Re: Re(2): Discourse structures & Confused in California

diane celia hodges (dchodges who-is-at interchg.ubc.ca)
Mon, 12 Jan 1998 17:58:36 -0800

At 1:54 PM 1/12/98, Rachel Heckert wrote:
>Kathie and xmca'ers,
>
>I appreciate your preference for creative/extempore learning, but there's
>a rub, and Mike in his post (immediately after yours) hits on it exactly.
> Our system is designed to produce _failure_ just as much as success.
>
>Some people may be able to carry off a free-fall approach to learning
>with success, particularly if they're older or have done other types of
>tasks without guidance. However, many of the people currently in the
>middle of "receiving an education" in our current system are so
>sensitized to the possibilities and punishments for failure that the fear
>itself will inhibit any kind of creativity or chance-taking, overtly or
>covertly.

what would constitute a "failure" in posting to this list? I mean, it
seems like you are suggesting that a fear of failure is what prevents
lurkers from posting. Or maybe I'm misunderstanding...?

>
>We do not have to put down restrictions and guidelines, but a few
>friendly suggestions can be taken as such, and free up the reticent to
>make their own contributions, which can turn out to be surprisingly
>worthwhile.
>
>Rachel

Do you mean suggestions about content, or are you asking if there is an
implicit protocol in the discussions?
diane

>On Mon, 12 Jan 1998 09:20:43 -0700 Katherine_Goff who-is-at ceo.cudenver.edu
>(Katherine Goff) writes:
>>Rachel writes:
>>>But what is the proper way to address a community, particularly if
>>I've
>>>never - literally - seen any of its members face to face, and in fact
>>>don't know who most of them are? Obviously many members of xmca know
>>>each other from other contexts, but what about newcomers? I feel the
>>>tension very clearly, and also feel a difference between posting a
>>>general question to the list (pull towards formality/written style)
>>and
>>>replying to a particular posting from a named individual
>>>(conversational/informal). How does one learn to interact in such a
>>>situation, where immediate feedback is minimal and usually limited?
>>>(Think of all the nuances gleaned from non-verbal cues in FTF
>>>interaction.)
>>
>>It wasn't all that long ago when I was in a similar place with similar
>>worries.
>>
>>And I probably would have viewed an FAQ on participation as supportive
>>and
>>helpful.
>>
>>But when such things are given to new participants, they constrain the
>>possibilities for creative expression and make innovation more
>>difficult.
>>Some new members may be turned off by what could be viewed as
>>restrictions
>>and prescriptions for participation. If the rules are ambiguous, they
>>are
>>open to interpretaion, open to new possibilities.
>>
>>I, personally, feel that I benefited from "taking the plunge" without
>>sufficient information to feel completely comfortable.
>>
>>Kathie
>>
>>^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>>Life's backwards,
>>Life's backwards,
>>People, turn around.
>>^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^Sinead O'Connor and John Reynolds
>>Fire on Babylon: Universal Mother^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>>^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>>Katherine_Goff who-is-at ceo.cudenver.edu
>>http://ouray.cudenver.edu/~kegoff/index.html
>>
>>