World Cafe Online

Comment

Comment by Ben Roberts on August 28, 2013 at 11:43am

Yo Tim! any interest in the broader conversation about online WC as well?

Comment by Amy Lenzo on August 27, 2013 at 4:37pm

Hi Tim! Good to see you here!

Comment by Tim Bonnemann on August 27, 2013 at 3:41pm

I'd be interested in the November 10 online event.

Comment by Ben Roberts on August 27, 2013 at 3:17pm

OK, Amy. I agree that we ought to move this. I'll start a conversation thread soon. I actually have an opportunity to explore some of the ideas I have for expanding or playing with the form in the next couple of months that I would like to share, and invite others to play with me on.

Comment by Ben Roberts on August 23, 2013 at 10:33am

@ Lori...

So nice to see someone else showing up here! Thank you for your thoughts and interest. I've had at least one very good experience with some simple graphic recording during a phone-based world cafe-ish conversation that I hosted. You can see the drawings here, although it looks like we didn't create a podcast this time so you can also hear the conversation that took place live. Some thoughts on what you wrote:

"I am interested in learning as much as I can about the way virtual communities can work."

Yes, me too. So we have both the question that implies about THIS virtual community, and a possible inquiry into how WC as a process might be used support virtual communities generally.

"However, as a graphic facilitator and recorder, one of the powerful elements of group conversations I've observed is the ability to build on the ideas of others . . . moving with the energy."

So is the "however" aspect here a concern that without real-time flow, or perhaps even in-person connection, that energy flow is difficult to discern, or is less intense? Or isn't even a "flow" if everything is happening at once?

If time is different in virtual space, surely energy is as well. And what appears to be a "loss" from one perspective might also be a gain from another. Time for reflection might yield a more subtle, quieter and perhaps more diffuse energy. Lots of simultaneous activity can look like noise and feel overwhelming. And perhaps a different sort of attunement process than the ones we are accustomed to is required to make meaning from such a "fire hose."

Comment by Amy Lenzo on August 23, 2013 at 9:22am

Thanks, Ben. I do find it difficult to follow specific conversations on the comment wall, but I concur with your wise idea to wait and see what evolves. :-)

I'd love to hear you say more about the possibility for expanding the conversation that you see in online engagements...

Comment by Amy Lenzo on August 23, 2013 at 9:19am

Thanks so much for registering your interest by speaking, Lori.

I'm intrigued about the way your comments seem to hold a direct relationship between online communities like this one and the focus of our group "World Cafe Online". It makes a lot of sense, since in one way we are certainly practicing World Cafe online when we are here - or at least we have the potential to. I think we ARE trying to apply the World Cafe design principles in our interactions here, AND, without the form (and with so many people here who are absolutely new to the World Cafe) it's easy to lapse into habitual ways of being online, and not really practice World Cafe at all except perhaps in our choice of subject matter, and hopefully in our ways of listening to each other.

When I began this group several years ago now I was probably thinking specifically of the World Cafes I was starting to host online, and Ben and I among others were offering to the community. But I really like your larger inquiry, which also connects to the asynchronous work in the learning program we're presenting at Fielding, which is all consciously modeled on World Cafe format and principles. So thanks for stimulating that conversation. I'd love to go deeper into the questions you seem to be implying there... one of the other groups here (that I also host, rather poorly) is called Caring for this Online Community, and some of your questions could possibly be explored there too.

Back to another subject to touched on - I agree wholeheartedly that the power of graphic recording is greatest when people can actually SEE the collective meaning forming right in front of them, in "real-time".

I've been able to hold many of my World Cafes (which are always simultaneous, or "real time") with a graphic listener/recorder's work visible to the participants by using GoToMeeting or some video-enhanced software for the visuals. One could also do it directly with MaestroConference a couple of different ways, but that's a little more complicated to manage.

The World Cafe with Juanita will be recorded live, and you'll see what I mean.

Comment by Lori Rock on August 23, 2013 at 8:03am

I am interested in learning as much as I can about the way virtual communities can work. There is something appealing about the compression and expansion of time you mention, Ben. With the "world" part of World Cafe, sometimes the ability to meet at the same moment is a challenge for sure.

However, as a graphic facilitator and recorder, one of the powerful elements of group conversations I've observed is the ability to build on the ideas of others . . . moving with the energy. Often that feels powerful when it is happening simultaneously. However, it doesn't have to.

I guess my input is this: I've enjoyed the interactions here. But I'm not certain I have specific ideas on ways to proceed. I will be interested to get involved with Juanita Brown's event!

Comment by Ben Roberts on August 22, 2013 at 5:26pm

Thanks, Amy. Let's see if any others chime in before moving this somewhere else. It's also the sort of thing I think we might learn about best by doing it. Hehe.

Comment by Amy Lenzo on August 22, 2013 at 3:25pm

Love these ideas, Ben (and thanks for responding so quickly!). I'm especially curious about the possibilities for expansion afforded by the virtual environment... do you think it makes sense to start a thread to hold this conversation, or dos it feel more "vital" to talk here on the comment thread? Hopefully others will join in and add their thoughts...

As for Juanita's World Cafe, it will be online. Sorry if I wasn't clear about that. The entire learning program is all delivered online (although it's not focused specifically on delivering World Cafes online, as I mentioned earlier).

Almost all of Fielding's programs use distance-learning... although there are some hybrid degree programs being offered. I LOVE using online tools - both synchronous and asynchronous - for learning. There's so much happening in that sphere... Howard Rhinegold, Jay Cross, etc. have some great resources and things to say on the subject...

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