Mob Rule Learning: Camps, Unconferences, and Trashing the Talking Head

by Michelle Boule

This is the first comprehensive book about the unconference movement. Author, blogger, and Library Journal Mover & Shaker Michelle Boule explains why traditional conferences and learning environments increasingly fail to meet the needs of professionals. She looks at the impact of “internet mob rule” on continuing education and training, and shows how an array of new solutions—including camps, unconferences, and peer learning strategies—are putting the power of knowledge back in the hands of those who need it most.

 

In addition to providing a step-by-step approach to planning a camp or unconference, Mob Rule Learning features numerous case studies, interviews, and examples of emerging education and training models for small and large organizations, businesses, and community groups.

Genres: Nonfiction

224 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 2011

Reviews

[Pete Wung · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was chosen as an early reviewer for this book. I did not get it for a few months and then it shows up on my doorsteps. I am pretty glad it did. The book, while not perfect, holds the distinction as being the one that introduced me to the formalized mob learning concept.

Michelle Boule is kind of a pioneer since this is the first book that I know of which covers the subject. She does so in a very comprehensive way. Even so, it left me hanging for a few things, partly my fault though. I will explain.

The author comes from the library science area, as such the people she deals with are much more likely to accept these ideas of having unstructured conferences and I guess are much more eager to try out some of these more adventurous ideas. I am an engineer, as such I had a very hard time trying to get something concrete from the book. Again, not the author's fault, I am just not the usual audience that would read this kind of book. She did convey, quite brilliantly, the excitement of discovering new ways to communicate and problem solve. I think she was able to convey a necessarily amorphous concept in a very strong way to the audience. In essence the idea is to let people come up with a way to learn and communicate and come to decisions organically, something that is very hard for people to do. i think the author did a very good job of making her points and relating her own excitement to the readers.

The book is ordered in a very logical way, her emphasis is actually on the practical aspects of utilizing the mob rule methods. Her examples are all very practical and goal oriented. The methods she listed were all very interesting and sounds like they will be very useful. BUT, this is not a how-to book, and I think that is by design. The author's intent is to allow those who read the book to experiment and come to the right ways of accomplishing things by reaching for the solutions ourselves.

I am still grasping with some of the concepts, but this is a challenge that is very interesting and allows me to really think about how we can best convey information AND create a space for productive and innovative discussions, I am planning a conference for 2013 and the book has been a very interesting read, it certainly has sparked many discussions amongst those who are on my organizing committee. I believe we will be using some of the concepts introduced in the book. More importantly, we will follow the spirit of the book and come up with our own way of doing mob rule learning, by using mob rule learning.

I would recommend this book for a variety of reasons, I found it most helpful though in dealing with my own conference planning task.

[Kim Lanza · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book has helped me rethink how I structure professional development for teachers. I used the concepts to think about how to translate the unconference concept and norms to better meet the needs of the teachers in my department. Teachers nominated topics and voted on the sessions yesterday. It was interesting to see topics emerge that I did not anticipate. The teachers seem excited that they will have dedicated time to talk about what matters to them. Our unconference is in two weeks - I am not sure what to expect for a first run at it but willing to find out!

[Mark]

Haven't read this in forever. Got a little over halfway. Owe a review to Library Thing too. ::sigh::

[Lesley Looper · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book in hopes of helping organize an unconference or library camp, and it was helpful and inspiring.

[Don Watkins · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting read. Glad to have had the chance to read it. If you're planning a conference and want to really engage those who attend then this is a must read.