I realized that I was unfairly characterizing your NECC idea by implying that that was the extent of your thinking on the subject, so fair enough and sorry about that. I still admire you immensely *giggle*

As for American paranoia, that’s where I’m hoping the rest of the world, as I wrote, can just move on and lead, until America follows. It’s ironic that so much of the edublogosphere is Yank-centric, when the American education system itself is responsible for retarding the pace of these changes we all want to effect. The rest of the world doesn’t have to wait, and can maybe exert a corrective paranoia on America by making it fear that its learners aren’t connecting in this flat world as effectively as China, Korea, India, and so forth.

As for the “factors of opposition” you mention, some focused thinking on (simple?) solutions, followed by implementation, can either come now or later. Scott Schwister’s idea of a “LearnerTalk” blog, which could be moderated by adults and could employ whatever anonymity/privacy mechanisms - anagrams or whatever - seems very do-able, especially if targeted at the parents in America (and anywhere else) who are not paranoid. There’s a place to start. Get a good-hearted lawyer to do a bit of pro bono by drawing up a leak-proof Consent Form?

Why is it obvious that churches are more free than schools to lead youth? We read as much or more about predators in the churches than we do in the schools. And so many churches are teaching the young to ignore what they’re taught at school in the sciences and so forth. Why allow churches to be more effective educators than schools? (I know that’s a side issue, but why it’s one is very interesting indeed. And to be clear, I’m not broad-brushing here - many churches, I’m aware, accept modern science, but their numbers seem to be on the wane in the USA.)

You advised me when I was finding my legs back in January to be more transparent. You saw the obstacle and guided me to overcome it. That problem/active solution approach is what I’m saying should continue.

Thanks for your comments, Karl. We’re all in this together, and I hope we can push it further.

I wasn’t trying to limit the idea to NECC, the post was simply a reflection on NECC - and I still think there’s some value to be had there. You’ll note that the post concluded with me needing to refocus on getting students involved at my school before worrying about NECC (or your blogging idea, for that matter).

I think you do underestimate the level of opposition to these things, at least in my neck (NECC?) of the woods. Everyone is lawsuit and talk-radio shy, and everyone is scared of “Internet predators”. And churches do have much more freedom to do those things, for all the obvious reasons.

Oh, and do I remember a certain blogger that not so long ago was hesitant to connect his blog with his school? I think some of the concerns that blogger had back then are very valid for quite a few teachers right now.

That said, I will be working in my building next year to develop more of a student voice through “personal learning network” blogs, and have at least a couple of teachers on board. We’ll see how it goes. If I can get them more involved in the discussions/decision-making in my school, then perhaps I can think about tackling the wider world.

Sorry to be so late replying.
I hear you on the parent thing, but again, “forward-thinking parents would buy in, I supsect.” Let those who don’t sit it out, and let those who do watch their children extend into connections and growth far beyond the classroom walls.

We have to start somewhere. Voluntary participation with parent approval seems the place (the legalities of that consent would need to be tight, I suppose).

Fny thing is, here in Korea, the parents of all the students whose work I have featured on my blo have been thankful for “promoting” their children’s work. They’re my natural “parent ambassadors.” Given time, they’re sure to have more and more of a tide-turning effect.

But then again, Im not in the States, thank goodness. DOPA dopes are few and far between here - and blocked sites in the schoolhouse are almost nonexistent.