<html>
<head>
<meta content="text/html; charset=windows-1252"
http-equiv="Content-Type">
</head>
<body bgcolor="#FFFFFF" text="#000000">
Hiya All,<br>
<br>
Given all the practical advice I've offered over the years, I think
it's unfair to say (as Anya Kamenetz does below) that "I've never
read anything you've written (and yes, I've read plenty of your
writing) that would be particularly useful, comprehensible or
interesting to a bright 19 year old like Weezie, much less a 64 year
old trying to earn a community college degree, like Melvin Doran,
the LearnerWeb participant."<br>
<br>
Still, recognizing that it would be helpful were my advice offered
in one place, I offer a compilation of my popular and useful work:<br>
<blockquote>Access :: Future<br>
Practical Advice on How to Learn and What to Learn<br>
an e-book by Stephen Downes<br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://www.downes.ca/files/AccessFuture.pdf">http://www.downes.ca/files/AccessFuture.pdf</a><br>
</blockquote>
This is just one book. I also have a ton of other material on really
practical hands-on stuff (how to create RSS feeds, how to set up
Drupal, how to create a radio station, etc.) which I'll compile and
post some time in the future. And maybe I'll release the 'open
education' book, the 'connectivism' book, etc. in the weeks ahead,
if there's any demand for it.<br>
<br>
-- Stephen<br>
<br>
<br>
On 08/09/2011 7:44 AM, Anya Kamenetz wrote:
<blockquote
cite="mid:CAPGT6mv1ozgtZhu0-30sgoqcKEDVQg8cT1UZcucGPfBHxkmxnQ@mail.gmail.com"
type="cite">Hi Stephen,
<div>Thank you--sincerely--for taking the time to read the guide
and offer your opinions. You even found some nice things to
say! </div>
<div>I am sure if you took the time to write a popular guide to
DIY learning, it would be far more intellectually coherent than
what I was able to produce in the short time given me. You have,
after all, been working on and discovering these ideas for a
lifetime while I have only been interpreting and communicating
about them for a few years. In fact, if you have the time, you
and some colleagues should write The Real Edupunks' Guide. I
would promote such a thing far and wide.</div>
<div>However. I've never read anything you've written (and yes,
I've read plenty of your writing) that would be particularly
useful, comprehensible or interesting to a bright 19 year old
like Weezie, much less a 64 year old trying to earn a community
college degree, like Melvin Doran, the LearnerWeb participant.
Believe it or not, there are lots of people who don't know how
to use Google or do the most basic kind of research. </div>
<div>And this is also why I focus so much on cost. I come to the
topic of education from covering student loans. Simon
characterizes the academy beautifully as a welcoming place and a
lever of social mobility, but it doesn't function that way so
well any more in the US because of tuition that rises at twice
the rate of inflation every year. The popular discontent with
organized education is inseparable from its rising cost.</div>
<div> It is true, that building your own car doesn't save money,
but changing your own oil sure does, or even better converting
your car to run on veggie diesel. A lot of people are indeed
attracted to the DIY approach initially because of cost savings,
and as they start to participate realize other benefits or the
process. I think, in the guide, I explain pretty clearly how to
start participating. I talk about forming a goal, finding a
network, approaching a mentor. It's through this kind of
participation that people--hopefully a much, much broader range
of people than before--will be drawn into the process of
"becoming" that you describe so beautifully. </div>
<div>But when you write the real Edupunks' Guide, please don't say
"Want to learn how to make Thai food? Great! Go make some Thai
food." I'm sorry, that's just not helpful.</div>
<div>a</div>
<div>
<br>
</div>
</blockquote>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<div class="moz-signature">-- <br>
<table border="0" width="100%">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="100">
<img moz-do-not-send="false"
src="file:///C:/downes-sig.jpg" alt="Signature">
</td>
<td valign="top">
<span style="font:italic small-caps normal 25px/150%
Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Stephen Downes<br>
</span>
<span style="font:italic normal 14px/150% Arial,
Helvetica, sans-serif;">Research Officer, National
Research Council Canada<br>
100 rue des Aboiteaux, Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada
E1A 7R1<br>
Website: <a href="http://www.downes.ca">http://www.downes.ca</a>
~ Email: <a href="mailto:stephen@downes.ca">stephen@downes.ca</a></span>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</div>
</body>
</html>