of organic food co-ops and sundry other practical projects, shows what hard work it takes to get people working together, and the rewards that are possible when things take-off.

I could go on at length, but you might not end up reading the actual article. So, without prolonging the preamble, here’s the full unexpurgated text of “A leap into the unknow?”

A leap into the unknown

A shift to Ted Trainor’s self-sufficient ‘radical conserver’ society requires a bold leap. But as Stephen Blyth discovers, it is not a vision that is completely unknown.

Ted Trainor, Australian social ecologist and activist, has a radical idea about the way we can live. It’s a vision that denies a central role to the market. Instead needs are met locally, people are not exploited nor is the environment. It’s a vision that requires that we “Abandon Affluence”, as the title of his 1985 book suggests.

Although a radical leap, Trainor’s ideas are grounded in values from the past. His vision relies on old time values of thrift and frugality. A more self-sufficient way of living. When Trainor spoke in Christchurch last October he suggested that many in the audience would remember a time of greater self-sufficiency. It was not that long ago.

Read the rest of the article

Photo credit: P J Chmiel

As I feel strongly about this topic, I’m going to stick to a negative assertion that struck me as I was thinking about this blog post. If there is one that might stick it’s this: whatever you do, don’t choose the tools or spaces for an online network first.

It feels trite to say it’s necessary to begin by understanding the particular needs of each organisation (or amorphous network) and what people are seeking to do.

Isn’t this so, so obvious? Does it really need saying? Aren’t all online groups basically the same away?

For a number of reasons, we do need to reassert a fairly predictable starting point.

We’re bombarded with sales pitches, free ways to form groups at the drop of a button, and hear of countless others setting up groups on this or that platform. Why don’t we do the same?

Under pressure to do something, getting started is better than doing nothing.

I’m writing about this now after making just this point to the Comm2Comms network in Wellington last week. (See my “Choosing the right online spaces to support your unique network(s) presentation” notes.)

In brief, I recommended people think about practices and activities first, and then match these with online tools or spaces. In the end we didn’t directly address what can be a very long list of tools. But we certainly talked around the rationale for networks. (BTW: for a jumbled list of tools, take a look at my delicious links listing online networking and related applications.)

I am grateful for the work of community of practice luminaries Etienne Wenger, Nancy White and John D Smith who have given anyone wanting to successfully use technology to support learning networks some sound guidance in their book “Digital Habitats: stewarding technology for communities” (2009).

Leaving aside the approach to technology acquisition, ongoing support and all that jazz, Wenger et al, offer a useful way for understanding the different foci of groups. There starting point is with what they call orientations. These are described as:

“a typical pattern of activities and connections through which members experience being a community”.

Orientations could be described as the things people actually do (or want to focus on) within a network. This could be: holding meetings, online or off; having open-ended conversations; running projects; accessing expertise; enabling individual participation; forming and maintaining relationships. This is by no means a definitive list, rather it’s offered as a starting point.

To get to the point, if you are clear on the orientation(s) then everything else will follow. Included in “Digital Habitats” are useful guides for each of the nine orientations. Each of these matches the types of things people want to do with the practices that will keep them alive, and, yes, the tools.

During the workshop I did say that anyone running a network shouldn’t expect people to be monogamous. Thinking people will loyally participate in just a single online space or place is unrealistic.

With the exploding demands for our attention every online network needs to be relevant. Even with a group different people with varying levels of technology nous will want to interact in different ways. Better to accept this than fight against the flow.

Somehow I’ve ended up saying much more than my heading. In hindsight, perhaps I should rename it “Setting up thriving online networks – where to start”.

Is this relevant to your organisation or network?

Below are the slides of my presentation, plus I’ve listed the links I referred to about online networking resources. I am available to repeat or customise this presentation for your unique network. Contact me.

I thought I’d explain why.

Yes, the NZ Herald already has an excellent website. Not only is all the content from the paper and more available online, but its easy to collect, scan and access content in other ways. There are RSS feeds for virtually every topic, email updates to subscribe to, an e-Edition from Newspapers Direct and mobile editions easily viewed on a variety of gadgets.

Also, facsimiles of the daily edition are viewable using the PressDisplay service offered by my local library. It’s like a modern microfiche version viewed on a screen (admittedly, the bigger the better).

Even with all these choices, I still think there is room for a Kindle edition. It offers something different that none of the other ways of reading content do.

I base this on my experience over last 11 weeks buying a Kindle version of the Saturday edition of the Guardian newspaper from Amazon’s Kindle Newsstand.

This is the closest simulacrum of reading a hardcopy version of a paper on any electronic device I’ve tried. It’s easy to quickly flick through the contents much as you would a dead tree version. Or you can view a paper article-by-article, reading headlines and summaries of each story, review or column.

Typically I’ve been scanning the full paper, then reading a few favourite columns first. As the book reviews and other features don’t date I can come back to them later. In fact, I could read reviews I missed from the first issue I bought in September, as all copies I’ve purchased are stored on my device.

The most important thing is that the full contents of the paper are included (sans ads, fortunately). I tend to glance at everything even if I don’t end up reading it all. This is something I never do on websites as my eyes gravitate to my pet subjects.

Other features add to the attractiveness of Kindle versions of newspapers. The text to speech option is available for newspapers, so I can listen to any story. The computer at Amazon is safely storing my credit card details (famous last words), so I can buy publications anywhere there is cellphone coverage.

Getting a newspaper on my Kindle is the best experience I’ve had on any electronic device.

I definitely want to read NZ content, and I’m willing to pay. To ensure quality journalism is available with our democracy I’m happy to contribute to costs of gathering news and views.

I’ve been paying approximately $2.50 for each issue of the Guardian, and I’d be happy to pay the same amount for the NZ Herald. I don’t think I’d pay a monthly subscription even though it works out cheaper per issue. If I did this I could imagine I’d feel swamped with too much to look through.

Perhaps going down the paid subscription route still creates jitters at the NZ Herald after their last foray in the middle of last decade. In September 2005 this bold proclamation was issued by the paper: “nzherald.co.nz to charge for premium content”. A little under two years later, charges were dropped.

I’ve no idea what the maths would be (something I’m sure newspaper executives struggle with as they face the challenge presented by an environment where the internet is ubiquitous), but according to Bookman Beattie, Kindle sales are booming in Aotearoa. As Amazon is involved, the cut subtracted after delivery might make it difficult for papers in our small country to be viable. I hope not.

If anyone at the NZ Herald is listening, feel free to use this is evidence that at least one citizen is keen on a Kindle edition. I’m looking seeing a listing in the virtual newsstand (he says hopefully).

PS See my review of the Kindle, “Reading again on a Kindle”, 5 October 2011

Photo credit: Zach Hale

I’m not sure how many of the subscribers attended the event (held last Tuesday), but I do know how many saw my words and notices.

50% of subscribers opened the email, of whom 19% clicked on a link. The most popular links were tied between the networking event sign-up page and blog posts on “An unplanned hiatus” and “Why I didn’t get an iPad”.

Looking at my blog analytics package I can see that all visitors arriving from links in the enewsletter came within 48 hours, and stayed on average for 2.37 minutes (which is longer than the average for all visitors).

While I have got some idea of the quantity of visits, I don’t have any qualitative feedback. Nobody sent me a message saying “wonderful” or “rubbish!!”

I’ve learned all this about the trajectory of the email newsletter without having to do anything special. All the data I’ve summaried is built into the email newsletter system I use.

The other things I looked for when choosing a specialist email list service were:

• Flexible, low cost subscription plan
• Ability to create and test HTML formatted newsletters
• Both email version and online archive
• Simple administration of list membership, including segmentation
• Visible, full-proof and easy unsubscribe option for people who change their minds
• Reputable supplier with longetivity
• Ease of creating sign-up widgets for my blog.

In the absence of any email list suppliers in Aoteraoa, the only thing that bugs me is that my list is stored on servers hosted by a company from the United States. I’d much to prefer the records I’m keeping are on a computer in this country.

I didn’t undertake a thorough research exercise before choosing MailChimp. I could have as there are many excellent guides out there aimed at community and charitable organisations.

I commend MailChimp for making the way of creating enewsletters fairly easy. It is a bit fiddly, but I didn’t once need to call on the helpdesk or read a lengthy manual. Now that I’ve got a template, I’ll only have to do tweaking each time I send out a new (irregular) issue.

Before sending I paid an extra $3.00 to run an Inbox Inspection. This tested the draft newsletter in 29 email clients or web-based mail using a service from Litmus. I also tested samples myself, including a plain text version.

Now that I’m up and running, my aim is to increase numbers signing up, and tyring to get people engaging with the ideas I’m sharing. For me, that’s not just encouraging people to visit my blog, but to also comment on things I’ve written and/ or join in events I’m running.

It takes more than just firing out a newsletter to actually engage people. Having got as far as sending out issue # 1, I shouldn’t dose off. I need to use stats and other feedback to improve my newsletters. There’s a lot to learn so that I can increase the number of subscriptions and improve my open rate. I’m going to work through a list of 14 ways to increase opening rate from Brent at NTEN. I’m also thinking about joining a webinar on “Nonprofit Newsletters That Engage” (free for NTEN members).

It’s seem fitting to end this post by plugging my (irregular) email newsletter. Sign-up here (or on the right somewhere if you’re reading this on my blog). And don’t forget to tell me what you think.

PS I do have a Privacy policy – as I hate having my own email address used by someone sending me things I don’t want, I’m very careful about respecting my subscribers privacy.

Resources

Still wondering about using Outlook or a email list service, see “Broadcast Email Tools VS. Microsoft Outlook”

The Basics of Email Metrics: Are Your Campaigns Working? by Idealware (October, 2008)

A Few Good Broadcast Email Tools, by Laura S. Quinn, Idealware (March 2010)

It seems every single time I begin thinking where to hold an event I start from scratch. Not only have I attended a few events in my time, I’ve printed out details and scored the odd promotional folder.

I can never remember the details, and I’ve lost all my notes and pieces of paper. So, I start from scratch. Enter into the Google search box: “Meeting venue”. Hit “Enter”.

Sigh! Up come the familiar list of websites: Venue Hire, Corporate Events Guide, Wellington City Council community directory, Hire it Now.

None of the lists are complete. Some are extremely dated and need to be refreshed, replaced or nuked (are you listening WCC?). Interspersed amongst places suitable for humble gatherings, are many catering for weddings and cocktail parties, and for those with bulging budgets.

It’s not only time a consuming process to find suitable options, but generally the lists shine little light on venues suitable for the modest budgets of those working in civil society or in third sector organisations.

After narrowing down potential options, then begins the laborious process of finding one that is free and affordable. I won’t mention who wanted $695 for a short after-work session. This is one I politely declined using, even though it was available.

So, I wonder, is there a better way.

Can the crowd perhaps step forward? Is there enough in this idea for people to help co-create a public list? A list that has useful categories or keywords for event types. Perhaps ratings as well as facts. How about a dash of panache – I can’t think if there is any reason for all these lists to be so damn drab.

The idea of listing things on the web is a path well trod. The subject matter may be different, but the notion of collectively creating lists has been around since the early days of the Internet.

Nobody I know would ever want to take responsibility for such a burden as keeping a list up-to-date, myself included.

Yet, I wonder if updating tasks are small and discrete. And the values of accumulated data high. Perhaps, just perhaps, this could take-off. It’d be easier enough to start with a wiki editable by anyone. There could be a template for each venue (one per page), keywords, and an index.

Before I do anymore thinking, I’ll wonder out loud: do others experience the same sort of hassles finding rooms for events? Or is everyone is super organised and keeps really good records themselves?

While I ponder on whether this is a problem unique to me and whether some budding entrepreneur may like to tackle this challenge, I’ve got some preparation to do for the Wellington NGO webmaster event I’m hosting tomorrow night. It’s time to do some baking.

Photo credit: Ed Yourdon

I’ve attended many networking events and public meetings where things drag on. At worst, it’s half time before even half the people attending have introduced themselves. Recounting the number of hats being worn may be honest, but it quickly becomes tiresome. This is especially so when a honest bunch of people doing good works are present.

So, I’m going to muster some of the newer techniques to keep my promise. These seem to be largely a by-product of the speed dating phenomena.

I’ve yet to finalise my approach but I’m thinking of using a combination of the following techniques:

• Business card swap and capturing web addresses on arrival
• Rapid fire getting to know each other round, with pre-set questions such as website platform, part or full time, biggest challenges, number of web properties
• Speedy prioritisation of issues on top, maybe including voting
• Resource sharing in a flash
• Pairing up with like-minded participants.

Of course the format that best suits the group who come will arise on the night. We’ll have about 90 minutes together including time to have a cuppa and some of my home baking.

If you have any particularly good suggestions for speed networking techniques, you could share your thoughts on this blog post.

At this stage I’m not making any assumptions about what will happen after this first event. For this reason, I’ve set up a simple wiki page to record who attends and any links or resources shared if people desire. It’s too early to imposed an online platforms designed to support networking events (eg MeetUp) as this suggests I know how the networking event will work out. I don’t. Making a decision on the technology to support any future networking is some time off (and depends on whether people want to have stuff recorded, and want to come back).

The networking event is open to all webmasters working for NGOs. There’s no charge to attend. So come along if you’re in Wellington on the day. I’m looking forward to meeting everyone who comes along and the korero.

Wellington NGO networking event details

Date: 5pm, for 5.15pm start, on Tuesday 15 November 2011
Venue: Conference room 1 (upstairs), St Andrews church, 30 The Terrace
Find out more and register

PS I decided to run this even after talking with people at the Connecting Up conferences earlier in the year (see my post “An informal, regular get together for Wellington nfp webmasters?”). After talking with a few people, I ran a poll to check with potential attendees how often they’d like to meet. The responses indicated each month would be about right. So, here goes.

Photo credit: gsalokhe

The basic reasoning is thus: learn about how people are using a website then give them more of what they want. Reviewing analytics can also help to identify problem areas, which can then be addressed. Clues are available to show how effective marketing is, whether the website is showing up in search results, and ultimately whether it’s worth the effort being put in.

Fired up, I embarked on a stack of learning. Much was practical as I delved into the stats available from the Google Analytics package. Extra input came in the form of volunteers Michael and Pandu through a project I submitted to the Analysis Exchange. I almost completed an online course offered by Market Motive. And I read a lot. There is so much freely available on blogs it’s possible to drown in analytics.

Frustrated at the unstructured way my learning was going and worried I might miss something important, I bought some texts on web analytics. I wanted some experts to share tricks of the trade.

Now, much as I think this area of measurement, analysis and reporting is important, I’m not going to dig any deeper. A primary consideration is I’m less interested manipulating figures. This requires a fair amount of time staring at numbers/ graphs on a computer screen.

So, I’m giving away the three texts I bought.

The books are:

Google Analytics by Justin Cutroni (O’Reilly, 2010, 201 pages) [Taken]

Advanced Web Metrics with Google Analytics by Brian Clifton (Sybex, 2010, 501 pages) [Taken]

Web analytics 2.0: the art of online accountability & science of customer centricity, by Avinash Kaushik (Sybex, 2010, 475 pages) [Taken]

If you want to take one of these books off my shelf, all you need to tell me how you use analytics for your New Zealand based not-for-profit organisation. Send an email, or make a comment on this blog post. I’m limiting the give away to one per organisation. First in, first to get a book.

I’m hoping my quest to keep my bookshelf under control (and my mind uncluttered, come to think of it), will help someone out. And it means I can focus on the things I think are most important right now (which I won’t list for fear of running out of space).

Photo credit: Viget Labs

I had just 150 pages to go when I unexpectedly had a stroke in June (see “An unanticipated hiatus”). Bereft at the idea that I wouldn’t be able to finish reading the story because of a residual visual impairment (the only lasting impact fortunately), I gave away my paperback copy.

However, thanks to the ready availability of ebook reading gadgets I finished the book at the weekend. I reached as far as Odessa and glided through de Waal’s final musings. I’m awarding the book five stars out of five.

This did involve buying a second copy of the book. Something I didn’t begrudge paying for twice. Not only because it was such a good story, but it also marked my return to reading.

What I want an ebook reader for

With so many choices of portable device that can be used to read on, it wasn’t easy to know where to start. What was the best one for my unique needs?

It was only after I trialled an iPad that I got clear about what I wanted to be able to do. Simply put I wanted to read books and articles. Read on the bus, in bed and perhaps even in the bath. Not just scan, not just browse, not get distracted surfing, but actually read. I didn’t need a way of inputting text or manipulating photos, as I already have a perfectly good laptop that is designed for these types of tasks.

When my eyes tire of fighting against wavering text, I like to have things read aloud to me. I was on the hunt for a device with a text to speech function.

After some searching I decided that Amazon’s Kindle 3 was the best fit. What clinched my decision to make an order was seeing a positive review of the Kindle 3. A review by Nathan at “The eBook Reader” website and companion YouTube channel had all the hallmarks of credibility. This was important as I couldn’t lay my hands on a Kindle as they weren’t yet lying on shelves in New Zealand shops.

It wasn’t so much the positive review itself, but listening to a recording of the text to speech reading aloud the whole review. The eight-minute sound bite suggested I could learn to live with the electronic voices.

What stuck in my throat as I went to pay for the device was the realisation I was buying a product that would be lining Amazon’s pockets. Not just once either. Virtually everything you use on the Kindle happens within the Amazon corporation’s sandpit. As a proprietary ebook format is used, book ‘owners’ can’t share books they ‘buy’ from the retailer, nor is it easy to import books created using open formats (eg ePub). I also had misgivings about the imbalance in power between writers and their publishers, and the massive retailer.

Aware of these contradictions I hit pay now. Two weeks later a Kindle 3 arrived on my doorstep.

Hands-on the Kindle

I’d say the Kindle 3 is lighter than most novels I’ve ever read. It’s easy to hold and wiggle about in a single hand. I do lots of wiggling as I adjust the screen position to get the best light, and the most comfortable position my eyesight. With buttons to turn pages on both sides it’s just as easy to hold the Kindle in my left as my right hand. The thinness and rounded corners make for an understated elegance, if not somewhat modest. Underscoring this reserve is the nondescript grey finish.

The accessibility features are glaringly obvious and easy to use. There are not an abundance of features, but they actually do everything I need. The main features are modifying font size, line spacing and page width. It’s so easy to change and adjust, then start all over again, as it only takes a tap on the AA button.

When I’m reading on a bus, or in other situations where I don’t have a direct source of light shining on the screen, I do find the contrast a little weak. I can of course rectify this by getting a small, clip-on light.

Although not all books have text to speech enabled, many do as does any media I add to the device. Using a keyboard short-cut allows me to have articles or PDFs read aloud on a whim. I can listen through built in speakers or by plugging in headphones. There is a male and female voice, with some options to customise speech.

I didn’t need to use a manual to begin using the accessibility features. It’s simply a matter of getting started. I realise these features are not necessarily helpful for people who have very poor vision, or are blind. There are no on-screen announcements of navigation, page location and other options. Apparently the web-based Kindle reader for PCs does have key board short-cuts and accessibility features.

Up and reading again

Before I got the Kindle 3 I managed to scan websites and read things with a fair bit of difficulty. I could make my way through a few paragraphs of pages, but anything longer was a real struggle. Now, I’ve finished off the book about the hare and other netsuke. It feels great to be reading again!

It’s not only books that I read using the Kindle 3 but other types of content as well. I’ve only once used the built-in web browser – it was too cumbersome a process to want to repeat.

However, I have found an easy way of accessing articles, stories, news and other tidbits from websites. Using the readability.com plugin I’ve installed in the Firefox toolbar I can send web content to my Kindle. The button’s within easy reach and after clicking “Send now” the article text, minus adds, navigation and any other junk, is on its way to my Kindle. This happens the next time I access a wifi network. A proportion of the US $5 monthly for readability.copm fee is redistributed to content creators, so using the plugin helps keep independent publishing alive.

I use this feature far more than adding PDF or other documents manually. You can do this using a USB cable when connected to any computer or sending via a unique email address supplied to each Kindle owner.

As well as the odd book I’ve been buying single copies of the award winning UK daily newspaper, the Guardian. Within minutes of authorising the NZ $2.50 payment, I receive a full copy of Saturday edition of the paper. It is available in time for a late lunch (about 2pm or so New Zealand time). The layout mimics what it is like to thumb through a print edition. It’s easy to scan every article heading, or flip from page to page with reading summaries and intro paragraphs. Keeping back copies isn’t taking up space in the hallway.

Reading the same content I’ve got on my Kindle on one of my computers is not something I’m likely to do (unless I loose the wee wisp). Perhaps this is useful if I’m stranded without the Kindle or without any other means of amusing myself when on a deserted island or foreign airport.

So far, after living with the Kindle at my side for six weeks, I’m not reading any more than I did in the past. But I am actually reading articles, not just storing them up as I tended to do. This feels like an achievement in itself.

I’m not worried about stock piling a huge stack of unread volumes on my bedside table Kindle. My strictly enforced policy is thus: it’s okay to get a new volume, only when the last one is 100% read.

About the beauty of books, and other tangents

Yet, I’m far from being completely won over. I do miss the physicality of books. The Kindle is not the same, nor can I see it replacing the popular hard-copy format. Books on the Kindle are reduced down to a dull conformity. Everything is presented the same way. This removes the interplay between the text and the choice of design elements.

Publishers of physical books are considered in their choice of formats, paper stock, layout on the page, inclusion of addenda, illustrations and covers (amongst other things) to add meaning to the text. Taken as a whole, the book along with the text assist readers to grapple with the meaning of the words.

I could go on about how the Kindle world is bland by comparison. But I’ll stop here. And express a sense of wonder and gratitude that I live in time when I can engage with texts gain – it’s a choice many people do not have now, and one that didn’t exist for the greater part of human existence. I also acknowledge I’ve the resources to make this choice.

It seems fitting to end this post reflecting on the past. Now that I’ve read about the journey of minature, carved hares and other figures, I’m engrossed in Graham Robb’s Francophile social history, The Discovery of France. Makes me wonder what some of the people he writes about would think of the Kindle modern age?

Useful resources on Kindle accessibility

“Access review of the Amazon Kindle 13″, from Access Australia

“Kindle 3: An Accessibility Evaluation…Is the Third Time the Charm?” by Darren Burton, on AccessWorld (blog on the American Foundation for the Blind)

Photo credits: Curious Expeditions and Witer.

A few of the posts touched on the topic for the first week of the course: Mobile Learning at the Open University of Malaysia. When I saw this topic was the opening salvo in a 35 week course I feigned indifference.

Yet, there I was engaging in mobile learning (of sorts). The irony wasn’t lost on me. It serves as a reminder to keep an open mind, and acknowledge that sometimes the best learning occurs when it doesn’t fit with pre-conceived ideas of what I think is relevant.

Deciding what to follow and how to get the most out of the course is a challenge I’m not the only one grappling with. A tenet of the MOOC is people will engage in learning most relevant to them – this means the course is a unique experience for everyone. Some will be transitory some will stay to the end.

Indeed, there isn’t actually a core list of participants. Who is joining is only revealed through action: as people write or share something. The majority of content is shared through blogs, twitter or other online tools. This means any content generated or connections made by participants are necessarily left behind when the course ends. This contrasts with many online courses where the teaching environment is separated from the rest of each student’s online world.

The change.mooc.ca website serves as a meeting place of sorts. Contents include a repository of generated by participants and lecturers, and discussion. The three course facilitators seek to coral things, but the sense making is left up to participants. Each weekday an email arrives bursting to the seams with new posts, discussion topics, comments, links and more. There are already other gathering places, such as a Facebook page and Diigo group.

Each week the facilitators have invited a guest to share their knowledge on a specific topic. As these are on at decidedly unfavourable time of 4am, I doubt I’ll make it to many sessions. No offence to the facilitators, but there are not many people I’d get up that early for.

Already there is a huge volume of material being generated. I’m not even pretending I can keep up. If you asked how I’m filtering what is relevant or interesting to me, I couldn’t easily put it in words. There a few layers to my filtering.

I’m starting the course because I want to extend my knowledge of approaches to shared learning outside the classroom. This relates to the work I’m engaged in supporting people to catalyse social change working inside and outside formal organisations.

A lasting residue of the course I’m hoping for is to connect with others with similar interests, preferably in the same or an adjacent time zone. This is something I’ll have a go at bringing to the surface as the course unrolls.

Another part of my filtering is pretty superficial: if the heading grabs, I’m much more likely to dig deeper. If I see the title reflections on week 2 or something similarly prosaic, I’ll read no further. Sure, writing a catchy title takes time, but in a crowded space it makes sense. I admit I’m still learning how to write the killer title so don’t have the perfect recipe. All I can is, “c’mon people, is that the best you can do?”

Now that I’m back at my desk, I might just dig into Zoraini Wati Abas’ resources on Mobile Learning at Open University Malaysia. It might just be relevant.

Photo credit:origamidon