Value of Community Networking - point to ponder!
Larry Tague (ltague@physio1.utmem.edu)
Tue, 18 Mar 1997 13:26:07 -0600 (CST)
Community Networking Participants,
Lets talk about the value of community networking as it relates to
educational reform. And later lets understand what we mean by educational
reform, and when and where this might should occur. I am going to make a
few statements related to potential concepts of educational reform as it
might relate to community networking. Some of these statements you might
agree with, and for others you will, or at least could have major
objections.
1. Community networking that provides store-front computer network access
contributes little if anything to foster educational reform. Public
access to networked computers without an educational objective is of no
value.
2. Community networking should be separated from formal educational
institutions and the mainstream of educational reform. Collaborations with
schools are counter productive for community networking because schools
have been one of our worst examples of how computer mediated
communications (CMC) can best be used. For that matter schools have been
generally unimpressive in the use of any communication technology
(Washington Post, Oct. 27, 1996 - Larry Cuban -
http://www.mecca.org/~ltague/PITTCONF/niiteach.html ). Community
networking has little if any value to our schools.
3. Community networking has the potential of including knowledgeable
segments of our population, traditionally outside the schools, in
educational activities which would otherwise be left out.
4. Due to the dynamic constantly changing landscape of politics, community
networking enthusiast should avoid all forms of political involvement
(collaborations) with those institutions who are associated with local
governmental agencies that require an ongoing relationship for community
networking support. Local political support is often a two edged sword
that can hamper systemic educational reform.
5. Providing computer and networking infrastructure should not be part of
the NIE objective for community networking. Only those institutions or
groups who currently have a computer infrastructure should be targets of
outreach. Our NIE computer networking programs should only provide the
connections and functional support and nothing more. Other than making the
connection, we have no responsibility for educational reform.
6. The primary value of the NIE community networking program is associated
with the models of functional educational reform that are established
through our efforts. Only when these models are expanded and implemented
community-wide can we deem our efforts successful.
Now remember, you do not necessarily need to address all of these
statements. Address those which you feel strongly about, and/or for which
you can cite examples based on project experience. If you agree with a
statement... why, and if you disagree... why?
Thanks for your attention to these issues, and have a good day!
Larry
Larry Tague
Co-Director of MECCA*
Research Associate Dept. of Physiology & Biophysics
Phone Bus.: 901-448-7152 U.T. Memphis
Phone FAX: 901-448-7126 894 Union Ave.
e-mail:ltague@physio1.utmem.edu or Memphis, TN 38163
ltague@mecca.mecca.org
*MECCA (Memphis Educational Computer Connectivity Alliance)
URL: http://www.mecca.org/