blog spot and friend

BLOG SPOT!! Ever been in one? … I wonder if Alice felt like this before she took the plunge? I just took a walk, although plunging was imminent, and in I went, into the world of inspiration, creativity and great examples of

copy paste..... copy paste..... copy paste..... copy paste.....

to the abode of a fellow blogger … ?

hmm … fel / ogger?

And so there I found myself, with my blog SPOT, which was still hanging about, but now I was teetering on the edge of “the zone” [of, proximal development], and her doorstep.

My blog SPOT = I was trying to see where I imagined I could go (read, analogue refugee e-challenged and therefore artistically and creatively frustrated), but, I had a blind SPOT. Similar to driving an old Chevy that wasn’t retrofitted with the latest software. Both SPOTS possess the potential to hinder the freedom of movement in our fast moving technological age whether on the road to Dunedoo or on the road to new and exciting realms. But there’s nothing like the imminent end of semester exam to move a SPOT or two.

Cognitive tools to help us navigate our way around a blind SPOT:

SUBJECTIVE TOOL
1. (a) Look in rear view mirror, can’t see. Look over ones shoulder, can’t see. Put on the blinker and move cautiously to the [L] or [R] as indicated. Still can’t see but here goes. Meet with smooth transition to next lane. Cool!
(b) Horns blasting, tyres screeching and aussie superlatives being flung out of windows as fingers gesture and arms flail about... hmm
(c) Or, a bit of a bang. Not cool!
2. Wide-angle rear view mirror that, in theory has been created to eliminate those pesky SPOTS, but could still place one in an awkward situation. See 1.

OBJECTIVE TOOL
3. Computerised sensing devices that warn the intrepid traveller of 1. thus allowing a smoother [read safer] transition and avoidance of such interruptions.
4. Total computerisation ie, autopilot which, theoretically, will eliminate all human error including all our SPOTS!!

So, back to my blog SPOT - which had only recently revealed itself as my brief window of opportunity to blog had finally arrived. You know that window? The one that says now you can move, change lanes, try something different etc. Well there it was, and I couldn’t see clearly where or how I had to go, as quickly and smoothly as possible because of SPOTS on my window. More hmmm…
I had the cognitive tool ..... computer..... lacking ……
a collaborative and distributed work environment.

Now, back to doorstep teetering. There’s Alice”, Z.P.D. in one hand and the doorknob in the other, ready (actually excited, because “friend on the floor" is cleaver, creative and a perfectionist) to plunge headlong into the world of blog where artist writer researcher creator explorer analyst activist …. can play.

And there she lay, stretched out on the floor, papers strewn about, thoughts in multi colours - glyphs/writings - moments thrown out and captured before they escaped… to possibly be collected and carefully placed together as a snapshot of THAT part of her learning.

I can imagine the smile on Vygotsky’s face as friend and I set off on a journey together. Social interaction was prolific. There were discussion with house mates and phone conversations about blogs and potential creations. We were all in our Z.P.D. ready to assimilate something new into our pre existing cognitive structure and we established the scaffolding which would provide us (actually, that was more for me) with tools to allow for different possibilities of expression. We explored other bloggers sites and commented on what worked or didn’t .eg. some blogs may have been literally interesting but for those with a predominant visual intelligence there was little on offer to entice them in (Gardner: Multiple Intelligence).

I left, Z.P.D excitedly held in one hand and walked home to add another blogging moment to cyberspace.