Brian’s return this week led to a much more evenly balanced lecture, with Adrian and the three other tutors each evenly contributing to the discussion.  While it’s reasonably refreshing to hear the opinions of not just one primary lecturer, I had some concerns as to the possibility that we could be ‘fed’ differing and conflicting information and opinions on the topics of discussion.  However these concerns were quickly quashed, as the four bounced ideas off one another, which often lead to new insightful threads of discussion.  More riveting reflections next week.

There has been much mixed reviews in regards to the new “Unlectures” over the last couple of weeks.  Our class held an open discussion last week in order to gauge more feedback, to a varied consensus.  Some believed there was little direction in the course and way of learning, while others believed it provided a fresh new take on the sometimes mundane structure of some subjects.

As for me, I’m still undecided.  Supposedly the “unlectures” are yet to take full flight, with Brian being absent, so I’ll reserve my opinions.  However, I do feel that if the “open forum” discussion structure is to work, more participation is needed from us, as the students, in the following weeks.

Over a week on, and I’m taking this chance to more formally reflect on last week’s first lecture for Networked Media.  It was definitely not what I was expecting, that’s for sure.  Day one, and lecturer, Adrian Miles, has already fondly dubbed these weekly occurrences for this semester as the “unlecture”.  I’m listening!

Adrian’s spiel was illuminating, to say the least.  “Not sponges”, he said, dismissing the way typical lectures are conducted; students half asleep, eyes glazed over, heads lolled to one side, and mouths slightly ajar as they drool onto their shoulder as though the knowledge and information being distributed to them were via an intravenous drip in their arm.

No.  These lectures are to be different.  More, an open forum discussion, where individuals can speak their thoughts aloud, and more importantly ideas can be “bounced” off one another to learn in this way.  With that, I can metaphorically see us no longer as sponges, but as the little silver balls of a Newton’s Cradle, only less structured, and moving in differing, wild directions.  And instead of momentum slowly coming to a halt, steadily gaining in speed and rapidity, with the little clinking of metal signifying the ticking of our brains.