online conference tomorrow w howard rheingold

One of the distinguishing characteristics of Open Source Learning is connecting directly with thinkers, authors, and mentors who have the knowledge & experience we seek.  Tomorrow in 4th period we will be talking online with Howard Rheingold.  I got to know Howard when I introduced the idea of Open Source Learning at Palo Alto's Institute for the Future in May, 2011.  Howard is one of the foremost authorities on the culture and potential of the Internet.  His books coined the term "virtual community" & predicted the rise and impact of social media and the smart phone.  Forbes Magazine went so far as to call him a "digital elder."  In addition to his own writing and teaching (at Stanford and UC Berkeley), Howard moderates online events for the University of California Irvine's Digital Media & Learning Hub/Connected Learning program, which is funded by the Macarthur Foundation.  He has invited us to talk with him tomorrow. 

Another distinguishing characteristic of Open Source Learning is the idea that every participant can "write" the curriculum-- in other words, we all create and refine our path(s) of inquiry by asking questions and suggesting resources, ideas and actions that accelerate understanding.

Lastly, Open Source Learning is transparent; online data can be shared in its original form and we can see how it changes over time.

Here's an example: Howard and I exchanged emails in which we discussed the online conference.  He invited you to hack it (see screen shot below).  So, please comment to this post with anything you'd like to see considered in our conversation with Howard.  Or go directly to the planning document and contribute.  I will introduce the basic concepts of our work at the beginning, and then I will turn the conference over to students who will lead the discussion from there.  If you'd like to invite someone to watch you online you can send them a link here.  Looking forward to the conversation!