A Compound of Alchymie

Contactivity 2006

Just spent two interesting days at Contactivity at the University of Greenwich. Contactivity is a sort of fluffy people focused KM event which has grown out of KM Europe (which is considered to be too systems focused). The first Contactivity event ran alongside KCC Europe in Amsterdam last November (see previous entry). It’s supported and promoted by Knowledge Board. It was an unusual event to say the least, with lots of opportunity for participants to contribute to the agenda.

Day 1 was the most structured – I helped facilitate a Cayenne project simulation for over 60 people, we also did some structured networking (Peter Toxler) and witnessed the launch of a new free KM book  (see separate article).

Day 2 was a lot more free-form comprising three do-it-yourself sessions:

Future Forwards and Backwards - This scenario planning tool  is used a constituent of the Cynefin stuff used by Dave Snowden. It's a little confusing initially and we didn't really have time to complete the exercise properly, however I do like the approach and it would be good for a whole range of scenario planning activities (including defining your business strategy).

Open Space - An free-form collaborative experience with built-in agenda setting...the best bit is the principal of 'two feet' which allows you to circulate freely until you find something that interests you.

Knowledge Café - David Gurteen's 'conversations in a cafe style' based loosely on World Cafe.

Taking part in three such events in one day was probably a little ambitious – at times I would have loved to have had a breakout session for a couple of PowerPoint presentations – if only for the visual stimulus! One advantage of such an event is the complete lack of notes one makes – you’re so engaged in discussion you don’t have the opportunity to transfer your own ideas or reflections to paper. However your own notes are partly replaced by the flip charts that each group produces – the plan is to share this as an output online (see links below). The strength of Contactivity apparently is in the conversations and I have to agree that my lasting impression is of a bunch of slightly quirky people (me included) who have a passion for exploring issues in the domain we loosely call KM.

The next Contactivity is in Israel in September – don’t think I’ll be able to make that but I’m keen to do another one closer to home sometime. Not sure if there are any plans to run it alongside KCC Europe this year?

Photo is courtesy of Ed Mitchell at KnowledgeBoard (forgot my own camera) - lots more images at Flickr.

If you took part in Contactivity and you are reading this please leave a comment!

Link: Contactivity 2006 Wiki
Link: KnowledgeBoard Event Write-Up
Link: Contactivity Amsterdam

Jobs in 2016

Fast Company magazine recently took a tongue-in-cheek look at what jobs might be in demand in 2016. Here is my list:

Danger - Plan your exit strategy:

Web Designers - The new tools will be so cool anyone will be able to build a web site
Trainers - All learning will be online
Checkout People - We don't need anyone to talk to when putting our shopping into bags
Financial Advisors - Apart from my friend Martin who is always up for a coffee and a chat
Airline Pilots - The thrill of flying 'Intel Inside' is just too good to miss

Looking Good - Try these new career options:

Home Computer Troubleshooters - All that converging technology is going to mean that an IT support person will be much more valuable than an au-pair in 2016
Personal Online Shopper - Let someone else take the eye strain
Escort - Powered by the Internet, the oldest profession goes from strength to strength
Pastor/Vicar/Priest - Because God's work is never done...

Bristol Knowledge Cafe 2

The second Bristol Knowledge Cafe takes place on 10th May from 6-8pm.

I absolutley have to attend because one of my ideas for the theme has been selected (not sure how) - maybe it was just a brilliant theme ;-)...!!

"I had a wealth of ideas to choose from and on this occasion, following feedback, the topic selected is “are learning and knowledge sharing the same thing?” It will be an exciting subject to explore both in terms of global issues as well as business issues." Debbie Lawley

BAE Systems are hosting the event. Contact Debbie Lawley if you'd like to attend.  Look forward to seeing you there!

Gurteen Knowledge Cafe - Bristol

I attended the inaugural Gurteen Knowledge Cafe in Bristol on 16th February. David Gurteen made a special trip down to the West Country to support Debbie Lawley the Bristol Cafe organiser. It was hosted by the Orange KM team and specifically Peter Hall, Head of KM. Since it was a launch event we didn't get much time to discuss any specific theme but we did take the opportunity to get to know each other and to think about what topics and themes we might like to discuss moving forward. David also spent some time (probably a little too much time)  introducing the Knowledge Cafe format. It was well attended with a good mix of people from different work backgrounds - from corporates, to public sector and even a few fierce independents like me.  I was interested enough to commit to the next event - I guess it will depend on the theme but I'm not completely clear on how as a group we will select a theme?

Three ideas from me:

Are learning and knowledge sharing the same thing?
Is there such a thing as knowledge overload?
Is there such a thing as sustainable development?

ExLink: How to run a Knowledge Cafe (David Gurteen)
ExLink: Gilly Salmon's Knowledge Cafe Set-up (Online Educa Berlin 2005)

Information or Knowledge?

At the recent Plymouth e-Learning conference Steve Coombs (Bath Spa University) gave a presentation on 'Critical Thinking Scaffolds' based the work done by Jonassen on Mindtools. Don't want to explore this now but one area that Steve touched upon was the ‘confusion between information and knowledge’. His position was that 'knowledge is constructed in the mind of the learner' - and that unlike information which is a tangible, knowledge is effectively a phenomena. I guess 'the learner' is effectively the seeker of new knowledge in this context?  I think this is a critical, and useful distinction between information and knowledge.  But if knowledge only exists in someone's head then is it actually possible to manage it? Probably not, but it is possible to tap into it and for the knowledgeable person to share it with other knowledgeable people.

Real Learners at a Virtual College

At the recent Plymouth e-Learning conference Bill McNeill delivered an interesting session on supporting virtual learners. Bill works for the College of Estate Management - an educational establishment that it is entirely virtual. Using Blackboard as their VLE the college delivers accredited programmes to surveyors worldwide. Bill talked about their approach to e-tutoring and the practical steps they have taken to encourage participation. This was a good real life case study and clearly there are some key lessons for practitioners – especially those in the work based learning space. The college awards extra credits for participation and has found the approach successful in promoting participation. Bill refered more than once to practice informed by the work of Gilly Salmon, e.g. max 15 learner’s for best participation, tutors stimulation activity online (effectively acting as a catalyst – speeding up the interaction without actually directying or controlling it), and leaving footprints (a useful concept to encourage engagement and participation).

m-learning

m-learning is something I’ve tried to ignore until now. Why invent a new label simply because the end user device is portable and has a really small screen (if it has a screen at all)? For me m-learning is simply e-learning delivered to mobile devices but I think that part of the attraction of m-learning lies less with the technology but more the mindset that is characteristic of the 'connected generation'. iPods, PSPs, Zens and Smartphones are pervasive cultural objects and much more than simple end user devices. iPods and podcasting for example create fresh new channels for learning that are only just beginning to be explored. One application of m-learning that has already taken off is Dr Companion, a reference service for doctors delivered via a PDA. It includes the complete BNF (the UK drugs encyclopedia) online  - and let's face it what self respecting medic would want to be more that an arm's reach away from the good old BNF! m-learning may be more than just hype after all.

e-Learning Land

This is a quick entry on Gilly Salmon's 'e-Learning Land'.  She spoke at the Plymouth e-Learning conference and also at Online Educa in Berlin in December 2005.  Check out her website for lots more stuff on e-Learning (in an educational context).

ExLink: e-Learning Land Presentation
ExLink: All Things in Moderation (Gilly's Web Site)

Land of Unrealistic Business Assumptions

In some recent cartoon strips Scott Adams has created a whole new fantasy world for his reluctant  hero knowledge worker, Dilbert. 'The Land of Unrealistic Business Assumptions' takes a swipe at all those overly optimistic entrepreneurs who manage to persuade investors, sleepy bank managers, gullible friends and worst of all themselves that they can be the next Donald Trump (as long as they can craft a good enough sales forecast in Excel). Some days are made better by Scott Adams' insightful humour.

ExLink: Dilbert in 'The Land of Unrealistic Business Assumptions'

Physical Learning Structures

More from the Plymouth e-Learning Conference

In a physical educational environment times and methods of access to books and teachers is controlled. This is a concept worthy of further investigation. The physical structures limit access and I guess in some way come about more as a result of the education business model rather than as a specific attempt to deny wider access or participation. The fact that the conference itself took place in a physical space (a brand new multi-million space) demonstrated the lack of access. Plymouth is pretty hard to get to if you live in the North of the country and due to an uncharacteristically early fall of snow even those who were physically close struggled to join in. Clearly there is a lot more to concrete structures than ease of access – new buildings make strong statements about identity and permanence is ways that a virtual space could never do. The dean of the Oxford can show you around physical spaces that underpin the status of his institution – that’s hard to do if you run a virtual university.