Learning Conversations - Latest Comments on Credit for the term Learning Conversations

GMC [Visitor] in response to: Credit for the term Learning Conversations

Sun, 19 Aug 2012 03:12:07 +0000

Of course you can use it Mark. As long as you keep educating me ;)

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Mark [Member] in response to: Credit for the term Learning Conversations

Tue, 31 Jul 2012 01:07:10 +0000

@Gregor, thanks for the kind words.

I’ve been in contact with Prof. Thomas, and have discovered they have a website at: http://cshl.ac.uk/

Unfortunately, you’ll never find it other than via a direct link, as it’s completely hidden away from any search engines. I’ll do a review of it later, as there’s some useful content.

I hope you don’t mind if I use your phrase “a useful modern reference resource for learning professionals"?

Cheers,

Mark

GMC [Visitor] in response to: Credit for the term Learning Conversations

Sun, 29 Jul 2012 06:11:53 +0000

Debase /diˈbās/ - Reduce (something) in quality or value; degrade.

Hardly an accurate use of the term in this context. The current use on this site is not as a scientific term but as a descriptive phrase for a useful modern reference resource for learning professionals.

The allegedly debased content is both obscure and unobtainable. The simple coincidental use of these 2 words in the same sequence has resulted in a resurfacing of Prof Thomas efforts which I sincerely doubt would otherwise have happened.

All in all, instead of degrading [/diˈgrād/ - Treat or regard (someone) with contempt or disrespect] your site and contribution, I think he should be offering some constructive comment the site and asking politely if you would like a copy of one of the books to perhaps review in context of your knowledge and observation of todays organisational environment and technological trends.

Keep up the good work Mark. I may not post comment often but I’m here reading and reflecting.

Mark [Member] in response to: Credit for the term Learning Conversations

Fri, 27 Jul 2012 10:48:35 +0000

Hi James,

Thanks for the comment and the references. Really useful!

Mark

James A [Visitor] in response to: Credit for the term Learning Conversations

Fri, 27 Jul 2012 07:11:19 +0000

I agree, it’s a bit rich to claim the phrase, particularly in such a haughty manner.

Thomas and his collaborator, Sheila Harri-Augstein, developed their ideas of “self-organised learning” at Brunel from the early ’80s. They drew on the Personal Construct Psychology of George Kelly (http://www.learningandteaching.info/learning/personal.htm ) to develop a personalised curriculum for learners. It appealed to me chiefly because it was one of the few approaches to recognise a “learning trough” as part of the learners’ experience (they’re touched on at http://www.doceo.co.uk/original/learnloss_notes.htm ) However, as a pop-up note on the the first link indicates, I was not able to make it work.

Their work seems to have disappeared without trace. All I can find on ERIC is a trainers’ resource kit (1995, abstract at http://www.eric.ed.gov/ERICWebPortal/detail?accno=ED410430 ) and an early 1977 report (http://www.eric.ed.gov/ERICWebPortal/detail?accno=ED159594)