Manifestos as change agents
Sunday, January 7, 2007 at 09:50AM Manifesto: a written statement declaring publicly the intentions, motives, or views of its issuer. m-w.com
Has the prevalence of the term manifesto increased along with the popularity of blogging? Along with the word meme (which I had never encountered before blogging), manifesto as become, well, manifest. John Pederson' Learning is Conversation remix of the Cluetrain Manifesto was my first encounter with the term - and was probably the first entry that 
got me excited about reading blogs. There is a Library 2.0 manifesto. Hugh McLeod at Gaping Void makes a career as a manifestisto. I've even been a snowflake in the manifesto avalanche myself, writing the Teacher’s Technology Manifesto a year or so ago. Recently, Christian Long at think:lab has drafted a "The Future of Learning" Manifesto that is well worth reading. Somebody more Web 2.0ish than I needs to give me some background on this phenomena (or is it meme?).
Reading these pithy and often radical lists usually results a bit of sugar high for the brain - the equivalent of a mental Snickers bar. Quite enjoyable while the sensation lasts. But the bigger question I am compelled to ask is: do manifestos and the conversations they inspire actually create any real change - especially in schools?
The hoary old change formula that has served me well both in theory and application is C = D X V X F > R. Allow me to translate:
- C = Change (personal, departmental, intuitional, societal - usually all levels have to change if any are to change)
- D = Discontent (somebody has to be unhappy with the status quo, either inside or outside the organization)
- V = Vision (how things might be different - this one is tricky since a majority of those effected need to buy in, and conflicting visions are the rule, not the exception, in education)
- F = First steps (actual, doable actions that can be undertaken to bring about the vision - and the determination and leadership to stay with a long term plan)
- R = Resistance (the natural reluctance that everyone to change - it's scary. it's work, it's uncertain, it's expensive, it's...)
So where do manifestos fit into this formula? Most have a sub text of discontent. There are elements of vision, though relatively general. Little in them speaks to actionable first steps.
I suppose all change has to start with somebody pounding a few theses on a metaphorical church door. But if this is where our (bloggers) change efforts end, we might better use our time volunteering in a library or classroom or soup kitchen if we actually want to make a concrete difference in society.
Scott McLeod's recent survey asked an interesting question: Would you quit your current job if you could support yourself and your family through blogging? I didn't think twice before answering a definitive "no." As frustrating as creating change in a real school system might be (read Pete Reilly's The Tyrant for a pretty good example), I cannot imagine being a full time bloviator. Putting ideas into practice is what excites me, even when doing so might be easily mistaken for beating one's head against the wall. Hot air might make a balloon rise temporarily, but I've never seen it build anything.
Do we need a Manifesto Manifesto?
