As if I didn't have enough to do, now I may have to learn Portuguese

From the The Educational Technology: ICT in Education website
Articles on e-learning and information & communication technology containing practical advice

Using & Teaching Educational Technology
As if I didn't have enough to do, now I may have to learn Portuguese
By Terry Freedman
Fri, 4 Jul 2008, 03:48

I have discovered a vibrant community, full of passionate people. Unfortunately, they speak Portuguese -- although, having said that, several of them have taken pity on me and translated their comments into English. I joined the Interactic 2.0 community in response to an invitation from its founder, Josï¿½ Paulo Santos, and am pleased I did. Read on for more information about why I joined, and the awkward questions I asked once I'd been accepted. Tongue out

First things first: why did I even accept the invitation? After all, I've got plenty to read, and already belong to umpteen online (and offline) communities. It comes down to a matter of trust,as I discuss in a separate article about integrity. Josï¿½ posts a lot of information about new things he is trying out. He is clearly someone who likes to share, and he often buzzes me on Skype for a chat about things.So, when he invited me, it was natural to consider it very carefully.

I am aware that that makes me sound like some kind of prima donna! I really don't mean it like like that: I am certainly not obsessed with a sense of my own importance. But having received invitations to join online communities by people whose sole purpose appears to be to accumulate as many friends or followers as possible, or who wish to use me to advertise their product or service to my communities, I really am extremely careful about who I associate with online.

I asked him what the purpose of the community is, and whether it had yet achieved its purpose.

In answer to the first question, Jose drew my attention to the aims of the community on the community's website. He kindly translated them for me:

The INTERACTiC 2.0 - School With Social ICT takes the potential of multiple Web 2.0 collaborative tools available on the Internet to join people able to reflect on Education, teaching methodologies and learning using ICT.

We want to demonstrate how you can create projects, looking for integrating the Information and Communication Technologies in several educational contexts.

Presenting proposals for tuition plans, methodologies and activities that promote the critical, constructive and collaborative among students and teachers, to promote new approaches to learning and the culture of a new school.

Your contribution is very important. You can join us.

"Information that will need to be used in a lot of different ways needs to be taught in lots of different ways. "(Spiro, et al, 1996)

Jose's answer to the second question was both brave and confident: he suggested I ask the community and wait for the replies. I did so, and within a very short period of time there were some six or seven responses -- quite lengthy ones in some cases. I had to use Google Translate to help me out, which accounts for the strange phraseology used, but you can get the gist from these extracts:

However, the many hours I have spent in this community, very few have been in vain. Because I have known people who share some of my passions and I felt less alone. And when I speak on passions, it is important to say, I do not mean particularly the technology, gadgets and computers - I refer to some form of passionate look and think the school. -- Antonio Teixeir

The number of 4oo people more or less, means that many know the Interact. Great. We believe that within these 400, there are some readers and other participants in smaller number. This is a fact! Participants call to those who contribute and also to those participants who learn or just visit and have a place here. -- Teresa

I asked Josï¿½ how he is able to generate so much discussion in the community. It has only been going for around 8 months, and has over 400 members, and it seems a pretty active place to me. Here is what he said:

"Posting everyday and inviting people personally to answer to some challenges, topics..."

I think what is refreshing for me is that it is nice to see a European community flourishing. I love the American, Canadian, Australian and New Zealand blogs I read, and the various communities in those countries, but Europe as an entity seems a little shy!

Anyway, I hope you will take the time and trouble to visit Josï¿½'s blog and the Interactic community. Now, where did I put that phrasebook....