Re: Silent participation

Joanne Larson (joln who-is-at troi.cc.rochester.edu)
Fri, 10 Sep 1999 12:08:33 +0100

This line of discussion has been particularly interesting for me. I
suppose I would be what Eva has called a silent participant to this list.
I have been a subsriber for four and a half years and have contributed only
one or two times. I would argue, however, that I have been actively
participating. It depends on your definition of participation. My
research focuses on participation in classrooms, specifically on changing
participation. I pay particular attention to overhearer participation and
the consequences of "primary" interaction on overhearers and visa versa and
have found that this participant role is very active indeed. It's
interesting that I am finding myself in the role of overhearer on this
list.

My participation looks something like this. I read over the list postings
in my inbox everyday, perusing topics and names of contributors as I make
my decision about what to read. There are some people's postings I will
always read and others I will not. If my work is particularly demanding, I
may skip certain lines of discussion and follow others. I often grow tired
of the more argumentative lines, particularly the ones that seem to be more
about insult than inquiry or theory building. I always appreciate Mike's
mediation during these times. I sometimes forward postings to colleagues
whose research might benefit, they usually like that and sometimes end up
as subscribers themselves. I save certain postings that are important to
me personally or that are relevant to my research. I always learn
something.

Regarding safety. I can tell you that I am always nervous contributing,
getting butterflies as I push the send button. I'm not sure if this is
related to safety. I do worry that something I say will end up in one of
those argument lines that I don't like. I'm intimidated, sometimes, when I
think of who might be reading my words. I think that as I grow as a
researcher and scholar, as my participation in the academic community
changes, this fear will subside.

Joanne

Joanne Larson
Box 270425 Dewey Hall
Warner Graduate School of Education
University of Rochester
Rochester, NY 14627
office: (716) 275-0900
fax: (716)473-7598
e-mail: joln who-is-at troi.cc.rochester.edu