EDUCAUSE 2005: A Dangerous Discussion with Steve Gilbert ... NOT!

I have been waiting three and a half years to meet Steve Gilbert face to face. Steve is President of the Teaching, Learning and Technology Group. I can't remember how I first got to know about the work of the TLT Group but my first recollection of Steve was the multiple emails we had together as he edited and fine tuned my submission to his highly moderated list serve on teaching learning and technology. In this podcast recorded as part of the Educause podcast project, Steve and I discuss a interesting and provocative project he is managing called "Dangerous Discussions Initiative - Engaging Dangerous Discussions: Heat and Light Without Flames" .... now that's a title worth thinking about!

The TLT Group list-serv has been around for a long time and goes to thousands of educators around the world. It was there my relationship with Steve began, however things really started to get interesting when the TLT Group established a Learningtimes Community and started running online synchronous events using a virtual classroom I couldn't resist joining in. Time zones are unforgiving and because these events were targeting the learning and teaching community in the USA, Aussies who live upside down and half the planet away have to do some unusual things to be part of these live events. Many a time I have rolled out of bed at the ridiculous time of 3.00am washed my face grabbed a hot drink and participated in a stimulating live event then gone back to bed. If you search the TLT archives you will many jokes about Allan in his jammies.

My relationship with Steve is further evidence that you can build strong collaborative relationships online before you meet face to face. Hmmmm that subject would make for a great podcast ... but at another time.

So what are these Dangerous Discussions (DD) all about. Steve says they are issues that are significant, controversialand tractable. DD issues are characterized by ineffective conflicts and realistic hopes. For these issues, diverse stakeholders:

• hold strong, varied opinions, and
• cannot communicate often, easily, or effectively enough.

However, there is also good reason to believe that we are likely to make significant improvements by working together civilly and constructively on these issues. As members of academic communities we, especially, should be able to deal honestly, openly, respectfully, and constructively with these issues.

The Goals of the DD Initiative are to identify issues that have the potential, if resolved even partially, for contributing to significant improvements in teaching and learning (with technology). Enable and help diverse groups in higher education to work together civilly on these issues and to develop and implement realistic responses to them. Use technology effectively in ways that support, rather than undermine, effective communication and collaboration to achieve these goals.

So what did Steve say was the first area/subject they identified as a DD - classroom sizes! Now if you don't think that is a DD try telling a teacher that their class numbers are about to increase by 50% for economic reasons and be ready for a dangerous response. Another thing Steve identified in the podcast only emerged as a DD topic the very day of the podcast .... talk about life impact take aways from the conference . The emerging DD is about Accrediting Associations and their emerging standards and learning outcomes.

This is a very brief overview of what Steve talks about in the podcast. He asks should a faculty member start to talk like this: "We believe that many of us in this institution have adopted the attitude that we are trying to figure out what is the absolute minimum we can do to assure we are in compliance with wha's required by the accreditation process. We want to do the minimum possible so we can get back to what we really want to do, which we think is a better way than what is required by the acreditating body". Steve asks would it be a good thing to say that, would that get the person into trouble or would it start a dangerous discussion which hopefully would turn into a constructive conversation?

Do you think it would lead to heat and light without flames? Please enjoy this podcast and I would love to have some feedback comments.

Regards
Allan