Something from my Research

Growing Up DigitalIn going through some books (I’m surprised how old Millennials Rising [2000] and Growing Up Digital [1998] are now), and ran across the Participant Rights and Rules that Don Tapscott used in the kids interactive forum he used in preparing the book. They seem especially appropriate for today’s classroom blogging communities.

  • You are entitled to express your opinions.
  • You are entitled to an audience.
  • You are expected to learn.
  • Your are expected to teach.
  • You have a right to disagree.
  • You have a right to respond.
  • It is your privilege to change your mind.
  • It is your privilege to remain silent.

There are others that should be added concerning appropriate communication, but I really liked to positive direction of these rules.

3 thoughts on “Something from my Research”

  1. I’m sure there is additional context to these in the book, but really, what the heck are they supposed to mean? It is a privilege to change your mind? If it is a privilege can it be revoked? You are entitled to an audience? Is that a wise thing to teach a writer? Don’t you have to earn, find, seduce your audience?

  2. I’m pretty tired, and probably shouldn’t react to THIS right now, but hey, my momma taught me to…

    I’m sure there is additional context to these in the book, but really, what the heck are they supposed to mean?

    The context is a discussion board, established by the author, to encourage discussions among tech-savvy youngsters, so that he could learn more about growing up digital. So it wasn’t intended as a teacher/learner endeavor. Instead, it was a sharing of ideas and experiences, and perhaps a growing of knowledge.

    It is a privilege to change your mind? If it is a privilege can it be revoked?

    Well I’m befuddled by this objection. Isn’t changing one’s mind what learning is about? The issue is that in some cases this privilege is revoked as students are taught to, rather than helped to learn.

    You are entitled to an audience? Is that a wise thing to teach a writer? Don’t you have to earn, find, seduce your audience?

    How the heck are you going to earn, find, or seduce an audience unless you are entitled to it.

    I liked these rules because they were worded for the learner, not against undesired behaviors. They grant students the right to learn, rather than defining a container within which to behave like students.

  3. Dave, v. nice list.
    Is there something that can be included in the list concerning reflection?
    I am a fan of bloggers who reveal their minds, who show how they think.
    Is such a call for open reflection necessary in your opinion?

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