Paradigms and shared vision LO4238

John Paul Fullerton (jpf6745@acs.tamu.edu)
Thu, 14 Dec 1995 12:30:35 +0000

Replying to LO4219 --

Continuing conversation from LO4219

David Reed said

> Regarding my comments on volunteerism,
>
> John Fullerton responded with:
> >Maybe if the volunteerism incorporated learning, community building,
> > and offered - in truth - benefit to the participants it would provide
> > some of the "motivation" that we see in "The Fifth Discipline"
>
> I was wondering why you don't believe volunteerism implies learning
> as well? People learn whether or not they want to continue with the
> effort, they soon learn how to perform, what the groundrules are, who
> their partners are and maybe a little about their customer, and how to
> do a better job next time. In my story about coaching the basketball
> camp, I learned how to deal with each coach as an individual and they,
> the younger campers.

I think what was in my mind was that the learning that the teenage
coaches would gain - in my imagined scenario - would not be something
that would be systematically sustained. Their coaches would not
inquire about the learning and its implications. They would not have
another planned opportunity to build farther on what they had begun.
And the learning wouldn't be "likely" to result in an increasing
benefit to them.

Of course, there are often cases where someone's interest in a topic
begins with an opportunity for to learn something even though the
opportunity isn't part of a systematic effort.

I think I was envisioning volunteer efforts like some that I've been
involved with and did not remember enough adding together of the
results to equal a known benefit to anyone. For that kind of
volunteer effort, it seems like it might not be best to urge it on
the work force.

This doesn't say that the basketball camp wasn't beneficial and
enlightening and a cooperative success for those who participated in
it.

--
Have a nice day
John Paul Fullerton
jpf6745@acs.tamu.edu