Independent Scholar Movement II: James Bach

A book I highly recommend if you're looking to truly be a scholar without the limitations of instituions, archaic guidelines, and structures that tend to take you away, rather than lead you toward your stated goals. James Bach has written an excellent book, Secrets of a Buccaneer-Scholar, demonstrating the skills he's picked up and developed without the degree, leading to a very successful career in the highly competitive software industry. While he also emphasizes, as I would, that the purpose of the independent scholar movement, is for each individual to find what's right for him/her in achieving their goals, as the "one size fits all" standard does not work, he has some general guidelines (called "SACKED SCOWS), that I think would be a starting point for any budding scholar to answer their questions in their own terms:

"The Elements of My Self-Education Method
1. Scouting Obsessively. I discover the sources and tools I will need. It's more than half of the fun for me. I browse bookstores, skim books, surf the Web, or troll the dictionary. i try things and abandon them. I do all this to have deep resources when I need to learn important stuff fast.
2. Authentic Problems engage my mind. An authentic problem is one that I personally care about, not one that someone else thinks I should care about.

3. Cognitive Savvy means working with the rhythms of my mind. Thinking operates according to patterns and principles that I use to sail my mind, rather than driving or towing it. Researchers call it "metacognition."

4. Knowledge Attracts Knowledge, the more I know, the easier I learn. New knowledge conncets with old, inspiring questions that reach toward yet more to know.

5. Experimentation makes learning vivid and direct. To experiement is to get close to it, question it, play with it, poke at it, and learn from what happens next.

6. Disposable Time lets me try new things. Disposable time is time that I can afford to waste. A great deal of my best work I can trace to doodles, games, watching television, and other so-called wastes of time.

7. Stories are how I make sense of things. A story is a meaningful arrangement of ideas. Through composing, editing, sharing, or challenging stories, I advance my grasp of the world.

8. Contrasting Ideas lead to better ideas. This means challenging my beliefs with opposing ideas. It means asking probing questions, developing skeptical and critical habits to avoid being fooled or ambushed.

9. Other Minds exercise my thinking and applaud my exploits. Even though I'm responsible for my own ideas, I find it fun and useful to listen and respond to other thinkers. I get ideas from other people, then reinvent them for myself.

10. Words and Pictures make a home for my thoughts. Beneath the level of stories, there are words, pictures, and symbols that embody meaning. I discover and deploy powerful words, take notes, fiddle with diagrams.

11. Systems Thinking helps me tame complexity. Systems thinking is the art of analyzing complex structures to find simple ones beneath. As a systems thinker, I learn faster because I see connections between what I'm learning and what I already know." pp. 34-35

As Mr. Bach states "(d)ifferent buccaneers learn differently. That's find. This is how I do it." That's an important point that each of us would do well to remember, whether as teachers or students, as veterans or rookies in the pursuit of learning for learning's sake, we must find our own path, while seeking guidance to our particular quest. Only then will we truly gather the treasures worthy of those who are called "Buccaneer Scholars."

The Independent Scholar Movement: Ron Gross

Visit the link to download his excellent book on Independent Scholars Handbook
http://www.sfu.ca/independentscholars/isbook.htm


Excellent article by Ron Gross below - if you are serious about being an independent scholar, and start working on the steps - good luck, good research, and good success:

Independent Scholarship: Are You Ready For Your Mental Marathon? – Ron Gross, for About.com

http://adulted.about.com/od/otheradultlearning/a/marathon.htm


If you are a regular visitor to this website, you already know the value of learning and education in your life. I’m sure you’ve benefited from courses and seminars, conferences and conventions, self-directed reading and learning from your experience.

Now, I want to invite you to consider a form of lifelong learning that goes beyond these – one that is even more personal, even more challenging, even more rewarding.

I propose that you undertake your own Mental Marathon!

Just as people who keep fit through regular work-outs and exercise, sometimes go further by starting to train for a marathon run – just so, many of us lifelong learners choose to stretch ourselves with the challenge of a mental marathon. It provides a fresh focus for pushing us a little further – sometimes a lot further! It is an opportunity to stretch your mind to its limit! Intrigued?

The first step is realizing that YOU have your own contribution to make to our culture.

What kind of knowledge, understanding, discovery, or creative work would you most like to produce?

It could be a genealogy of your family, a handbook of some skill you want to share, an exploration in the natural world, an investigation of a mystery that intrigues you. It could be a creative project: a play or novel you want to write.

Taking this first step can be momentous. “For those who have experienced it, the hour of the awakening of the passion for knowledge is the most memorable of a lifetime,” wrote Colin Wilson.

Among those I’ve interviewed who have enriched their lives with such inquiries are:

· Charles Kapral, one of thousands of amateur astronomers who are playing a critical role in finding new planets.

· John Snyder, who solved a perplexing problem which had baffled the world’s map-makers for decades – “just because I found it fun to work on.”

· Coy Eklund, an insurance executive who researched and wrote a Chippewa language workbook so that his threatened Native American language would not be lost.

· Emily Taitz and Sondra Henry, who brought back to life “women written out of history” by researching forgotten Jewish women.

· Reinhold Aman, who created his own academic journal in a field which was rejected by academe but which fascinated him: obscene and scatological language and the role it plays in our lives, psychologically and politically.

· Leo Miller, a lifelong independent scholar who has made notable contributions to the study of Milton.

People of this ilk gathered this past October in New York City for the biennial meeting of the National Coalition of Independent Scholars (www.ncis.org). It was a gala celebration of the love of learning. These are people for whom scholarship is their joy, not their job.

Scholars have made some of the most exciting discoveries of modern times and scientists not affiliated with universities, incuding Freud, Darwin, and Einstein. Many of the most notable researchers and writers who have made a difference in our culture are also “independents” (called “free-lancers”), such as Susan Sontag, Betty Friedan, Barbara Tuchman, Lewis Mumford, Edmund Wilson, Jean Houston, Margo Adler, Tom Peters, William Manchester, and dozens of others.

So if you have kept your mind active through adult and continuing education, but have the feeling that there’s so much more you could do with your mind – independent scholarship may be for you! “The world needs your undamaged instinctive love for the truth,” declared Buckminster Fuller, another world-class independent scholar.

“Enthusiasts are changing our economy and society in fields ranging from astronomy to activism, from surfing to saving lives,” according to a just-released study by the Demos Institute in the U.K. “We’re witnessing the flowering of bottom-up self-organization... non-professionals in all fields who pursue their activities to professional standards, are an important emerging part of society.” Demos dubs this phenomenon “The Pro-Am Revolution” (Professional Amateurs).

I’ve written an Independent Scholar’s Handbook on how to go about becoming an inquirer -- and plans are afoot, as a result of the National Coalition of Independent Scholars' conference, to post the entire book on the Web and make it available free worldwide.

As a preview, here’s an eight step process by which a mere idea often ripens to become a work of independent scholarship:

1. You enter the idea, perhaps just a sentence or two, in your notebook.

2. Deciding it’s worth development, you strengthen it with subsequent thoughts and combine them into a memo to yourself (and, perhaps, others).

3. Fleshing out the idea, you incorporate thoughts and reactions from others, on the background, the problem or question as you now see it, the objectives of your project, how you plan to go about it, the outcome you will be seeking, the resources and contacts you will need, how you will present it, the people most interested in the results.

4. You condense your notes on the above areas into a cogent one-page research proposal, to guide you and perhaps gain the support of others.

5. You conduct the project, making mid-course corrections along the way to wriggle around problems or seize emergent opportunities.

6. You draft sections of the report as you obtain results.

7. You schedule some quality time to compose the complete report of your findings, argument, discovery, or creative work.

8. You make the work known to those who would be interested, and enjoy the feedback.

BOOK IT!: The Man Who Loved Books Too Much

The Man Who Loved Books Too Much by Allison Hoover Bartlett, is a fascinating "Already-Know-Who-Dunnit-but-How-and-Why?" thriller that adds a dimension and interest in all of us who love books because it is real. The main protagonists are Ken Sanders, the self-professed "Bibliodick" (bookstore owner turned detective) and John Gilkey, the "man who loved books too much."

Sanders, in his role in security with the Antiquarian Booksellers Association, brought the profession into the 20th century in terms of security, and communication, particularly when it comes to an area that happens all too often, the removal of books by "less than acceptable means" (at least from the thief's standpoint, instead of "stealing", which is the view from this book). Unfortunately success on catching said thieves are not very successful, but it is improving, though in John Gilkey's case, no matter what is done, he will continue to acquire books.

This unique study of Gilkey, demonstrates that age-old saying, "does the ends justify the means?" In Gilkey's case, he would argue yes, and even continue to justify it, by showing his right to own these books, thus allowing him the prestige of others that he feel waste this opportunity. That he uses credit-card scams usually from a department store he had worked, to order over the phone, after scouting the locations, researching extensively, and then carrying out the deed, is acceptable to him, by whatever means to acquire the book.

Perhaps what makes this book so mesmorizing, is that he carries out this activity without a conscience, doing what each of us do (though not to his level)- wanting things we can't have or couldn't afford, but he does something about it. As we lust for that certain book, or (fill in the blank), he accomplishes the end, through whatever means neccessary. The book sets the stage with it's discussion of other famous bibliophiles (those who love books), and bibliomaniacs (those who love them too much), as well as the industry itself.

While I would have liked hearing more about the trade, the books, and the desires each of us have towards books (if anything to justify in us, that we are not alone in this endeavor - while that is briefly covered throughout various parts of the book, it could have developed into an even more significant backdrop)-the detective-thief analysis is fascinating, and effective. Through it's description and handling, I've actually had trouble labeling Gilkey a crook, or criminal, even though that's what he is, and he's even served time for it (actually many times). Perhaps it's because I am fascinated, maybe even in awe of his passion, as he wanted to own the books, not to sell, but to physically hold them (though, in many cases, not even read them): in his case, the Modern Library's top 100 novels of all time, though first editions of all kinds fit the bill nicely (which he never paid out of his own money). And while I would never go to his measures of owning a book, I can almost understand, though never accept, his desire, though I'm sure if we were truly honest, we have all thought of it - and realize that it could be met, for all of us, being just a bookstore, or phone call away. Recommended Highly!!!

Author and Ideas Spotlight: Dr. Curtis Bonk

Reading an excellent book to start off the school year The World is Open: How Web Technology is Revolutionizing Education by Dr. Curtis J. Bonk - Recommended Highly -you should get this for your personal and school/learning library - couple websites to check out on this book and the author (he mentions many of the things we're seeing more educational institutions doing, such as the new internet requirements in Michigan, our use of technology in the classroom, even critical friends as benefits for staff and students - it is an amazing process, as he emphasizes that technology allows us to teach anything to anyone, anywhere, at anytime.

Important websites for your consideration, concerning the book, the technology, and the author:

Dr. Bonk's blog - Travelinedman

- includes the basics of the books and other resources from his blog - including contacting him (already have through our independent scholars group)

The book: World is Open

- the book website with lots of resources as well

His syllabus for his current course

- Web2.0 and Participatory e-Learning at Indiana University - interesting ideas

Taking this to the next step, I've researched one of my favorite fields, Economics, and checked with a couple of my favorite professors in the field, to show, as Dr. Bonk explains in his book, how technology is expanding our opportunities in and outside the classroom:

To give a couple great examples demonstrating the use of technology to expand our classrooms, beyond the basics, I've been fortunate to have a nice little e-relationship with Dr. Greg Mankiw at Harvard, and had sent the info, I had posted here - he sent some examples back of some of the things he does to make economics educational while possibly making it (gasp) more interesting - these are just some of the things he sent, if you'd like some other examples I have quite a few, not just from Dr. Mankiw, but teachers and professors from around the country and beyond - the stuff available is just amazing - I can't imagine lecturing from a podium (not that I have in the last ten years - though I feel sorry for the students I had the 15 years before that) ever again - we're competing with cable, computers, social networking, web 2.0 and now 3.0, etc., we've got to step it up every single day, to engage the student -

First he "maps" his blog (#1 economics blog in the country) with his text (very simple procedure if anyone would like to try it)

Audio podcast created by his students using economics principles (warning: it's rap)

He even presents his text in a humorous way (presented by an actual economics comedian - believe it or not)

And his students come up with creative multimedia ways to present his text (#1 economics text in the country)

With another e-relationship with Dr. James Gwartney at Florida State University, who introduced me at my Great Teachers in Economics award ceremony - check out what he's rolled out for his latest book Common Sense Economics, check out all the tabs, the various media, so many ways to present economics in a thought-provoking way - my text and classroom materials will soon hopefully be added to his site - which I'll share with anyone who asks - we can make a difference, and with the advances of technology as a very important tool, all of us, as independent scholars can no longer say "Why?," but rather "Why not?"

Book Obsessed

One of the reasons for this organization and website is the passion we have for collected knowledge - the books. We love the feel of a new book, waiting for it's essence to be discovered. We love wondering through old book stores, hoping to find that one treasure that will make our libraries complete ( and knowing that it's just another one in many more journeys to feel complete as we know we are one with our books. Just as we can tell our friends our life story, our books describe our story just as well. Don't believe me - take a walk through your collection, and see if it tells a story about you - and if it's not quite right, that just means another trip to the bookstore - happy hunting! I would love to have this collection described in the video - Barnes & Nobles ran a brief series called Book Obsessed (you can find it on the www.bn.com site or at itunes)

Welcome!

GRAND TRAVERSE INDEPENDENT SCHOLARS ASSOCIATION

Who are we?

The GRAND TRAVERSE INDEPENDENT SCHOLARS ASSOCIATION exists to encourage and promote scholarly discussion, research, writing, and publication outside and/or inside of formal institutions of education, for individuals who are actively pursuing serious scholarly research. We encourage such scholarly and collegial activities by:

*Conducting monthly programs.
*Forming reading and study groups to associate with like-minded peers.
*Disseminating information regarding publications, lectures, grants, jobs, events of interest, etc.
*Encouraging public awareness of the accomplishments and problems of independent scholars through multi-media formats.
*Providing institutional affiliations, resources, and special services to members. Open to all who wish to learn.

How do we do this?
· Organizes programs and lectures by learned scholars who espouse freedom of inquiry and uphold high standards of independent thought.
· Supports study groups in education, philosophy, science, religion, the humanities, politics, and other topics, effecting the individual, the community, the country and/or the world stretching the accepted and confronting doubt.
· Regularly publishes a journal, Brains by the Bay, with articles from independent scholars, organization news, calendar of events, member news, etc.
· Supports collaboration among scholars who share like interests, particularly through voluntary membership profiles and their private circulation and pursuits.
· Maintains a Web page with Grand Traverse Independent Scholars (GTISA) news.
· Assists scholars who apply for outside grants, wherein GTISA acts as an agent to assist administering the grant and follow its progress, if needed.

GTIS promotes liaisons with other organizations, to achieve shared goals:
National Coalition of Independent Scholars and many others