Hello everyone,
I hope this doesn't seem insensitive to the resulting discussions from
NIFL's surprising news(!). But I'd like to go back to Ryan's generous
offer to create a women and literacy Wiki space on our behalf
(http://wiki.literacytent.org/index.php/Main_Page). Since her offer I
have yet to hear any ideas shared on this list that would help her in
taking the lead on what can become a very collaborative endeavor. Given
recent circumstances, I'm sure we did not intend to leave her request
hanging out there like that. Soooo... I'm wondering in what ways we
would like to see this area developed? Online technologies like wikis
can be used in combination with listservs to enhance the vibrant nature
of communities, strengthening, not diminishing them. And in light of the
recent List news, that might not be a bad thing.

Some ideas I leave you with...

How might this area of the wiki be a place to collect women and literacy
success stories? Autobiographies?
Or what about:
*	a policy section for updates on federal policy pertaining to
women and literacy issues, how states are planning to transition to the
new federal TANF regs, and what that means for practices with
welfare-to-work? Then that could link over to the advocacy area of the
wiki.
*	a professional development initiatives section for
women-centered instruction, women's roles as learners and adult literacy
practitioners? That could then link over to the PD section.
*	a compilation of some of the rich or helpful discussions we've
had, like the health insurance resource-sharing (I'm sure we could all
come up with examples of what we want to see collected, pertinent
resources compiled, etc)
*	a list of practical questions for teaching and professional
development?
*	a compilation of relevant web sites we think are pertinent, as
well as women and literacy research addressing those questions?

Most of all: How can we make it lively and interactive?

The Adult Literacy Professional Development List has used the PD List in
tandem with the PD area of the ALE Wiki to develop matrices of
information: state PD systems, approaches and methods of PD, and PD
Policy Recommendations - the latter which was then voted upon and
embraced by our professional association, AALPD, and it is guiding our
resulting PD advocacy efforts.

I guess the reason I'm going on about it is because, well, the ALE Wiki
has been a helpful resource in many ways, and it always serves the "just
in time" need. And the wiki is only one tool. I'm sure there are many
ways to share and cultivate the wisdom of an online community. So we can
create what we want rather than just accept what is.

Thanks, Ryan, for your offer. I look forward to this becoming a rich
resource for all of us!

Best wishes, Jackie

Jackie Taylor, Adult Literacy Professional Development List Moderator,
jataylor at utk.edu 


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