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  • From: "Lawrence F. London, Jr." <london@sunsite.unc.edu>
  • To: permaculture@listserv.oit.unc.edu
  • Subject: Re: growth of pc
  • Date: Thu, 15 Jan 1998 23:36:59 -0500 (EST)

http://sunSITE.unc.edu/london/permaculture.html
london@sunSITE.unc.edu llondon@bellsouth.net

On Thu, 15 Jan 1998, Jeff Owens wrote:

> Lawrence wrote:
> >Having the free online PC symposium (sans the drinking part for me)
> >give ample reference and promotional to everyone offering PC education for
> >a fee is a vital component of said free course; & competition and word
> >of mouth (& word of Web) should be really good for business. As was stated
> >earlier, a hands on, in person course and workshop is a far better way to
> >teach PC and motivate a following.
>
> This discussion of a course or ongoing educational forum sounds very
> interesting and I hope something results. All I can think of to
> contribute is some ideas, but would be willing to devote time if
> and when something is implemented.

That would be well received and much appreciated.

> I wonder about the words "free course". This seems to be a
> construct our culture uses often and is tied into measuring
> everything with money. If anyone is to learn from a course then a
> lot of time is required and time has value. Time isn't free. I
> would prefer an up front expectation that the symposium requires
> both work and time.

It would require a lot of work and time up front by all those
who help put this symposium together. Think of it as a collaborative
project similar in function to the way the plant genome project
is being carried out. Lots of researchers contributing data via
electronic resources to build a database.
It would be a "free" course since all those who put it together did
work for free. I would contribute information in the form of edited
text files and graphics as well as the html-coded files that make this
information available on the Web & Internet. The course would reside
as an interactive entity on the Web for any and all to use and for
some to interact with for the purposes of adding to and improving the
information available and the way that information is made available.

> I'm not sure how students could commit time to a course. Maybe help
> with the course itself. If they are not willing to do that then they

This would not only be possible but would be encouraged. At sunSITE I
can set up two ways to help build the information tree, public forums for
submitting ideas, questions and information resources and semi-private
email mini-lists for groups to collaborate to submit, refine and review
resources for the course.

> may not be worth spending time on. My personal bias is to view all
> learning experiences as focused discussions among students. The

For the present I imagine all of us will be students _and_ teachers.
I would hope that existing PC teachers who use this list and who have
offered help with the course will facilitate our colllaboration.
Lee Barnes, Lee Flier, Scott, Kirby, April, maybe Dan, others?

> concept of a teacher implies that someone has all the answers. Instead,
> a group with someone facilitating can be a lot more dynamic and
> rewarding learning experience. Also, the graduates would be less
> passive and more interested in exploring on their own.
>
> I'm puzzled about why the questions of quality and detracting from
> existing courses have become issues. The quality or absence of
> quality would depend upon how the course was structured and that
> has not been defined. It seems premature to kill an idea which
> has not been given a chance to grow.

This is too interesting and worthwhile an opportunity to pass up.

> As for detracting from existing courses. I would love to take
> every course around and read all the literature that has been
> written. One course is not going to fill that void. Also, the
> market for Pc material is very small at the present and any effort
> to expand the exposure of Pc should help everyone. This seems to
> fit the basic Pc ethics statements of helping the earth and people.

It would do that as all the existing PC pages do currently.

> Another possible outcome of not making Pc accessible is that those
> less qualified might try. This seems to be happening to some
> extent. I've seen Pc mentioned is several places and the results
> were confusing.
>
> Regards, jeff
>
> ----------
> Jeff Owens (kowens@teleport.com) Zone 6-7 Permaculture
> Underground house, solar energy, reduced consumption, no TV
>




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