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7.20.2009

Prereqs to peer production of comprehension

The peer production of advanced levels of comprehension is a significant change from going to school. For peer production to become resilient and sustainable, the production designs need to accommodate these significant changes. Here are the particular changes I'm currently considering:

Democratizing diagnostic protocols: When learning is not happening, peers need to respond to the situation. With pragmatic comprehension to troubleshoot the malfunction, remedial or re-conceptualized efforts can follow. Apparent successes with restoring learning will elicit more personal confessions about breakdowns in learning and generate more requests for a diagnostic appraisal of individual problems. A shift will occur from feeling inadequate to feeding confident about changing approaches when learning is not happening.

Explicit framework for producing comprehension: When we take comprehension for granted, we lose the ability to admire progress, celebrate accomplishments and encourage particular production efforts. Achieving comprehension takes a back seat to the measurement system of scores and grades. An explicit framework for the identifying levels and changes in comprehension will upgrade peer-2-peer interactions to become supportive of each individual and encouraging of personal progress.

Letting go of legacy practices: Relying on past experiences with "getting educated" could tragically disrupt the peer production of advanced levels of comprehension. Members of production cohorts will need to regard this approach as an new adventure. Peer production is a game changer with different rules to play by. This transition involves peers leaving their comfort zones, abandoning familiar success routines and changing long-standing habits.

Production system redesigns: The "peer production of advanced levels of comprehension" applies a different metaphor from familiar stories about cramming, regurgitating and getting grades. Participants in peer collaborations need to perceive the production system and make changes to that system when it's not working. Peer sourced upgrades to the production system will not only make it more resilient, but will spawn deeper commitment, motivations and initiatives to keep the peer production alive and well.

I'll explore each of these further during this week.

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