Thanks to Anna Smith for helping me think about this… Why publish a credo?
I’ve found, if I can articulate what I believe, what I understand , I am better able to ask questions and consider other ideas. I will know if I need to change my mind; I will be leading myself forward instead of following, and I will know why.
Sharing opens one to acceptance and rejection, a scary place. Sharing begins a dialogue. Sharing prompts thinking. It allows us to understand different perspectives. What works in my corner of the world may not in yours. How will we grow connected learning precepts without considering the beliefs behind the ideas?
My credo is a draft because I’m still thinking about this “connected learning” and its implications for teaching and learning, especially in my district. I had to start where I am now. By sharing, I’ve found hints of what is relevant for connected learning in the comments, and what is important to others. I am beginning to form a more focused credo for connected learning that bridges what I believe about learning in general. So Anna, you may be right in thinking that making with words — words that touch our personal beliefs — may be more difficult to commit to.
Why share publicly in this community? For me, its because the community welcomes participation as well as expects it. Everyone’s ideas are important and valued. We are trying to understand “the value assumptions that are the bedrock of our makes and of Connected Learning itself.” I wonder if what we are doing is in developing these beliefs, is what we will ask students to do in the Common Core: identify claims and analyze and explain them. We are thinking through what is true.
Sharing will build a common set of beliefs, a manifesto, that includes all our perspective places and ideas. That final manifesto may not occur; it’s too early perhaps in this transformation of education of which which this clmooc is a part. And that’s why the community gives us choice to participate or not.
But wouldn’t that be something, if this “connected learning” community developed such a set of beliefs, together?
I’m going back to the drawing board, and this page:
http://blog.nwp.org/clmooc/about/connected-learning/
Thanks for inspiring me, Anna, to consider, Why a credo? Why share?