A CPsquare Dialog in Portugal 2007

I’ve written a little on my experiences at Setubal elsewhere.

My thoughts a month later include an appreciation for the time out to reflect. Things were full on at Setubal.  (See Shirley’s post – it was all go for the whole five days!!).  But in the midst of the business there was time to reflect and mull over some of the ideas raised.

Part of it was being out of the normal routines and in a new place.  Part of it is having a physical and time distance from my office.  And the stimulation of some new perspectives.  How to capture this experience back home I wonder?  I did spend 5 hours in a downtown hotel in Wellington last Sunday: warmth, 5 Meg of connectivity, unlimited coffee.  This was time before an intense conference.  I sorted out my workshops, relaxed a bit and it was good.

Continued pondering after Setubal:

1. Higher Education and managing the tension between research and teaching.  I am now convinced a CoP model is worth a go.
   But (like elsewhere I suspect) there is fatigue over the use of the word Community.
   Question: can we rebrand things, repackage things?
2. “Does Community need a place?”
   This follows on from (1) above.  I found a few articles on the net, like
   Rethinking Virtual Space as a Place for Sociability: Theory and Design Implications
   One of my problems is that I think I know it when I see it. It has a feel, a sense of welcoming, a power to help focus and learn . . .
   My feeling is not enough for actual getting anywhere yet though.
3. Plus again, the habits and practices I learned from being with everbody . . .
   Eg Visual Notetaking.  Some Flickr Snaps.  (Now I knew this, but I gained a whole new appreciation of it as a practice).
   Here is a record of “Does Community need a Place?”

   And Van Planning.