Tuesday, October 16, 2007

The 1% Rule and You

I was reading Carol's Oct 15 blog post, checked out the blog she referenced and starting reading around it. What captured my attention was the blogger's definition of the 1% Rule. His describes the 1% Rule as:

This rule tells us roughly that in online communities:
90% will read-only
9% will make limited contributions (comment)
1% will actively contribute content


Of course I can make a link to online communities, and to our class and the collaborative technologies we've been exploring. But instead, my mind goes to the more traditional face-to-face formal or informal learning experience--the non-online educational communities we're all a part of. Does some version of the 1% Rule hold for communities and groups in general? (Maybe it's the 10% Rule instead, but I'm reluctant to believe it's anything like the 80% Rule).

So to me, regardless of the technology or situation, does the 1% rule still apply. So then, the real question is:

When you think of learning experiences...
what kind of participant are YOU?
  • Reading (in a f2f class, the equivilant of listening and letting everyone else do the participating)
  • Limited contributions (in f2f, you rarely participate or extend the learning for yourself and others, maybe only if it's assigned or required?)
  • Or actively taking a part in any and all of your learning experiences?



      3 comments:

      HPLRsMom said...

      I tend to be a "get in there and do it" kind of learner. If I read something, I will probably remember a snippet of it; if I hear it, maybe. But if I can process it and work with it, it's much more likely to stick.

      Special K said...

      I don't consider myself to consistently be categorized as any of the three. I'd like to think that I speak up and contribute in classes that interest me or at meetings in which I am a key member.

      But I am human. I have taken classes that have bored me to tears, and I sure don't remember being particularly vocal in settings such as that. Whether it's a class or a committee meeting or a business lunch, we've all been in that situation.

      Strauss said...

      I feel that I contribute quite a bit in the classroom or in meetings. I sometimes feel that I tend to add my "two-cents" a lot, therefore, I try to back down and let others have some input. Sometimes, though when my fellow classmates or others in a meeting are just sitting there and not saying anything, I tend to try to make a comment or two to try to get the ball a rollin'.