The following is a re-production of a document I’ve assembled with my team as part of FusionVirtual’s ongoing push to revolutionize online education. You can view the whitepaper in .pdf format HERE. I value your feedback and am eager for a passionate discourse on the topic. Please do not hesitate to share your thoughts and observations in the form of a comment below or reach out to me on Twitter or by e-mail.
FUSIONVIRTUAL POSITION PAPER
THE COMING STORM: DIGITAL NATIVES WILL REDEFINE THE NATURE OF LEARNING AND THE FUTURE COURSE OF INSTITUTIONS.
ABOUT THIS STUDY
This project is led and coordinated by Alex Berger, the founder and Chief Executive Officer of FusionVirtual. Berger is a digitally-literate, self-directed Millennial with trans-generational experience and perspective. In 2003, he began sharing his insights into the ways institutions have to change to be viable. He shared his extensive knowledge of advancements in information availability, and breakthroughs made by the online gaming community in the use of virtual environments. His honors thesis, Not Just A Game: How On-line Gaming Communities Are Shaping Social Capital, was circulated and verified by many leading educators and business leaders. His blogs and communications on his VirtualWayfarer.com site have kept him at the leading edge of change. He is an accomplished lecturer and delights in sharing his insights into the future.
As one of the most disciplined of the digitally literate, information-age leaders, Berger gathered together educators and business leaders and charged them with helping him focus FusionVirtual’s role in defining not only the future of institutions but, perhaps most important, identifying structural inhibitors to change. He stated that this must be done so leaders know how to make their way in the digital-information age.
INTRODUCTION
“In human history there has never been a time when the difference between generations has been so vast. In the last two decades computer literate, digitally skilled, information-age youth have begun to function in ways never before imagined. They are developing a new operating system for the acquisition and application of knowledge. They are changing our understanding of how things work and how things can be.
The generational differences that divide the past from this new present are so extreme that those with pre-digital, pre-information age mindsets must replace their outmoded literacy with new information. If they do this, they will be able to communicate with their children and function in the world as it is now.”
-E.F. Berger, Ed.D. 2008
This quote from an educational leader may seem extreme to those who have not rethought the foundations of their knowledge and begun their process of reeducation.
Let’s examine an example of significant change: Up until a decade ago – the 1990s – some group, a religion, an institution, or a professor controlled information. Whether it was locked-up by a religious hierarchy, a government, or an institution of higher education, it was controlled and doled out to those deemed worthy. Within what can be described as an instant in human time, through the Internet, information of all types became available to anyone with basic computer skills. As technology has advanced institutions and individuals have quickly begun to forfeit sole access and control. Those institutions or governments that try to limit what their subjects can know are fighting a losing battle for control. While the degree of their success varies widely, they will destroy the lives of countless people before they learn that regardless of the actions they take, they are delaying the inevitable. The reality of complete control is dead and has been replaced by the myth of absolute control.
This one major change in what and how we can learn has shaken institutions and governments to their roots. Institutions up to this time were able to control the way people thought by limiting their access to information or setting themselves up as authorities due to their privileged access to “truth.” Although many institutions continue to function as if they have exclusive rights to information, their death-knells are too loud to ignore.
Higher educational systems everywhere are institutions unable to continue as designed. All are based upon one-way communication. Even those few that attempt to be interactive still rely on conveying information that is limited to the knowledge and intent of the tellers and the curricula. Digitally literate individuals cannot – will not – function in these outmoded schools. Learning has jumped over the barriers of past practices and a whole new threshold of knowledge has been crossed.
Epistemology is being redefined. Credits, degrees and measures of academic mastery no longer have the same meaning because the information they were based on has been shown to be too limited or skewed.
NOTE: The ways modern generations are able to communicate have increased as never imagined. The effects of web technology on social inter-relationships have perhaps more impact on society than the changes brought about by the invention of the telephone at the beginning of the last century. In a future position paper we will address the schism this has created between generations and identify ways for leaders to bring their organizations into the Communication Age.
THE MASTERY OF FOUNDATIONAL SKILLS IS ABSOLUTELY REQUIRED
The training aspects of schooling focus on essential skills which must be mastered. Most of these skills are developed in the early or elementary grades. However, training aspects are part of every level of learning. For example, the skills needed to access, analyze and apply law precedents are not taught in elementary school. They are part of the ongoing study of law. Training and mastery of skills is the key factor in the use of knowledge. Information without the learned skill sets necessary to analyze and evaluate the authenticity of data is useless.
Upcoming generations of learners must be encouraged to explore tasks – learning to read, write, and compute, using the scientific method, plumbing a house, building a device, preparing a meal, and so forth. With the mastery of foundation skills they have an unlimited ability to access knowledge that will allow them to gather and combine sources of information and apply what they have learned to solve problems or gain greater understanding.
We can access information far beyond what the brightest minds could access only a decade ago. To do that, the educational institutions must ensure student mastery of foundation skills, ensure self-direction through self-discipline, and inculcate ‘universal’ social and cultural values. For example, in the US, this is known as “Americanization.”
Dr. Mark Jacobs, Dean of the Barrett Honor College at Arizona State University, stresses that true education must be interactive. We agree. We clarify this concept by adding that reading a book and answering the questions at the end of a chapter may help one pass a test, but only through active discussion and practical application, where learners must demonstrate their ability to turn the concept in their heads and apply it to other situations, does true education take place. Berger’s point of view is that listening to a ‘teller’, reading a book, viewing a PowerPoint, or going through copious information on the Internet and then “passing the course” by answering questions is not the way education works best. What works is the interaction between students and teachers, students and students, students and research resources, and students and scholars from anywhere they can be found, within set parameters that require the application of all that information to real problems and situations.
THE CHALLENGE
One might assume that institutional changes are so obviously necessary that those in leadership positions will redirect their organizations to serve the new types of learners. In fact, many leading institutions have begun to make necessary changes. Whole bodies of knowledge once controlled by academic institutions which, in essence, charged for the selective release or access to this information, are available to anyone through the Internet. Many institutions of higher learning are examining the use of virtual space and avatars to enhance educational opportunities.
Increased access to once carefully protected research and knowledge has resulted in combinations of data that was previously impossible. The economics of this type of change is of great concern. If a university cannot charge for access to information or access to those who have spent their lives researching new insights, then what can they charge students for? What is their role?
THERE IS NO PLACE TO STAND AND VIEW OUR SYSTEMS WITHOUT PRECONCEIVED NOTIONS AND BIAS. WE MUST SEE THE BIG PICTURE
To bring about the changes that will make systems and institutions viable, leaders and those who deliver the services must stand back and rethink and often redefine the structures they work within. In education that is very difficult. The conglomerate institution called education is vast, petrified by administrative facility, and peopled by workers who are reluctant to change. Political influences add to the dysfunctional aspects of schools. A century or more of habit, custom and self-protection supports an argument that, “It was good enough for me, it’s good enough for them.”
Some argue that the seeds of a nation’s destruction are within it. This is especially true of a nation that depends on a trained and educated populace. It is no surprise that in the U.S. those areas that are most regressive are the regions with skewed educational standards and inflexible religious strictures.
To assume that any amount of credible information will bring about change is naive. Many institutions and systems must be bypassed. Unable to deliver what is required, they will wither and die. It is no surprise that the largest competitor to traditional public and private universities are online higher education programs like the University of Phoenix. And it is not difficult to project that as these online, two- dimensional schools are not interactive, they have short life spans due to the lack of quality of their products.
This is a time of change. Those who do not identify their product and the nature of the students they work with, as well as the availability of information and the skills necessary to deal with it, not only kill their institutions, but severely damage the Nation. We must adapt and utilize a worldwide scope of knowledge. We must prepare students to interactively process, evaluate, and make a contribution by applying their knowledge.
INSTITUTIONAL CHANGE AND AMERICAN EDUCATION
There are phenomenal numbers of critiques of America’s schools. Few of these articles differentiate between elementary, middle, high school, and college, (although colleges are more often treated separately). Most articles reference schools as if they were all doing the same thing and need the same fix to be effective. Most fail to offer solutions along with their critiques. Unless each level of education and each area of subject matter (discipline) is examined and its purpose understood, change is impossible.
For our purpose we assume the reader understands the needs of the different levels of education. It is enough to say that necessary change at the elementary level may be quite different than changes needed in high schools.
We concluded that regardless of the nature of the changes, there are overarching structures, many put in place without consideration of training and educational needs, that block effective ways of serving learners. These are structural problems that affect all levels of education and are not specific to any one level or discipline. Rather than list structural problems that are in the way of effective change, we decided to identify those areas that must be adapted to education in the digital, information age.
As a guide to open, new thinking about overarching structures that inhibit or deny effective education for many children and erode the Nation’s need for an educated populace, let’s stand back and look at the K–12 structure and select one significant structure that must be changed.
K-12 education is mandatory except some children can opt-out of the system at age 14 (some states age 16) ending their education. With no place to go, these kids are turned loose to run wild in the streets. We understand that at one time kids could drop out because they were needed to work the family farm. Then things changed and there was no demand for unskilled, underage youth. It is interesting to note that in the ‘40s through ‘60s the military draft collected many of these young men and educated them. Then the draft ended. Dropouts run wild.
Today our core cities are filled with undirected, poorly educated, dropout youth who are a drain on society. The solution seems obvious. If a child did not survive in the traditional school setting, or if her family was dysfunctional and could not/would not support her, then what is needed to save her and children like her, and our society, are training and acculturation programs not unlike basic training and the Civilian Conservation Corps.
Why haven’t programs for these damaged kids been created? Obviously because our society and its institutions are too entrenched and inflexible to change in response to critical issues. Why then will some assume that systemic problems that block what is needed for the digital, information age student be addressed and institutions modified? It would take forces greater than those allowed in a democracy to make it happen. Most institutions are so bound they cannot change. If they are unable to serve a changing population these petrified systems erode the competency of large numbers of citizens and gradually make participatory democracy impossible.
Hopefully, new leadership creates options that by-pass moribund systems. Perhaps through forced redirection? Perhaps through market forces that meet demand?
We believe the battle for change is half won when we are able to clearly identify the structural changes that must be made.
OVERARCHING CHANGES TO OUR THINKING AND MODIFICATION OF STRUCTURES IN THE WAY OF EFFECTIVENESS. BRAINSTORMING AND LISTING MAJOR CHANGES THAT ARE NECESSARY IF INSTITUTIONS ARE TO SURVIVE
Please note: The following lists are in no particular order. Each identified change can and will have volumes written about it. Herein we simply tag some necessary changes.
The role of the teacher: What must change to meet the needs of digitally literate, information age students?
One-way communication ends replaced by interactive communication.
Teachers connect students to world resources.
Teachers set the learning parameters for specific levels (courses and units within courses).
Teachers keep individuals focused and the assigned group “class” individually centered.
Teachers learn about and provide desired outcomes for each student.
Teachers utilize virtual space as an extension of the classroom and as a way to work with students individually and in groups.
Teachers extend their accessibility through the use of avatars.
Teachers know the essential skills necessary for mastery of taught material and train individuals accordingly.
Teachers identify student mastery of identified data by observing how each student is able to apply the concept to other situations.
Teachers work as part of interdisciplinary teams.
Although training may be done in isolation, the educational programs are always interactive.
Teaching emphasis is on student mastery of basic skills necessary to function in the course, and the application of readily available data, not how to find information.
The nature of evaluation changes – teachers do not use tests to punish or motivate students. Teachers use evaluation (tests of many types) as a diagnostic tool to determine the educational focus for each student.
Teachers (educators) break out of the ‘time block’ system and use time as necessary to meet goals. Time-on-task is determined by the teacher and student, not a set schedule.
Course length, within realistic parameters, is determined by the teacher to address student needs and learning styles.
Teachers build their courses and instruction methods around the Learning Path: Introduction, Association, Involvement, Application, Internalization and Contribution. (Dr. Edward F. Berger)
Teachers are highly skilled professionals. Their time is focused on students and instructional coordination. It is not used for patrolling, policing, or administrative tasks best done by support personnel.
Changing the concept of classroom (place-based) education.
Interactive learning takes place in many learning environments. For example, a dedicated classroom space may be used for face-to-face communication, group, and one-on-one interaction, or it may not be needed.
Lecture halls are replaced/supplemented by presentation areas in virtual space.
Students are grouped by achievement level and need, not chronological age.
Placing every student at a desk, in a room, doing the same thing has no purpose beyond administrative facility.
Virtual space “classrooms” can be utilized for 24/7 instruction and one-on-one instruction.
Virtual space can be utilized for testing and mastery evaluation as well as attendance, tutoring, and socializing.
Students may never enter a “place-based classroom” if their needs are met in monitored studies through the Internet or in virtual environments.
Educational delivery is not determined by proximity to a school classroom – students may be anywhere.
FusionVirtual has presented this position paper to stimulate thought, share ideas, and help leaders identify the directions they must take to serve future generations and our Nation. Our work has just begun.
-Alex Berger and the FusionVirtual team.
Need a copy that’s easier to print/read? View the original whitepaper here.
The city of Stavanger is an interesting one. Located at nearly the same latitude as the Orkney Islands in Scotland, it’s situated on the inward side of a large peninsula on the southwestern coast of Norway. The city is the third largest in Norway, though still serves as a home to fewer than 300,000 people and is home to a large portion of the country’s oil fleet.
Most of the city’s old town sits on one of two small hills which partially surround the old harbor – a picturesque area full of small cafes, parked ferry boats, and a few masted sailing vessels. In addition to the cafes the harbor opens up on a large square (which is on a bit of a hill), a small 4 or 5 station fish market, and the entrance to an old shopping mall. From the harbor it’s easy to see the large suspension bridge which connects the city of Stavanger proper with a series of small islands which serve as home to some of the city’s more affluent population. You can see part of the bridge as well as the masts of small sailboats, and the warehouse-turned-residential buildings in the photo above.
To my surprise it turned out that Stavanger was hosting the Conoco Phillips world beach volleyball championships. They’d brought in tons of sand and set up six full-sized beach volleyball courts along one side of the harbor, in addition to constructing a small free standing stadium around a final match beach/field. I’m not much of a beach volleyball fan, but was excited to have stumbled onto the event. In sharing some of the names in attendance with friends who play, it turned out that the event was actually fairly major and had a lot of the most well known women’s international players/teams in attendance. What made the event that much better was the open (free) access which was available to the six practice/elimination courts which almost all had games going constantly throughout the day. The events drew huge crowds which filled the harbor area and added to the level and sense of energy in the air. Not to mention the general appeal of a bunch of attractive international volleyball players wandering around the city.
A brief 5 minute walk from the old harbor, up a small hill, past a squat old cathedral and back down towards sea level takes you to a large pond which rests directly in front of the rail/bus station and is surrounded by a variety of shops, hotels, and other like-kind establishments. The pond is pretty, if not overly beautiful, and serves as a home to ducks, fountains and the occasional swan.
The city’s smaller side streets are typically beautiful cobblestone walkways lined by an odd assortment of heartily built structures. The town’s wet climate is reflected in the green vegetation and moss which can be found everywhere – including growing between the cobblestones. I found myself pleasantly strolling through the city’s quiet side streets surrounded by flowers – some planted, some seemingly wild – which line the city’s streets and decorate the town’s residential buildings.
From the rail/bus station I decided to brave one of the city’s hills. While not a significant climb, I’ll confess to being a bit lazy. The walk left me somewhat winded and my shins burning as I wound up the steep cobblestone streets. Despite a little huffing and puffing the climb was well worth it. When I finally reached the top I quickly found a small hole between two pitched slate rooftops and enjoyed the view: the bridge, bay and one of the nearby islands was about as picturesque as a highly urban landscape can be.
As I meandered through the city streets I found myself continually drawn towards the bridge. After all it was large, no doubt offered a unique view of the city and….well…it was there and let’s face it, that’s often more than enough reason in and of itself. Before long my feet found their way to the ramp leading up to the pedestrian walkway across the bridge. Dodging the occasional bicyclist I walked about 1/2 of the way out onto the bridge then paused and looked back at Stavanger. The view was one of a prominent cathedral, pointy pitched roofs, a few converted warehouses, and brought to mind the mental image of an old city given life in an even older story – a city near slumber, late at night, lit by oil powered lamp light and echoing with the quiet rattle of wagon wheels bouncing across cobblestone streets.
An odd visual to have in the middle of the day on a bright sunny day? Perhaps – but it brought a smile to my face and some how, some way, seemed to fit the city’s skyline.
From the bridge I continued my aimless meandering, wrapping back down towards the harbor, but not before winding my way through the city’s thriving shopping district which is full of middle-upper class shops and ritzy street cafes. As I wound my way up side alleys and down main streets I was constantly entertained by the large number of odd murals that decorate walls and street corners throughout the city – most done in a graffiti style, but showing far more care, time, and artistry than random graffiti scribble. Most were bizarre, but creative and fun in their quirkiness.
Tired, footsore, and feeling more than a little starved I eventually decided it was time to track down a supermarket, pick up some relatively cheap food (though still ridiculously priced) and then head home to the Hospihostelhotel. Watch the clip above for a look at the meal (sorry about the image/color quality, I was having issues with a lens at the time).
Let me just say, that shopping in foreign countries can be difficult. Especially when you’re in a supermarket and the local language is anything but easily recognizable. As I stood in front of the cooler I couldn’t help but shrug, sigh, and scratch my head as I grabbed what looked like pre-cooked and shelled shrimp tails and what I assumed was pre-cooked BBQ chicken. The whole time I couldn’t help but wonder if I was going to poison myself by accidentally buying something that wasn’t completely cooked (like the chicken). Luckily, the extent of my surprise came in the form of the “shrimp” I’d bought. It was only after getting the container open, draining off the water and tasting a few that I google translated the words on the lid. Shrimp? Not so fast. Turns out they were crawfish tails. The good news was crawfish was equally acceptable and delicious as shrimp in my book. Still, I couldn’t help but let out a hearty laugh at myself. It’s the little adventures that stick out…and this was no exception.
The final meal consisted of several small pieces of bread, a coke, diced barbecued chicken, arctic fish roe/caviar, and pre-cooked/salted crawfish tails. The end result was an odd, but strangely complimentary assortment of tastes that left me stuffed and content – even though I’d faced more than a few surprises.
With a full belly and tired legs I crawled into bed, checked my e-mail, and watched a bit of Norwegian TV which surprisingly was mostly in English with Norwegian subtitles. The following day promised an adventure – it was time to say goodbye to Stavanger and hello to Bergen.
Several years ago I had a realization. That realization wasn’t sudden, or abrupt, but it was profoundly powerful. It was the realization that we as individuals are fundamentally responsible for our actions and the impact of those actions on the people around us. That realization led me to re-analyze the way I interact with people, and what type of people I choose to surround myself with.
I’ve come to realize that there are effectively two types of people in the world. Those who create their own luck and dismiss adversity/challenges and disappointments as part of the process, and then those who languish in their own bad luck. This latter group seem constantly plagued by bad luck, most of which can be traced back to their life choices and fixation on their own poor condition. The latter seem to always be pointing to others and claiming, “if only I had your luck, your skill, your opportunities, your good lucks, etc.” and who by that same coin refuse to create their own luck and opportunity. These ‘if only’ personalities relish in creating missed opportunities and then pointing to and fixating on them as indicators of why they cannot get ahead or succeed. While this world view isn’t the focus of this post, it is tied directly to an inner decision that goes hand in hand with it. So, keep it in mind as you read.
Pay It Forward
The concept is simple. When you read those three words, you probably immediately think of the movie which offered the ideology significant publicity. Ultimately, however, it’s little more than an extension of the Golden Rule – that is, do onto others as you would have done onto yourself.
It’s a simple approach to life, but one which is surprisingly rare. Oh, don’t get me wrong, you’ll find small examples of good behavior in everyone, but in many ways it has come to be an ideology at odds with our culture. Why help a stranger in a city of millions? It’s part of our nature to wonder, “What’s in it for me?” and of course, “What’s the cost?.” The answers to these questions don’t exactly give the most marketable responses. What’s in it for me? The chance of a better world. The chance to help people. It’s a vague answer, one which is general and initially seems insignificant. You can bring the concept of Karma into it as many do, but even then it’s somewhat nebulous. The truth is that living a life which focuses on paying it forward does pay major dividends. You live a happier, healthier life and ultimately end up surrounding yourself by other people who are sincerely willing to help, for no better reason than that they can, but in truth – that is the easy part of the equation.
The second question is far more challenging: what’s the cost? Most believers in a pay it forward ideology will shrug off the question, usually giving a nebulous answer that implies nothing – that there is no cost. The reality is, that there is a cost – and that cost can potentially be significant. A point I was painfully reminded of last night.
There’s a reason that one of the most widely recognizable adages in our culture is, “No Good Deed Goes Unpunished”. It’s not that every good deed is punished, but rather that the sting of getting burned while trying to do a good deed hurts twice as much. It’s not only fundamentally hurtful but carries with it a strong sense of betrayal coupled with anger and those emotions, especially combined are incredibly powerful. So powerful in fact that they can do far more than just causing people to abandon a Pay It Forward approach to life, where they might do little more than revert to apathy and inaction. It can cause a Pay It Backwards approach which leaves people bitter and aggressive and that’s the true danger. It’s also why I started this article talking about how we deal with success and obstacles in our day to day lives.
An Example
I mentioned earlier that the reason for this post was an altercation I had last night. Without going into too much depth I came upon a car last night around 9:30PM in a parking lot commonly used by bar goers. I was a bit early and the parking lot was largely empty. I immediately noticed that the car next to mind still had the keys in the door. I faced a dilemma. The keys were not owned by someone I knew and none of my business. They were a stranger’s keys and any theft/damage done would be to a complete stranger, and the direct result of their lack of attention. Yet, if they had been my keys and a stranger noticed them – what would I hope that they might do? Ignore them and leave the car to the next, less scrupulous passer by (Keep in mind that the Phoenix area ranks in the top 10 for Automotive theft)? Or take what action was available to help.
After a moments consideration I weighed the options – would they find the keys if i put them on the front tire? The windshield? Probably not. Should I open the car door and place them on the car seat? Maybe during the day, but not at night – that would go beyond just helping and risk trespassing. The obvious option seemed to remove the keys and drop them on the ground immediately below the lock. There they’d be easily found by the owners when they searched their pockets, but wouldn’t be readily visible to everyone in the parking lot. I dropped the keys, and began my way towards the bars where I was schedule to meet several friends.
I got about 15 feet before a large male (I’m 6’4/200 pounds and this guy was larger/more athletic) started shouting at me from ahead of me. I quickly explained the situation, what was going on, and encouraged the guy to calm down and talk to me. He wasn’t having it. The back and forth continued for a solid minute as I backpedaled maintain my distance while he threatened me, demanded MY keys, and ignored what I was saying. I even went so far as to volunteer to call the police over, if he’d calm down, so that I could explain the situation. The threats continued, even after I could see that the Girl he was with found the keys – right where I said they’d be – and had opened the car door.
Eventually he decided threats of putting me in the hospital were insufficient, and made a leap towards me. I know when I’m outgunned – and I retreated. Quickly. He couldn’t keep up, gave up shortly there after, turned and made a B-line back to my vehicle, which he proceeded to kick repeatedly leaving heavy scuffing on the trunk and denting in the rear passenger side door so badly that it won’t open. Keep in mind, all of this has occurred AFTER I’ve offered to discuss the incident with the police and after the girl he was with had gained access to the car.
Still keeping my distance, I dialed 911 as soon as he headed back towards the vehicles and requested police intervention. They arrived, but not before the thug and the woman he was with got into their car and burned out of the parking lot – unfortunately – before I could close enough distance to grab a plate number.
So, what did trying to help someone get me? Very nearly a serious trip to the hospital, and at least a $500 deductible to get the damage fixed.
To Pay It Backwards?
The whole event left me feeling incredibly frustrated, angry, and disheartened. Beyond that, it left me wondering what I’d do in the future when I find myself faced with a similar dilemma. The thought do nothing of course came to mind, but it didn’t stop there. What might I do in the future? After all, helping someone had just been negatively re-enforced, so why not do the opposite? Why not sheer the key off in the lock with a quick kick? Should I join countless other Arizonans and start carrying A gun? A knife?
As each of these thoughts floated through my mind over the course of the evening, I inevitably had to keep reminding myself that the cost still merited the greater benefit. That I was faced with a very clear opportunity. I could stick to my guns and remain a “shit happens” person, or I could pack it in, throw up a white flag, and retreat to the “If only”, “poor me” camp.
For my part I’ve chosen to stick to my guns. In the future I may think twice before deciding to go ahead and try and help someone out in a similar situation, but I’ll still do it. Why? Because it’s worth it. Unfortunately, discussions I’ve had with friends in the last 24 hours left me feeling like these types of events have led a lot of people to abandon a Pay It Forward approach to life, which is a loss for us all. I hope if you find yourself in that camp, that you’ll re-consider.
At the end of the day, despite the occasional cost – it’s worth it.
(From Left to Right: Kerri, Toni, Patricia, Alex, Jackie)
We just wrapped up the 2nd Arizona Travel Tweetup and I’m thrilled to say it was an absolute blast. We added three new faces to the group and spent a couple hours exchanging travel stories, wisdom, and doing more than a little brainstorming. You can see the original event announcement here.
Who made it (make sure you’re following them!):
Kerri who tweets at @khegre and is a passionate travel micro-blogger.
For those looking to connect with fellow Arizona based travel people please make sure to look over my AZ Travel list on twitter (if you’re not on it post here or shoot me a tweet).
What We Talked About
I was really excited by how much ground we covered over a relatively short period. For those of you who were not able to join us – here’s a taste of what you missed:
Travel stories and photos – No surprise here right? We had some great ones from an amazing long duration sailing trip, to stories about culture shock in Africa, crying babies, and the woes of traveling with young children. @patriciaelenie brought several stunning photos from her recent SEA Semester program where she sailed for several months around the Caribbean while @BikeLady brought several copies of her recently released Backroads and Byways of Arizona guide.
Twitter – It’s not really a tweetup if you don’t talk about twitter and we did! From general discussions about social media, to more specific discussions about how we use and rely on twitter as a tool we had what i found to be a very informative discussion.
One of my favorite tips came from @khhegre who suggested the creation of small twitter lists consisting of category driven favorites. She’s used this as a creative way to overcome the challenges that go with the forced feed sampling approach which happens as you break 200 follows. The creation of lists still allows you to sample general tweets, while making sure you’re able to filter it category or emphasis when the mood strikes.
We also discussed the ways in which twitter has changed how we follow and consume blog content. The general consensus was that while many of us previously had favorite blogs/blog feeds which we followed, that our general approach had changed. Now the emphasis was on people, individual articles and information feeds, over the blog feed itself. Our new approach has evolved into sampling what looks interesting from our twitter feed which if reflective of general twitter users (Which I believe it is) shows a fundamental shift in how bloggers need to position themselves, distribute their posts, and share with the community. It looks like you’ll need to be even more social and pro-active in the future if you want to put your content in front of people.
We also discussed a few other basics, things like how we choose who to follow, the impact and importance of your following/follower ratio, and the power of twitter as a tool to build new relationships and friendships. Especially for travelers! I found @SmithTempe/@VisitTempe’s insights into how Tempe has been pushing into Social Media and really re-defining their relationship with the travel community to be really informative and exciting.
LinkedIn, TBEX, Tripitini – As a community focused event, the question of communities came up. We talked about three of the largest concentrations of general travel discussion. LinkedIn was a new one for me, but apparently as a very vibrant travel discussion community. We discussed Travel Blog Exchange in some depth including a break down on the recent TBEX conference which @khegre had been able to attend as well as Tripitini a more recent community on the scene that is very similar to Tripitini and has an active travel community.
Facebook – We spent some time brainstorming on the way we use and interact with Facebook as well as its potential for improving social interaction, building/maintaining travel contacts/friendships and as a traffic/community building tool. The consensus? Facebook has done amazing things for empowering travelers and giving an easy way to meet and stay in contact with friends made on the road. We also looked at how Facebook is increasingly becoming one of the primary traffic drivers for independent bloggers and community sites. Probably in no-small part due to the same shift we’re seeing in Twitter as people move from individual blog loyalty to a focus on people’s recommendations and individual links.
Hostels and Couchsurfing – We had a fun chat with a few comical adventure stories about what hostels are, who they’re right for, their positives and some of their drawbacks. We also discussed Couchsurfing (with a quick introduction to what it is) and different tools for reaching out to travelers as they visit Phoenix/Arizona.
Lots more beyond that, but those are the highlights that jump to mind! Hopefully they serve as good food for thought for those who were not able to join us. If they’ve sparked a thought or question, don’t hesitate to keep the conversation going in a comment here on this post.
Thank you again to everyone who came out. I hope to get a 3rd Arizona Travel Tweetup organized for sometime in late September or early October. I look forward to continuing to build the community and helping put real faces and names to twitter/blogs/websites.
For years I’d seen photos of a stunning rock cliff face that leaned out over a massive fjord. The sheer majesty of the formation and the presence it conveyed – even in photos – captivated me. I knew at some point I’d have to track down where the images and videos were shot and find my way there. The spot has been featured in base jumping videos, wingsuit videos and more than a few rugged adventure photo sets. Despite it’s relative popularity, the actual name and location of the spot was anything but easy to track down. In many ways it’s one of Norway’s worst kept secrets. Once you know what to look for it’s easy to find – but until then it’s not something you’ll just accidentally stumble upon.
As my Norway trip started to take shape, I knew that if at all possible a stop at what I later came to learn was commonly referred to as Preikestolen or the Preacher’s Pulpit was an absolute must. To my surprise I learned that Preikestolen was best accessed via a mid-sized Norwegian town I’d never heard of: Stavanger. The city is the 3rd largest in Norway and regularly hailed as the Nation’s Culture Capital due to its thriving music scene.
Eager to see Preikestolen, I based my Norway visit around a stop in Stavanger even though it meant I had to cut out my planned exploration of the Northern half of Norway and a return to the Arctic Circle.
My morning began with a hint of uncertainty. Taking advantage of the private room and a quiet night in, I’d done my laundry in the sink/shower the night before. As experienced travelers no doubt are well aware that means clothing hanging from every possible surface and a room that looks like it has been struck by a tornado. According to the website, I’d be doing a Tide.no tour. For 200 NOK the self guided tour included round trip ferry transport from Stavanger to Tau, then Bus transport from Tau to the Hotel/basecamp which is located about 3.8KM and 1,000 feet in altitude from Preikestolen. The catch? I wasn’t entirely sure which side of the old port in Stavanger the ferry left from. Even after doing a bit of research online I was still somewhat uncertain. Though, luckily, I remembered wandering past what looked like a Tide ferry terminal the day before. Using that as a base, I caught the bus and struck out for what I hoped was the 9:30 ferry.
Sometimes its better to be lucky than smart. As it turned out, a combination of the two worked to my favor. I arrived shortly after 8AM, slightly out of breath, found a ticket window and got directions. The attendant informed me that tickets for “Tour 4″ could be purchased on the boat and that it would be departing at 9. After a moments hesitation and confusion over the 9AM departure time (all of their paperwork said 9:30) I forded across a nearby street, wading through the heavy flow of traffic and found a small SPAR supermarket selling a relatively cheap hotdog.
Eventually I found myself on a large car ferry. The ferry itself was nice and offered a great view from the top deck as well as fairly comfortable seating inside for those eager to escape the sun or light ocean breeze. As it turns out, there are actually two ferries that make the Stavanger – Tau trip. One at 8:45 and the other at 9:30. The 9:30 aligns directly with the Tau -> Basecamp Bus, but both are equally convenient.
The trip to Tau was gorgeous. The weather was perfect. Slightly cool, crystal clear blue skies, with a slight breeze to keep you feeling refreshed and invigorated, I couldn’t help but relish every moment as our ferry (turned budget cruise ship) wound its way through several small channels cut between beautiful rock islands. Many of which had small lighthouses or picturesque villages sandwiched into tiny coves. From time to time I’d spot a small sailboat making its way across the fjord’s flat waters – each looking as though it was an old oil painting come to life, all set to the backdrop of large mountains turned a light blue by distance and the ocean’s haze.
Tau Harbor was simple. A long cement quay for the ferry to land at, an old industrial looking structure along one side of the harbor, and a secondary sailing harbor backed by several picturesque homes hidden across the harbor behind a second, smaller breakwater. It was anything but exciting but a great place to relax for 30 minutes. I took the opportunity to explore the water’s edge. The water was a rich green but also crystal clear and full of fish, seaweed and a number of Jellyfish. In truth, just about every harbor in Norway I visited was full of Jellyfish. Some were small, most were pancake sized and others the size of a soccer ball. Though no doubt a pain for locals, the Jellyfish added an exciting curiosity and other-worldly beauty to the overall experience. Note the incredible clarity of the water in the image above. I snapped it from the small dock pictured in the previous image, right before being driven off by two full sized Swans and a mid-sized gray Swanling.
From Tau the Bus drops you off at the basecamp (not sure of its actual name). It sits overlooking a beautiful lake and is home to a large parking lot, hotel, cafe, bathrooms, a small treat and tourist knickknack store and of course the start of the Preikestolen Trail. From start to Preikestolen the hike covers 3,800 Meters (just under 12,500 feet) and is about 3.8 KM each way. From the parking lot to the top of Preikestolen there’s a 1,090 foot altitude difference which the map above showcases fairly accurately.
The path is well maintained but challenging. In addition to steep inclines it consists of a mixture of lightly graveled paths, wooden boardwalks, natural terrain and large piled rock fields. While the majority of the path is doable without the use of your hands there are more than a few spots where you’ll find yourself using hands to stabilize yourself as you scramble from small boulder to small boulder. Despite the path’s difficult nature there was a wide cross section of people hiking the trail. Some old, some young. Some thin and fit, others not so much. The biggest deciding factor seemed to be pace and water. When hiking the trail, make sure you take more than enough water with you and move at a pace you’re comfortable with. Don’t rush. I had a liter as well as a 20 oz soda and was thoroughly parched by the time I finished the hike. Having enough water, and taking your time on the treacherous footing should allow just about anyone to make the hike assuming – of course – that they’re up for a7 (almost KM hike over rough terrain.
The path is what I’d call a sprinter’s path. It sprints up large inclines quickly before leaving hikers to meander along relatively flat spaces across beautiful boggy meadows or polished granite hilltops with incredible views of lakes or fjords stretching out towards the horizon.
As you break through the halfway point you’re forced to make one final great push. The hill pictured above is slightly steeper (if only slightly) than some of the other areas. You can see the moss covered, fern decorated rocks which make up the path and perhaps get a feel for what to expect during the “sprint” phases of the hike. Mind the ankles – it can be a bit dangerous.
The reward, however, is well worth the effort. After completing the last difficult scramble, you find yourself upon the spine of one of the hills. You’ll also get to enjoy your first view of the Lysefjoren. It’s spectacular. There’s really no other way to describe it.
Well, when I said final push…I didn’t truly mean final, final. Once on the spine of the mountain, you wind your way up a far more gradual incline. With only one or two relatively small rock scrambles, you wind through a mixture of scenery like that in the photo above and lush green forest before getting dumped out next to three small lakes in an area largely devoid of trees. The lakes double as swimming holes for those brave enough to risk the frigid Norwegian water and were home to massive schools of tadpoles.
With the lakes to my back, I began to make my way towards what I hoped was getting close to Preikestolen. Shortly after the lakes I was greeted by a wooden sign with two options. One was the cliff top path, the other was the hill top path. I opted for the cliff top path, which looked like it would wrap around the remaining crest of the mountain, instead of cutting up and over it. A decision I’d suggest anyone making the hike consider. The hill top path makes for a far better return trip as part of a giant loop.
Though most of the remaining path was fairly easy, there were a few challenging spots. There’s nothing that gets the heart pumping quite like a chain link hand rail, uneven rocks and a several hundred foot drop to the left.
The weather was incredible. Hardly a cloud in the sky, relatively survivable humidity and a gentle breeze – which while absolutely perfect was more than a little toasty. By the time I reached the 2/3 point I’d surrendered my shirt and was relishing every step. There’s something spectacular about a good hike in an amazing setting surrounded by crystal clean air with blue skies in every direction. Throw in a few spectacular cliffs and a massive fjord in the background and you’ve got paradise. As I continued along the cliff top the path cut inland briefly, turned a few corners…
…and then rounded a ledge and stopped me in my tracks. The sheer cliff face fell away to my left, some 1,800 feet down to the Fjord and there ahead of me I could just make out the small dots of fellow hikers exploring and enjoying Preikestolen.
Even though my final destination was finally within eyesight and reach I still paused briefly to rest and take in the cliff I was standing immediately next to. I knew that Preikestolen itself would be incredible, but couldn’t help but be awed by the sheer drop off I was standing next to. So, I did what anyone with a reasonable fear of heights would do. I sat down, swung my legs out into the breeze, tried not to whimper like a little girl, and took a photo…then paused and enjoyed the moment and view of the fjord below.
Still feeling a bit light headed from my glance over the cliff I collected myself, dusted my pants off and started towards Preikestolen. I didn’t have to walk far before being greeted by the cliff in its full majesty. Keep in mind that what you’re looking at in the image seems tall, but loses some of its power and scale. From clifftop to water is about 1,900 feet. If you figure 10 feet per story, that’s the equivalent of 190 story building. Not half bad ehh?
The fjord that sits at the base of Preikestolen is the Lysefjorden and is accessible from Stavanger via a variety of fjord cruises though I have to admit, after seeing it from above, I doubt that I’d be satisfied taking a ferry based tour.
As I settled in on top of the 82×82 foot flat top of Preikestolen to enjoy my lunch I couldn’t help but pinch myself. This is why I’d come to Norway. This is what I’d dreamed of – and the best part? It was living up to every ounce of my expectations.
Preikestolen is effectively a giant square which protrudes from the surrounding cliff. The cool thing about this is that it also has one corner which is perfectly laid out to serve as a seat. One very lofty, heart pounding, slightly windy seat (pictured above). So, not to miss out on a once in a lifetime experience I gathered up my courage, overcame my fears and carefully scooted my way out to the point, then dropped a leg over either side and sat straddling the point. Luckily, I’d befriended a Korean couple on the ferry and run into them again at the Pulpit, which left me feeling comfortable enough to trust the husband with my camera. No small feat (or request on my part) since it required he backtrack a few hundred feet to another smaller point to take the photo.
After spending an hour or so at the Pulpit I started my trip home. For the return trip, I decided to take the hill top path knowing it would take me up onto the remaining portion of the mountain, which overlooks Preikestolen. The 100 or so foot climb up above the Pulpit was well worth it as there was a series of stone cairns which decorated the top of the 2nd cliff.
As you can see in the image above, the Pulpit’s surface area is of a decent size, but not overly large. It was also somewhat busy, but not bad when considering how incredible the weather was and that it’s effectively a world famous landmark. Still, I can only imagine how stunning it would be to stand out on it alone under a full moon at night.
The hike back down over the top of the hill offered a spectacular view of the Fjord/bay back towards Tao and Stavanger. It also brought with it a bit of excitement. As I crested the final hill and prepared to wind back down towards the lakes I was greeted by the sight pictured above – a rescue helicopter circling the lakes, and preparing to pick someone up. A small crowd had gathered around what I can only imagine was a hiker who had slipped and broken a bone, or perhaps feinted from the heat. Either way, the helicopter settled in next to one of the lakes in hover mode, dropped a cable, and picked up the injured individual before winding them up, and then heading back towards town.
Beyond a gently rolled ankle and feeling terribly parched the rest of my hike back down to the base camp was every bit as beautiful and delightful as the trip up had been.
The hike as a whole was spectacular and a must do for anyone visiting Norway. It was truly incredible. If you’re thinking about doing it and have any questions (or comments) or have done it yourself please leave a comment! I’d love to keep the memory alive with continued discussion!
KM hike over rough terrain.
