The TLT Group

Dangerous Discussions:
Specific Topic
 Dangerous Discussions Home Page
This Web page offers a starting place for civil, constructive conversations about <this topic>, with the dual goal of implementing practical results and developing useful policies.

Web pages CANNOT be enough by themselves for these purposes;  but we hope that this one can be a valuable resource when used effectively in workshops and other collaborative activities.

Basic Ground Rules for Converting "Dangerous Discussions" to Constructive Communication

Dangerous Discussions Issue:

Clothing the Emperor Challenge:

Neutral/Constructive Statement of <Issue>:

<How can blogs (and wikis and newsfeeds, and related tools) improve education?  How can learning be improved ...? Under what conditions?>

Neutral/Constructive Questions:

Why bother?  (Why is it important to deal with this issue?)

Who cares?   (Who should be involved in considering this issue? 
Because they will be influenced by it? 
Because they are able to influence how it proceeds?  Other?)

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Polarizing Views:
[or Questions]

1.  <"Blog Revolution ... a world inhabited by content-producing ordinary people—also known as bloggers—means big changes. That's soon to be true for educators..."  more...>

2.  <"Wasting Time on Blogs...blogs appear to be stealing time away from work ..." more...>

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 Sample Results:
(Of Participating in the TLT Group's Dangerous Discussions Initiative and Clothing the Emperor activities about <specific topic>.)

1.  Deflate the hype and defuse artificial disagreements – restate the issue and challenge in more realistic and less inflammatory ways

2.  <More effective educational use of blogs
More faculty members develop and use blogs as an integral, effective part of their courses.>

3.  <More effective institutional policies
The college or university develops and implements new guidelines for the appropriate use of blogs when institutional resources,  personnel, or intellectual property are involved.>

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"Clothing the Emperor" approach to Dangerous Discussions issues: 
Replace incorrect, inflammatory, extreme statements/views with realistic, balanced, civil, and constructive conversation.

[Online Workshop:  February 22, March 1 and 8, 2006 1-2 pm Eastern]

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"Blog Revolution: Expanding classroom horizons with Web logs"

"Think blogs are a passing fad? Then consider this: A new blog is created every second. There are more than 900,000 blog posts a day. Some two million blogs are updated every week. At this point, I think it's safe to say that blogs are here to stay. As any journalist, politician, or business executive will tell you, a world inhabited by content-producing ordinary people—also known as bloggers—means big changes. That's soon to be true for educators, as well."

- Will Richardson, posted in blog techLearning -
Oct 15, 2005

For full text (as of 11-6-2005):  http://people.uis.edu/rschr1/
onlinelearning/2005/10/blog-revolution-expanding-classroom.html

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"Wasting Time on Blogs"
"According to an article in AdAge (unfortunately behind a free subscription wall), "U.S. workers in 2005 will waste the equivalent of 551,000 years reading blogs." According to the article, about 35 million workers or a quarter of the labor force go to blogs, spending 3.5 hours, or 9%, of the work week at them.

"But why does AdAge say people are wasting time? Because for the moment, blogs appear to be stealing time away from work--not from other Web sites people visit, according to comScore. And according to ComScore’s tally of blog categories, just 25% of blog visits directly connect to the job." 

- Heather Green - BusinessWeek Online, October 25, 2005

For full text (as of 11-6-2005):  http://www.businessweek.com/
the_thread/blogspotting/archives/2005/10/
wasting_time_on.html

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Discussion Activities

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 Resources
  • Table that summarizes these options and extends them to faculty/professional development programs!
  • SUMMARY OF
    Ideas and Suggestions from Respondents to TLT-SWG Listserv RELATED Request <DATE>
  • Sample list of factors, resources, ... that Influence THE ISSUE
  • Click here for blog about Dangerous Discussions:  THE ISSUE
  • Click here for PowerPoint slides and more resources for online sessions about "Dangerous Discussions:  THE ISSUE

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This Website offers a variety of   discussion activities,   recommended options, and   other resources to help you explore some of these important and challenging aspects of THE ISSUE:  ...

There are many ways to structure a discussion about THESE ISSUES.  There are almost as many different motivations and goals for addressing these issues as there are stakeholders in the results of the dialogue.  Some approaches are more likely to facilitate civil and constructive dialogue.  Others are more likely to bury opportunities for real solutions.

We hope to help you minimize unnecessary acrimony and maximize constructive give and take - to help you eliminate the flames, reduce the heat, and illuminate the real solutions.

We begin with a list of alternative ways of asking the central questions. 

Please examine what we offer, adopt what you find useful, and let us know about improvements you recommend or additional requests. 
Click here to send email to gilbert@tltgroup.org.

Click here for other "Dangerous Discussions" topics/questions for faculty, administration, and staff
- (especially, about Teaching, Learning, and Technology)

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Discussion Activity
Alternate ways of asking questions about THE ISSUE
- 6 Versions & 1 Comment

Which versions are more/less inflammatory? 
For whom?  Under what conditions?

Which versions are more conducive to constructive results? 
For whom?  Under what conditions?

CHANGE THESE TO MATCH "THE ISSUE"

  1. How can learning be improved in ... without reducing student/faculty ratio or increasing the workload for teachers or students?  
    Under what conditions?

  2. In which courses and in which ways can information technology be used more effectively to ...  without reducing the quality of teaching and learning?  
    Without further overburdening faculty and academic support staff?  
    Without major external funding?  Without speculative restructuring?
    Without seeing the emperor's clothes!

  3. How, if at all, can technology be used to reduce operating costs without sacrificing educational quality or the life expectancy of faculty?

  4. “I usually meet face-to-face with 10-20 students in the courses I teach at this college, and I really enjoy the lively – and often thoughtful - discussions. I know I’m lucky. I put my course syllabi on the Web, and often assign Web-based resources to my students. Are there really any ways of adding online interaction that would be any improvement?”

  • Comment from PERSON, INSTITUTION, DATE:
    “.....”

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Discussion Activity - Key Questions for THE ISSUE
Click here for PDF version of Activity/Worksheet

CHANGE THESE TO MATCH "THE ISSUE"

  • What is the maximum number ...

  • What factors, conditions, or resources most limit ...

  • What factors, conditions, or resources would enable you to ...

  • Who should be engaged in a constructive "Dangerous Discussions" about ... within your institution?

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Discussion Activity - Sample List of Factors, Resources, ... that Influence THE ISSUE

Click here for PDF version of Worksheet to be used in Factor/Resource Discussion Activity

Factors/Resources
Click on each of the following for more explanation below

CHANGE THESE TO MATCH "THE ISSUE"

Which of these factors needs more explanation?  Which are most important to you? 
Which are most relevant at your institution?
 
What needs to be added to or removed from this list?

OTHER

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CHANGE THESE TO MATCH "THE ISSUE"

Also, see queries developed about Education, Technology, and Change.  See:

<<http://www.tltgroup.org/gilbert/QuakerQueriesIWswg2-19-01.htm>>
 

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