Entry Points in the Interaction Universe

participatory culture mapping

There has not been a whole ton of interacting itself for our slow-read book talk on Participatory Culture in a Networked EraFolks are still getting the book, or recovering from the holidays, or just plain ol’ busy in their lives. But that hasn’t stopped Terry Elliott and myself (mostly Terry) from trying to encourage open participation along many different sites and technology platforms.

Mostly, this is because no single experience captures the kinds of participatory activity we envision for a book talk. But also, this is because exploration and dispersion of ideas is part of the experience itself. We don’t want ideas confined to one space.

The chart above is my attempt to keep track of it all, and I am sure I have missed bits of it. I know, and I hope, there are discussions unfolding outside our field of vision. There be dragons …

But there is the danger of too much dispersion of interaction, too, and the worry is that all will be lost in the haze of connections. Or, that someone entering now will think, I’ve missed it all and don’t know where to begin. We can say “there is no fixed beginning point” all we want, but we need to show that and keep the invitations open. Terry is working on a place where links to all of these discussions can be had for anyone just entering the discussions or interested in what’s going on.

What I realized as I was putting the chart together is that it is not easy to keep something like a slow-read book talk moving forward over weeks and months time. Momentum gets lost rather quickly. Maybe our aim to build a participatory culture experience around a book about participatory culture ideas won’t quite work. If all of the energy falls to the organizers, is it truly participatory? Don’t know. Prob not. What you get then is a small book group or conversation, not a participatory experience.

It’s worth trying, though. It’s always worth trying.

Me? I aim to keep reading and reflecting on it all, as best as I can. I am finding the book useful and the authors interesting, and I look forward to what others are noting and observing.

You’re invited, too. Of course, you are invited.

We’re on Twitter with the #digiwrimo hashtag. And in the Digital Writing Month Google Plus community. Folks are annotating with the Kindle app in Amazon. Goodreads is another place for notes and reactions (here are my notes). Blogs are another means of book talk writing. Heck, send notes as smoke signals. We’ll find a way to see them and connect.

Peace (in the chart),
Kevin

17 Comments
  1. Ultimately, the participatory experience can be a subset of two–the book and the reader. Of course each of those is universe itself, connected by gravity and dark matter/energy. Like synapses, we fire together and then wire together. I have made my peace with the idea that this universe is mostly empty space, very dark, but ultimately connected. And remember the most important three principles in learning: connection, connection, and connection. Or if you prefer another adapted quote: always be connecting.

    antispamicoupler: spooky mr Spooky Mr Spooky smiled at the door’s lock and it sort of melted. My teacher was a…wizard? One thing I knew for sure: don’t give him a reason to do the melty grin thing with me.

  2. Well it looks like we might be working two different genres here but I had to pop over and check this out since, after all, you WERE first on Slice of Life this morning (I was second but only because I had to get my morning run in first!) I’m happy I stumbled upon you because although I still don’t know what participatory culture is, you’ve piqued my interest and I can’t wait to check out some of your other links. Catch up with you later.
    Katie

  3. Kevin, You are always trying new things and pushing the envelope and I admire you so much for that! I’m intrigued by the slow-read book talk. Is it something you’d ever try with students? Thanks for pushing my thinking!

  4. Kevin, I am amazed at your creativity and how you view the world through a lens that challenges others to broaden their lens. You certainly do that with me and I am so appreciative.

  5. I’m mesmerized by the chart, knowing that some students will like it, and dive right in. My only negative is that I would want those chapters to move along quickly, as in a padlet response of participation. I hope you share more when you’ve tried it with students. It might also work beautifully as a PD experience, learning ways to connect as the discussion of a book occurred.

  6. Slow read? Oh boy…I admit, I have been in a virtual hole for the last few months so I missed hearing about this. I’ll have to check it out, but I know I personally need momentum, deadlines, check-ins to keep me on target.
    That said, the holidays are a tough time to get people to do anything at the same time…other than maybe smooch at midnight on NYE. So the flexibility isn’t necessarily a bad thing.
    Like you said, it’s worth trying – it’s always worth trying.
    And thanks for extending the invitation to latecomers. I’ll have to check out what’s going on. (Is there a best place to start?)

  7. You bring up some very relevant points. Being overwhelmed or intimidated with connectedness. We need to make sense of it all or what’s the point. I applaud you for reaching out and seeking. I think we all have to find our comfort zone and then be encouraged to push a bit. Take it in and then push some more. Thank you for your always inclusive and reflective stance!

  8. You made me curious. The book landed on my TBR pile. The concept of slow book talk over different platforms is a fascinating one. It will be interesting to see what learning points you gain from this experience and what advice you will share.

  9. Hi Keven.

    I really appreciate the initiative and leadership you and Terry Elliott are taking with your blog articles, graphics, G+ and all.

    I’d love to see the graphic above, with links that point to more info on each section of the graphic. Here’s one of my concept maps, with links to web sites I hope people will read and begin using. http://tinyurl.com/TMI-MappingData

    Motivating, inspiring, leading people to this information is a form of evangelism that faith groups have been doing for a few thousand years. They offer a “spiritual fulfillment” and “life beyond death” and often a “guilt trip” as motivation.

    Those are powerful, yet still thousands (millions?) don’t spend much time in their space. Thus, our challenge is even more daunting.

    I think connected learning, and personal reading and reflection, does offer promise of a better life..while we’re still on this planet…. for ourselves, our kids, our neighbors, and people we don’t know, but who need our help.

    I’ll look forward to interacting with your network more in 2016.

    Happy New Year.

  10. I appreciate that you shared your notes in Goodreads and linked to them here. Skimming through those was a quick, interesting read. I wonder how you would evaluate the platforms you use for this read and the interactions that each afford. If you’re looking for interaction, which yields the most or the best?

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