tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11679714.post116127673418500628..comments2024-03-29T02:54:43.436-04:00Comments on Half an Hour: Selling an IdeaStephen Downeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06140591903467372209noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11679714.post-1163223942445848452006-11-11T00:45:00.000-05:002006-11-11T00:45:00.000-05:00Stephen,This is the second post I have read of you...Stephen,<BR/><BR/>This is the second post I have read of yours, the first being your initial rant about the K12 conference.<BR/><BR/>I am doing the gut check digestion on your comments and thoughts and what I am sensing is something short of jealousy. Maybe more along the lines of being insulted by the edu-bloggers you feel who are profitting from their experiences and thoughts.<BR/><BR/>My response is something along the lines of being as long as you produce timely, relevent content that inspires people to react and respond in ways that further the discussion, then who cares what the other blogger does? Is it because you feel they are tagged with the "expert" stamp? Why care if there is a buck to be made? People pay good money for higher education in this world. The nice thing about the Internet is the freedom to get these ideas free through the blogs which is the bread and butter of these profiteers.<BR/><BR/>My biggest complaint at NECC this past summer was seeing the same song and dance from 7 years ago when I started teaching. I couldn't believe the rehash jobs some of the "keynote" and "spotlight" speakers did. Of course, they will have their fans. I am one prone to get up and leave if it is the same song and dance.<BR/><BR/>Look, Andy Williams still attracts a crowd in Branson, Missouri. Axl Rose still pulls the same no-show stunt he did back in the 80s and people still buy tickets. But these guys will never play to the same large crowds. They are not growing their audience. They are not inspiring future performers. They are not growing as a performer.<BR/><BR/>Don't be insulted by those you see as braggarts or charlatans. You build your audience through quality thoughts and reflections. Readers will follow. Innovation always breeds divergent thoughts and the world is a big place. Do not be so easily insulted from those who see a niche that can be filled.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11679714.post-1161497139712762662006-10-22T02:05:00.000-04:002006-10-22T02:05:00.000-04:00Hmmm, this thread is interesting and like all othe...Hmmm, this thread is interesting and like all other voices, worth reading and listening to-- but I think there are some misconceptions here. If anyone is making money from K-12 Online, I am not aware of it, and I am one of the conveners. (Actually the 4th one asked to help because they needed someone for the 4th thread! I joined late.)<BR/><BR/>I don't see a conspiracy here. True, a lot of the people blogging and speaking at conferences are the same people. As far as TechLearning goes, none of us are paid or compensated to blog there as far as I know. (I am not.) TechLearning has and I think continues to pay for first-publication rights to some articles, but except for a couple exceptions everything I've written for them has been for free. Even though I have been paid for a few articles in the past, however, I don't think that implicates me in some dark conspiracy to take credit for and commercialize web 2.0.<BR/><BR/>One of the greatest things about K-12 Online is that it is entirely free and entirely non-commercial. I think what is happening here is really amazing. I'm happy to have people question what has taken place and is taking place, but I challenge anyone to find impropriety in what has been done. CMP and Techlearning are not even remotely involved. Yes, I blog on Fridays for Techlearning and I'm a convener for K-12 Online, but that connection (and the connection of other presenters like David Warlick, David Jakes, and others) is incidental rather than indicative of a conspiracy. I think they are presenting for K-12 Online for the same reason Techlearning asked them to blog for them-- They all have great ideas, and are willing to share them with a larger audience.<BR/><BR/>Thanks as always for sharing your perspectives Stephen, which continue to be fresh and challenging. In this case, however, I think you may be misperceiving the motivations and the actual actions of some people and organizations. Clearly there have been and always will be people who attempt to make a profit off the work of others. I definitely don't think that is happening in the case of K-12 Online.<BR/><BR/>I am not presenting at the K-12 Online conference, btw. My proposal for the "Personal/Professional Development" thread was not accepted by the review panel that Will put together. So, maybe I shouldn't have made that "A lister" group after all?! :-)Wesley Fryerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03502157354436518160noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11679714.post-1161436413644617472006-10-21T09:13:00.000-04:002006-10-21T09:13:00.000-04:00Stephen, thanks for clarifying your thoughts here....Stephen, thanks for clarifying your thoughts here. I for one, am a bit regretful about the comment I posted over at downes.ca on your OLDaily post because it probably symbolises my involvement in the K12 Online Conference - just jumping in without thinking. I hadn't even considered that other agendas would be coming into play - it's even crossed my mind that maybe my application was accepted to boost the international quota - you know, one of the token Aussies. I can't pretend to know others' intentions and I never would have seen the links that you have detailed here so thanks for helping me value my own contributions (whatever the dubious quality) a little bit more and for starting others talking a bit as well. I hadn't even considered that this was a re-invention of a regular conference before listening to Dave - in my eagerness to try something new, I did not stop to think that there may be other more-controlled-by-me situations to further my own thinking and to influence others. I think I have to take some of my own advice - learning from each other is very different to setting up a presentation and dispensing that "learning" out to others. I will still be a part of K-12 Online Conference and if you're right and I get burned by having some of my own work re-purposed for the gain of others, then like my 3 year old son last weekend when he burnt his fingers on the stove hotplate, I will be much warier and require much more from myself in terms of Why?Graham Wegnerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17303319509348129453noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11679714.post-1161385635909106412006-10-20T19:07:00.000-04:002006-10-20T19:07:00.000-04:00Stephen, if I'm reading this right, you are more t...Stephen, if I'm reading this right, you are more than a little peeved cause some 'experts' out there are taking the ideas and the work of others, rebranding and repackaging, and then selling them as something new.<BR/><BR/>I can understand the frustration, but isn't that we, the human race, have always done. When you really think about it, how many of us have ever had a totally original idea. Virtually everything we do, say and create comes from what we have seen, read, and experienced based on the ideas, thoughts and work of those that have come before us.<BR/><BR/>Maybe those that do the rebranding just have a little more of the entreprenurial spirit than the rest of us. Good on 'em. And good on you....a little pot stirring is always a healthy thing.Municipal Politics Bloghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01537442869140371211noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11679714.post-1161355343323141792006-10-20T10:42:00.000-04:002006-10-20T10:42:00.000-04:00I have jumped on the bandwagon in the last nine mo...I have jumped on the bandwagon in the last nine monthes and it was because I came across Will Richardson's blog. Now I must admit that I did buy his book but it was well worth every cent since I've read it through twice.<BR/><BR/>One of the things that I have appreciated the most about this group of Edubloggers is their willingness to share what they have created for free, ie, Will's presentation wiki.<BR/><BR/>Even if I only lurk on the sidelines of the K-12 Conference, I appreciate the effort and all the new information I am being presented with. Where else am I going to hear so many different expert/learners or adventurers along this new road?Diane Phttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02372257372993167544noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11679714.post-1161352531303369192006-10-20T09:55:00.000-04:002006-10-20T09:55:00.000-04:00I believe we all agree that Web 2.0 and educationa...I believe we all agree that Web 2.0 and educational reform must be larger than a group of people.<BR/><BR/>But since, I'm not included in your list (whew!) and I'm not an A-lister (I don't think) and I don't have anything to sell (at least not yet) I will say this.<BR/><BR/>My classroom change was sparked by one thing and one thing only -- I heard David Warlick speak at a conference.<BR/><BR/>So, no matter whether each of them has some ill intentions or something, they've been very inclusive of me (a newcomer). They have linked to me, commented on my site, and encouraged me, a virtual nobody. They have taught me and yes, even emailed me on occasion.<BR/><BR/>They are not paid to consult with me, they do it for free. David gives my students classblogmeister for free. It is a great safe place for them to learn. Jennifer does the Technospud project for free.<BR/><BR/>One of the guidelines I teach my students in blogging is to "Never impune the motives of another when you do not know them."<BR/><BR/>Yes, I agree that the voice needs to be much larger than a set group of people. Yes, I agree that others need to be included. However, as a newcomer to this foray of web 2.0 madness and as a fan of your blog, I believe that perhaps you have wrongly disparaged some great people.<BR/><BR/>I'll continue to read your blog but I vehemently disagree with you on this topic!Vicki Davis @coolcatteacherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05549879610620143027noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11679714.post-1161298134541104462006-10-19T18:48:00.000-04:002006-10-19T18:48:00.000-04:00Stephen, let me say that I respect your opinion. ...Stephen, let me say that I respect your opinion. I consider you an A-lister in the edu-blogging world. I understand the point you were trying to make. <BR/><BR/>The great thing about the world of blogs is that we can read about peoples opinions, think about the content, write about it, and continue the cycle (I know I'm stating the obvious). I don't always agree with your point of view as I don't always agree with the views from the other bloggers you mentioned but the great thing is that I have to think about it making me valididate my own opinions.<BR/><BR/>I've drawn an interesting parallel to the CMP effect: Google-Yahoo effect! A lot of independent programmers, thinkers, and idea people in the "Web2.0" (uh-oh did I commit copyright infrigment with OReilly) have been swallowed up by Google or Yahoo. <BR/><BR/>Voices like yours are some of the most important ones keeping others honest and true to the cause improving student achievement. Please keep doing what your doing.<BR/><BR/>Michael Richards<BR/>Mildred L. Day School<BR/>Arundel, Maine<BR/>mrichme.edublogs.orgmrichmehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04989229412794763074noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11679714.post-1161297028218575302006-10-19T18:30:00.000-04:002006-10-19T18:30:00.000-04:00"Aren't you like the primordial A-Lister?"Yeah. Th..."Aren't you like the primordial A-Lister?"<BR/><BR/>Yeah. That's why I started a blog here and told people they shouldn't read it. I neither need nor want <A HREF="http://www.technorati.com/search/halfanhour.blogspot.com" REL="nofollow">Technorati</A> buzz.Stephen Downeshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06140591903467372209noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11679714.post-1161296056812233902006-10-19T18:14:00.000-04:002006-10-19T18:14:00.000-04:00Stephen, I don't question the acuity of your obser...Stephen, I don't question the acuity of your observations at all! <BR/><BR/>If you're not buying ideas, that's quite alright. I'm not selling 'em. I'm just sharing my experiences as I go through life. If you want to hang out and share, too, please do. <BR/><BR/>What you describe with "this and this" is blogging...linking and making connections. I love it when you link because my stats go up...but there's no corresponding increase in my paycheck. <BR/><BR/>Writing for ego-gratification, writing for self and then the audience is why I started writing. I do not write for a paycheck...it stifles the creative process, if you can call my process creative (grin).<BR/><BR/>BACKGROUND ON T&L BLOG ORIGINS:<BR/>"TechLearning Blogerati" is a joke David Warlick started. Who would have thought others wouldn't get the punchline? I still remember how I was "made" (hehe). <BR/><BR/>I was at this TechForum conference, ran into Gwen Solomon, an old editor of mine from "The Well-Connected Educator" web site that published a few of my articles. <BR/><BR/>Wes Fryer, David Warlick and David Jakes were chatting with Gwen about the blogging venture, and I honestly think Gwen took pity on me, and invited me to participate. Wes talked me up some and that was nice.<BR/><BR/>It was a longer commitment than I was prepared to make, but I said, "Sure, why not?" It's been a fun ride, a bit grim to keep writing through my dad's cancer and his passing but I'm still grateful for the experience. I'm glad other folks like Scott McLeod and Jeff U have started writing. He started at MY invitation.<BR/>You know, that David Jakes fellow...sigh. We disagree on almost everything except his passion for digital storytelling. (smile)<BR/><BR/>So, Stephen, would YOU like to be a guest blogger for T&L? I can "buy" you off and you can put a picture at the bottom of Half an Hour saying you're a "Blogerati."<BR/>But...you're STEPHEN DOWNES. Aren't you like the primordial A-Lister?<BR/>;-><BR/><BR/>Not sure how he ended up on anyone's list (that's what A-List stands for (joke)),<BR/><BR/>Miguel Guhlin<BR/>Around the Corner-MGuhlin.net<BR/>http://www.mguhlin.net/blogMiguel Guhlin (@mGuhlin)https://www.blogger.com/profile/13515062893694709221noreply@blogger.com