Kim Cofino's talk

I just listened to Kim Cofino's keynote address for the online conference. It was interesting, but I did not find it inspiring. (Throughout this course, I've found the practical aspect of learning how to use new tools more interesting than the philosophical parts.) It did make me think that if I were just starting out in my career, or had started teaching early enough to retire younger than I'll be able to, it might be fun to teach in an international school for a few years. If I didn't have a spouse and child (and I'm very glad I do :-) ), it might be an exciting alternate path to spend my life living in different places in the world and teaching in international schools. I wouldn't do it with a child, though (even if it would work for my husband's career, which it wouldn't). I understand that Kim Cofino sees lots of benefits to being a "third culture kid", but I see mostly a lack of comforting roots, and the danger of potentially not learning to make close personal connections, in putting a child through a lifestyle of frequent moves. (I know you can be a "third culture kid" without moving more than once, but to some extent the part that sounds potentially interesting to me, as an adult, would be moving every 7 to 10 years or so, to radically different places each time. I wouldn't want to put a child through that, even though Cofino presents that sort of thing as a positive.)

I found it a bit of a stretch when Kim Cofino said something like, "These experiences [like what third-culture-kids have] can now be available to anyone through meaningful Internet projects and connections."

Kim Cofino suggests that teachers prepare to be able to give kids experiences of global connectedness by first developing their own PLNs (Personal Learning Networks). The six steps she recommends trying, in this order, are (1) to use an RSS reader to be able to "learn by lurking" without needing to respond; (2) to join education-related Nings; (3) to begin to develop an online persona by starting a blog; (4) to use Skype to connect with people more personally; (5) to participate in online conferences (either downloaded like this one, or synchronously through, for example, Second Life), and (6) to use Twitter to further build your social/professional network, expand your interests, and make more real-time connections with people.

Most of these suggestions are things I do not wish to do. I have no desire to spend enough time online to need to get information through an RSS reader. Double-plus-likewise for joining a Ning!!!!! I don't anticipate spending much time blogging once it's no longer required for this course -- I don't see how I could justify continuing to take the time away from my family, friends, physical exercise, etc. for that. I've tried Skype and don't like it; it makes me feel like I'm talking through a tunnel. Online conferences seem OK, at least asynchronous ones -- I like the Internet as a source of searchable information. As for Twitter, while I can see how it could expand someone's interests and knowledge of what's available, I'd much, much rather spend my time searching purposefully for information that I already know I want.

As keeps happening with a lot of the philosophical part of this "web 2.0" stuff, I find myself more and more aware of how much I value right-here, in-person (or over the phone) connections. Our society has for quite some time been changing in ways that make it harder and harder to develop and maintain close in-person connections. No wonder lots of people want to build social and professional networks with people far away -- nothing has to change in those relationships if you or they move, for example! I really feel the time pulled away from family and local friends, though, and I don't see any degree of global connectedness ever making up for that.

This past Saturday evening an old, close friend came over. We've been friends for almost 25 years and lived near each other in three towns in two states, but in recent years we've seen each other infrequently despite living only ten minutes apart. The reasons include her work schedule and the fact that our children are very different ages, but still, a big part of what's been making me too busy to get together this fall is my spending lots of time online. In the final analysis, I'd far, far, far rather spend a couple of hours talking with my close old friend in my living room, than developing a social network with people around the world!