John:
What a fascinaing question for this list. For me, the word "structure" is
architechtural, and quite literally an expression of buildings. As I read
your post, I remembered several words and images:
- framework
- support
- connections of elements
- linear/square/hard buildings such as skyscrapers and...
- round/networked/soft enclosures such as tepees & yurts
The analogy came home to me when I remembered the twig and skin buildings
of nomadic people. We speak of a differently structured learning system
as "unstructured" because we do not recognize it AS a structure. Our
culture, our experiences, and our assumptions about learning systems
preclude us from seeing the tepee/yurt as comparable to the skyscraper.
shalom,
Vana Prewitt
vprewitt@bellsouth.net
John H. Dicus wrote:
>
> I would appreciate hearing the benefit of the thinking on this list around
> the use of the word structure.
...snip...
>
> In the earlier years of my journey I learned about structure from Robert
> Fritz. The story in the beginning of his book "The Path Of Least
> Resistance" -- about the cow paths in old Boston being the structure
> generated by the cows which subsequently guiding their movement -- has
> always stuck with me.
...snip...
> In most of our recent work we have adopted many "techniques" of open
> systems (like Open Space or Emergent Space) in our facilitation. Similar
> to what Doc speaks of -- we engage folks in processes of discovery wherein
> they live in the experiences of working together and organizing in
> new/different ways. We say "well its hard to tell you, but we can show
> you."
>
> When exposed to these learning techniques, people say "wow, they're
> unstructured." I think I know what they mean and how they are feeling,
> but the word "structure" in that sense does not seem right to me any
> longer. Often they mean "un-tethered," "unfamiliar," "less rigid," "fewer
> degrees of freedom," and so on. In Thomas' and Mike's postings -- I agree
> wholeheartedly with their thoughts, yet the use of the word "structure" in
> that context again is troubling me. Troubling me because I am seeking a
> different language, perhaps, that is compatible with the Robert Fritz/IA
> line of thinking. And probably because that particular use of the word
> structure is beginning to get in the way of communicating when we begin to
> look at the organization of open, living self-organizing systems. (Doc
> refers to pattern, structure, and process as Capra does).
>
> Emergent learning environments, I believe, are "differently" structured,
> rather then "unstructured."
--Vana Prewitt <vprewitt@mail.rdu.bellsouth.net>
Learning-org -- An Internet Dialog on Learning Organizations For info: <rkarash@karash.com> -or- <http://world.std.com/~lo/>