#clmooc #digilit Random Me

clmooc imageAgain an exciting summer of self-chosen professional development to become a better writer and a better teacher. My summer PD with CLMooc often includes poetry. Last year we played #poettag and this year we play #clPoem, suggested by Jeffrey Keefer. That’s the thing about clmooc: It’s a connected learning massive open online collaboration where participants lead the way.

We started with “untros,” a reflection and analysis of our identities, a shattering of our different identities in various communities which allowed us to understand the essence of those identities. And although suggestions were made for how to “untro,” each person finds their own journey, which can be overwhelming to new participants wondering where to start. Sometimes participants just want to know the idea and take off on their own. In this seeming chaos, Jeffrey pondered about community with a poem and an invitation to others to write poetry tagged with #clPoem.

And so it begins: the cascade of ideas, remixes, invitations, all for a shared purpose: to learn together with the tools that fit, digital or analog.

As the #clmooc introduced the untro for Cycle One, I was captivated by the ingenuity of the responses by participants and intrigued with the traits behind the person and the making. [ Specific examples ]  In my meandering aechoinggreennd following Twitter links, I discovered Echoing Green, an organization that supports young graduates to “Work with a Purpose.” At the bottom of each page was a blue logo, which inspired me to try to rebuild my identity so I created this poem make on “Unshattering Identities,” asking participants to:

Challenge: Consider your beliefs. Using six words, arrange them as phrases read horizontally and vertically to express an essence of your identity.

The slides are filled with reflective six word poems that can be read in different ways; each participants take is unique as we embrace the connected learning principles of interest-powered, peer-supported, production of learning creations.

As you can see, this journey meanders as participants pick the projects in which to participate, create remixes or original makes to fit the topic in their way, and share and reflect on the process, the creations, and the pedagogy. We use tools to create in the physical world and the digital world; we share on Twitter, Facebook, and the Google Plus community — and Soundcloud [#adhocvoices], the blog hub [where this post will find its way], Thinglink, etc. Our connections and our community is a neighborhood built by our choices. Technology provides the ship we sail on to connect and learn collaboratively.

Michelle Stein provides another example: she started a poetry make on identity. She asked us to:

1. Randomly choose a word for each letter in your name.
2. Add a verse to this narrative poem, using each word you have chosen as the focus of a sentence.
3. Revel in the awesomesauce that is CLMOOC.

I chose to do this project because it’s writing, and I enjoy writing poetry, simple as it is. In my response, it’s more narrative poetry, but I wrote it not just for #clmooc and Michelle, it’s a gift to my family. And that is another part of #clmooc: authenticity — the participants make from the interests and who each is and what each needs at the time.

So, if you’re looking for projects both digital and analog, and you want to work with creative people and build your PLN: join CLMooc !

 


Here’s my response to Michelle’s “Make,” starting with random words:

This post is also part of #DigiLit Sunday, started by Margaret Simon to help blogging educators share their digital learning.

sundaydiglit

4 Comments

on “#clmooc #digilit Random Me
4 Comments on “#clmooc #digilit Random Me
  1. I am loving all of the collaborative mojo you are bringing into the CLMOOC this summer (already) and how poetry is infusing so much of the work by various people.
    Kevin

    • Yes, it seems that the poetry and writing captures my attention, and many others. I think the reMEDIATE week will bring in those who use other ways to communicate ideas. Let the remix/mediate begin!

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