File spoon-archives/list-proposals.archive/list-proposals_2000/list-proposals.0001, message 51


From: ma-AT-panix.com
Subject: Re: At week's end
Date: Wed, 26 Jan 2000 10:52:12 -0500 (EST)


I would like to comment a bit on this passage from Nathaniel's post:

>     So, what kind of possibilities? These options might be in the "been
> there, done that" category, but many folks find them potentially useful: 1)
> a list sponsored online conference? Real-Time in a MOO-like environment? 2)
> forums: virtual roundtable, with position papers posted on web, with short
> duration discussion on central theme, 3) an electronic journal (web based)
> 4) an online course [formal or informal] 5) an actual graduate student
> conference, 6) a Spoon Collective Subject Calendar... :)  All time and
> energy consuming, and perhaps not dynamic enough.

See, whether or not these are in the "been there, done that" category and
whether or not they are "dynamic enough" depends on the exact whats and hows
and wherefores of them.  For example: what kind of an online conference?
With what hoped-for outcome?  And depending on the answer to that: what
should be the "static" and what the "dynamic" components?  How structured?
How accessed?  Should there be texts posted on the Web?  Should people be
able to post comments to them?  In what form?  Should there be a Web-based
conversation-via-comments?  If so, what should be the form of the display
so as to encourage, say, depth rather than superficiality?  What kinds of
"memory" should these structures put at the disposal of their users?
Should the conference have a real-time component?  How organized?  Should 
the real-time infrastructure have a static component -- for example, 
so that all participants can look at the same text as they are discussing 
it?  What should that be like?  Would it be worthwhile to experiment with
a video component?  An audio component?  What would one hope to gain from
such experimentation?

In other words, to say "online conference" says almost nothing, just like
saying "list" says almost nothing.  Here is a question, for example: why
do group readings via the Internet almost never succeed?  Is it just
a matter of the participants not being committed enough, or is it also that
email as we know and love it not a good medium for a group reading?
If the latter, how could one try to improve on it?  

And so on, and so forth.  This is the kind of stuff that I refer to by 
"pushing the envelope".  Always, however, going from what one wants and 
hopes to achieve.


-m
   

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