EdCafe

This time around I had a rather unusual EdCafe experience. Unlike most who chose a topic they knew little about, I chose a topic which I had spent the greater part of the third quarter researching. Due to my already in depth knowledge of my topic, I spent less time learning about my topic during the process and more time finding interest in other people's. Since I didn't have to worry about what I was going to say and how I would fill the time of my slot, I found myself with a greater attraction to other topics. I was more involved than I had previously been in EdCafe's and far more interested, thus leading to me taking more away than I could have imagined.

The most intriguing discussion I took place in was led by Ezra and addressed Nazism in Modern Germany. This topic began discussion on Neo-Nazism and what should be done in Germany to either allow or prevent its expansion. Although the original topic was rather interesting, where the conversation led was of greater benefit to my learning. We soon began to talk about learning form our mistakes in the past, and whether freedom of speech should apply to what we consider radical ideologies. This conversation was incredibly thought provoking, and those who took place in it brought ideas to the table I had never even considered. Of corse consensus was never reached in the brief time we had to talk about this topic, however, it was a great experience where ideas were tossed around and the group as a whole was able to learn about not only Nazism in Modern Germany, but about broader topics of freedom of speech and radical ideals.

By eliminating my topic, I felt I took away more than ever from this EdCafe with a renewed focus not to my own work, but to my ideas. Although I did not learn more about my topic, I think I took away more than ever from other people's EdCafe's, in a way which I could not have if I had been doing research on a topic I knew little about.