Networked Knowledge

I have been spending some time with TED. I love TED. TED makes me love the world. TED makes me see all the possibilities out there. TED inspires me. I am in the midst of a crisis. I am so inspired that I am unsure that I can maintain all the projects I wish to use this blog post to organise my thoughts. TED has helped me recognise what it is I'm looking to achieve. A better world. Simple.

TED and I have been interested in each other for some time now. TED is always looking for things to say, and I'm always interested. Here is why.

I have watched a series of talks that demonstrate how the world is going to be a better place.

You can see them here:
Amanda Palmer "The Art of Asking"


Don Tapscott "Four Principles for the open world"


 These two talks discuss the value of networks, of how online communities can become valuable real-world communities. They prove that meaningful connections can be made using the Internet and can make physical relationships even more rewarding. The four principles Don Tapscott discusses are collaboration, transparency, sharing and empowerment. These four principles are in action in Amanda Palmer's speech about asking people to pay for her music. It is these four attributes that I am looking to encourage in my students in the classroom. Suddenly it all makes sense. I am striving to help develop creative individuals who will succeed in the future world and I am focused on developing their cognitive and creative capacities. I am looking to complete a research degree that explores how we foster creative individuals for a world that doesn't exist yet. I can't complete this research because this "future" world does exist, its just that only some of us live in it.


I pledge that our classroom will be a place of collaboration, transparency, sharing and empowerment and that we will use all the online tools available to us to make this an effective and positive environment that demonstrates to students that they can make the world a better place.

• In Year 11 Advanced English they will create an online blog that builds on their personal learning journals in order to connect with a wider audience.

Stage 5 English will:

• develop their class blog, with a view to creating individual blogs by Term Three.
• create a letter in favour of the rights of an individual on the Write for Rights website.
• submit their essays about conformity to the "What Matters?" compettion

Year 8  will:

• Create a class newsletter that outlines what they learn each fortnight, distributing to parents with a view to publishing on the Internet.
• Collaborate and create an authentic performance poetry piece about something that matters strongly to them and perform it at a poetry slam night.
• Find a "pen" friend

Year 7 will

• Create a class newsletter that outlines what they learn each fortnight, distributing to parents with a view to publishing on the Internet.
• Write a persuasive letter to their parents explaining what they need to do to be happy (it makes sense in context)
• Enter it into "The kids are alright" competition
• Find a "pen" friend

This is just the beginning and builds on our work in our archetypal learning spaces (thank you Bianca Hewes for reminding me of this wonderful classroom for the real world). All of these activities aim to get students to acquire knowledge, share it and as a result empower themselves and others to make a positive contribution to their community. I want my students to engage with the world when they engage with English and through an online platform I think that can be acheived.