Simon Keily, M.Ed 🏳️‍🌈

How might the #Fediverse transform the ways in which we provide education and support learning?

This is mostly me tinkering with the #Mastodon app. 😉

An important question for us to ponder.
#education #Fediverse #Pedagogy #DigitalPedagogy #OpenPedagogy #edutooter #K12

Nov 15, 2022 at 4:00amWeb
Show threadMatt MaguireNov 15, 2022
@aus_teach I think #Fediverse may present some #cybersafety issues. While it could be a useful tool for researching, in terms of providing a safe online community suitable for children, there may be better options.
Show threadSimon Keily, M.Ed 🏳️‍🌈Nov 15, 2022
@matt_teachmaths
Why do you think this Matt? I'm still familiarising myself wirh the tools available.
Show threadMatt MaguireNov 15, 2022
@aus_teach my concern would be that the fediverse cannot form closed groups. Without that, how can you meet your duty of care to provide a safe learning environment? You could maybe implement your own isolated #ActivityPub server(s), but then is it fair to say it is part of the #Fediverse? (here, I am looking at underage students falling under child protection laws; university students would be a different matter)
Show threadSimon Keily, M.Ed 🏳️‍🌈Nov 15, 2022
@matt_teachmaths Just jamming ideas here:
Most secondary kids now learn on open digital networks e.g via any browser.
However, new systems e.g #Fediverse force us to rethink our digital practice.
What schools often fail to do is think of digital safety when introducing new tools e.g data collection/privacy.
As for safety e.g child protection - that comes from policy and practice in each school.
I'm just thinking about the seconday system here. If a school or group of schools launched a service they'd be obligated to think through all these issues.
With all this in mind what is the potential for open, digital and networked learning environments? #edtech #CriticalPractice #Fediverse
Show threadMiguel Guhlin 🦉 🇵🇦 🇺🇲Nov 15, 2022

@matt_teachmaths @aus_teach to continue...

In another group, EduMatch Voxer group, one educator made the point that he uses Discord with his students. He has to enable a virtual private network (VPN) and use his own data to get through so he can answer student questions.

Is this worth the effort? You can go fast alone, but to go far, you need the entire community.

Show threadSimon Keily, M.Ed 🏳️‍🌈Nov 16, 2022
@mguhlin @matt_teachmaths
Totally agree. Go alone and then bring the community on board.
Show threadMiguel Guhlin 🦉 🇵🇦 🇺🇲Nov 16, 2022
@aus_teach @matt_teachmaths 🤣 No, been there and tried that. Doesn’t work. You need to bring community along and have a school system leader who will facilitate that.
Show threadMiguel Guhlin 🦉 🇵🇦 🇺🇲Nov 15, 2022

@matt_teachmaths @aus_teach While I agree with Simon, having been a tech director, I can appreciate how tough it is to put policies in place that allow for free flow of information. Some schools and systems desire a "walled garden" approach to education. What's inside the garden is considered safe, and any tech that opens a hole in that firewall is to be banned.

The Fediverse suite of tools, unless it can be closed and locked down, is anathema to many school systems. And, with radical/extreme conservative views on the rise (speaking of USA, not sure of anywhere else), anything that doesn't toe the line of evangelical values will come under fire...whether it merits it or not.

As a result, no school administrator will brave the fire to rethink digital practices to be more open.

Show threadSimon Keily, M.Ed 🏳️‍🌈Nov 16, 2022
@mguhlin @matt_teachmaths
Yep. ✅
But, (LOL) in the secondary system (Aus) students are well and truely ready to break from of the walled garden. I imagine schools would take a careful and planned approach then one day a student will say..."Don't worry Sir, we already use Mastodon." Already I sense this a good place for clubs, games, guilds to come together...despite institutional approaches. And what a great way to teach digital citizenship. 🙂
#edtech #pondering #wondering
Show threadMatt MaguireNov 16, 2022
@aus_teach @mguhlin outside school of course students already use social networking tools that reach beyond the "walled garden" that schools try to provide when students are under the school's care. We clearly need to educate students to equip them with the skills they need to stay safe and be good digital citizens (even walled gardens have inevitable cracks in their walls). Part of this may be modelling a safe and supportive online community, but this becomes quite difficult without technical capabilities to monitor and moderate such model communities. If we had an interschool "fediverse" inside the walled garden, we have a safe(r) place for this learning to happen, but it would require support and buy-in from the school system leadership.
Show threadSimon Keily, M.Ed 🏳️‍🌈Nov 16, 2022
@matt_teachmaths @mguhlin
How would teacher PD shift if each school provided for it's staff a space that was open? #fediverse 🤔
Show threadMatt MaguireNov 16, 2022
@aus_teach @mguhlin At least in NSW DoE, we already have a MS-Teams "space" where collaboration across across the state is already possible. However, if we want to cross-pollenate ideas beyond the department, such as looking into what is happening elsewhere in the country or even worldwide, then this is where a more open system like #fediverse might be of benefit.
Show threadMiguel Guhlin 🦉 🇵🇦 🇺🇲Nov 16, 2022
@aus_teach @matt_teachmaths Hmm…do you want real change or to talk about it with excited teachers? How many will want to learn it if it is banned or not a part of the school culture? It is tempting to take that approach but aside from raising your profile (good or ill, it depends), it is ineffective. Not for you as a learner or others who want to learn. But for widespread change. You have to go through the process of change with major stakeholders. If you try to sell it to teachers, set up an instance, you will have success only so far as you stay under the radar. Which type of change do you want?
Show threadSimon Keily, M.Ed 🏳️‍🌈Nov 16, 2022
@mguhlin @matt_teachmaths
Thanks for you thoughts Manuel. This is just a thought experiment. I think I wrote somewhere about jamming ideas. Most of my work is learning design for the tertiary sector but I also approach new tech/ideas from the perspective of a teacher and as part of a professional discussion ask "What if...".
At times I work with secondary schools and I know it's slow, patient and deliberate work, exactly as you've said. Would I direct them to the #Fediverse? Probably, to try for themselves. At least they'll find a place to have some open and fun discussions. | Simon
Show threadMiguel Guhlin 🦉 🇵🇦 🇺🇲Nov 16, 2022

Yeah, enchanting people, or inviting them is one approach that will have some result. In my experience across different sized school districts as a tech admin, as well as a person trying to advocate for the use of technologies outside the approved venue (e.g. blog, wiki, social media, self-hosted or externally hosted), I can look back and see where I went wrong (or right) in trying to bring about a positive adoption of the tech.

I wish I had learned the process sooner. :-)
@aus_teach @matt_teachmaths