What's it all about?

I've started this blog as place to post, reflect, and discuss issues important to me (and others I hope) concerning education, journalism, high school journalism, writing, technology, and anything else of interest. Much of what I see as the value of blogs Wikis and other technologies in education, writing, and journalism revolves around transparency and collaboration. These thoughts have evolved through research on community or grassroots journalism especially the writings of Dan Gillmor, Jeff Jarvis, and Lawrence Lessing.

Basically, what has inspired me is the idea that collaborativey we are much more knoweldgeable and stronger than we can possibly be alone. This is an extention of cooperative education activities and the democratic process in general. Yet this also calls for giving up authority, ownership of ideas, and even writing in some ways. This flies in the face of capitalist ideals somewhat.

All of this is exciting and challenging and involves new ways of thinking and interacting. We must also know that we can trust one another and what the goals of any endevor might be. This is where transparency comes in. If we open up the process (in teaching, writing, editorializing) many more can participate, and learn how the final product is developed. Education (or journalism) then becomes a conversation rather than a lecture. Cooperative education theorists have been preaching this for years, but new technolgoies truley make it possible. I've recently even opened up the lesson and unit planning process to students and parents. This weblog and the impacts in the classroom will be a major theme here.