With the rise of the Internet, a powerful new set of ideas is emerging around the notion of network community --- groups of people with shared interests and goals, connecting regularly online (perhaps from all over the world), building, sharing, constructing, learning, playing, working...
At AT&T Research, I am developing a framework for the use of these ideas in the context of K-12 education. We are working on two fronts simulatenously. First, we are developing a powerful new architecture for such spaces ( Matrix ) --- based on Java, it allows creations made by participants to move from server to server, and it integrates powerful visual interfaces. Second we are working to develop pedagogical programs across the K-12 spectrum, and across the curriculum, via active classroom engagement.
This course is intended for pioneering K-12 educators, parents and education researchers who are interested in getting a deep grounding in this important and fast-moving area. K-12 educators must be interested in helping to develop ground-breaking projects for their students, parents must be interested in working online with their children (and their friends) and serving as adult mentors in the community, and education researchers must be interested in develop methodologies for curriculum development and assessment. The course will focus on developing a sound understanding of the principles of network spaces, and the technologies that underly them, and on complementing that conceptual understanding with intimate hands-on experience in a real live network community, Meadows (run by AT&T Research in collaboration with several school districts).
What is most desired for participants is a pioneering spirit, a positive and helpful attitude, a willingness to work hard, and to play hard, and a desire to become involved with these ideas. No particular mathematical or computational sophistication is assumed of the student. A general exposure to computers and the net would be helpful --- if the student is completely new to computing, I may consider giving a short separate two-hour session on the basics of windowed interfaces and the net.
Each week I will give out notes on background material for next week, including some readings from the emerging literature and research on network communities. Before starting the course, the student is expected to have acquired the paperback novel "Snowcrash" by Neil Stephenson, and should be ready to participate in classroom discussion. Student evaluation will be done primarily on the basis of constructions the student has undertaken online and his/her participation in the development of curricular projects.
The course will be divided into three parts:
Introduction ,
Matrix and Meadows , and
projects .
How do you hook up to it, packet communication, naming,
world-wide-web, client-server communication.
Their conceptual basis: connectivity, persistence,
accountability, world-construction.
Social interaction in such spaces.
Study of various social phenomena that have already emerged in
network spaces: exploration of identity, verbal play. Some
unexpected consequences of this "warm" medium. (Turkle, Reid)
Principles of constructionist pedagogy.
Vygotsky. Donald Schon. Penni Eckert. (perhaps Papert.)
Learning via a series of focused conversations,
experimentation.
As part of the course, participants will be taken on online
tours of various network communities. In addition, at least one
class day will be set aside for a field-trip to AT&T Research (in
Florham Park) where researchers on Internet technology will
discuss some of their work with class participants.
Bots (software robots). Objects that have a life of their
own. Can be taught to act in response to events in the world
around them. Can move around in the world, page other players
and bots, record what they see. Can be queried about what they
know. Can initiate actions, delay their response.
Fish. Objects with position and velocity and acceleration. Can
move around (continuously) in 3 dimensions. Can bump into other
objects. Eat food. Get hungry. Aquariums. Bubbles. Ponds.
Fishing. Ecologies.
Cars/Buses/helicopters. Move people from place to place on
Meadows. Traffic lights. Traffic.
Classroom administration.
Classroom, students, assignment boards, bulletin boards,
cabinets. Setting, submitting, grading, returning assignments
-- online. Developing student portfolios. Changing passwords.
Creating characters. Seeing real information.
Ethical issues.
Privacy vs. Monitoring. Freedom of speech. Community
guidelines. Appropriate online behavior and conduct. Maintaining
a learning environment. "Crime", "punishment", "discipline".
Novel possibilities in network communities.
Each educator enrolling in the course will choose a particular
project area to work in. In collaboration with their school
district, arrangements will be made to bring their class on The
Meadows later in the course, so they can participate in the
projects being designed by the educator. Educational
researchers and parents taking this course will be expected to
team up with educators on projects.
Some sample projects
A. Background and Introduction
What is the internet?
What are network spaces?
Pedagogical bases for network spaces.
B. The technical basis for network spaces: Matrix and Tictoc.
The basics.
b. Specifying behavior (Tictoc)
c. Administration and management issues.
C. Projects