Moderating

From: Cunningham, Donald (cunningh@indiana.edu)
Date: Sat Mar 31 2001 - 08:21:18 PST


As I understand it, the role of the moderator is to moderate: Ask questions,
make links, summarize positions, probe for reasons. Many on this list have
experience with this role in their classrooms. If you want to communicate
authoritative interpretations, discussions are pretty inefficient. If you
want to promote collaborative problem solving, multiple perspectives, fresh
insights, etc., a well managed discussion can't be beat. I propose we
consider LBE as a tool to think with rather than an authoritative source
whose meaning we are trying to discern. If the introductory chapters are any
indication, this is precisely the attitude Yrjö Engeström takes. He invites
us to follow the logic, consider the sources, critique the argument
throughout the chapters to follow (which I have not read so don't know how
well he carried this off). I for one think it entirely appropriate for us to
see how the tools and concepts apply to our own work and to share the
results with our colleagues.

Tomorrow I'll post a short summary and pose a few question. Feel free to
ignore them. Like a good official at a basketball game, I'll try to be
inconspicuous.

djc

Donald J. Cunningham, Ph.D.
Director, Center for Research on Learning and Technology
Indiana University
201 N. Rose, Rm 2201
Bloomington, IN 47405
Internet: cunningh@indiana.edu
Phone: 812-856-8201
Fax: 812-856-8245
WWW: http://php.ucs.indiana.edu/~cunningh

-----Original Message-----
From: Judith Diamondstone [mailto:diamonju@rci.rutgers.edu]
Sent: Saturday, March 31, 2001 10:11 AM
To: xmca@weber.ucsd.edu
Subject: Re: lack of volunteers noted

Let me make clear that I too am a neophyte, and if what is wanted is
authoritative interpretations, I too decline.

Judy



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