void/notes/knoledge-hydrant.md

# Knowledge Hydrant

<!-- TOC -->
* [Knowledge Hydrant](#knowledge-hydrant)
  * [Introduction](#introduction)
  * [Concepts](#concepts)
  * [Summary](#summary)
    * [1. SPIRIT](#1-spirit)
    * [2. ATMOSPHERE](#2-atmosphere)
    * [3. ROLES](#3-roles)
    * [4. CUSTOMS](#4-customs)
  * [1. Spirit](#1-spirit-1)
    * [1.1 Knowledge Hydrant](#11-knowledge-hydrant)
    * [1.2 Pool of Insight](#12-pool-of-insight)
    * [1.3 SAFE PLACE](#13-safe-place)
    * [1.4 ENDURING ENERGY](#14-enduring-energy)
      * [Frequent Meetings](#frequent-meetings)
      * [Hour Meetings](#hour-meetings)
      * [Short Breaks](#short-breaks)
    * [1.5 KINDRED COLLABORATORS](#15-kindred-collaborators)
  * [2. ATMOSPHERE](#2-atmosphere-1)
    * [2.1 COMMON GROUND](#21-common-ground)
    * [2.2 PUBLIC LIVING ROOM](#22-public-living-room)
    * [2.3 INTIMATE CIRCLE](#23-intimate-circle)
    * [2.4 VIRTUAL SPACE](#24-virtual-space)
  * [3. ROLES](#3-roles-1)
    * [3.1 ENTHUSIASTIC LEADER](#31-enthusiastic-leader)
    * [3.2 MOTIVATED MODERATOR](#32-motivated-moderator)
      * [Prepare thoroughly](#prepare-thoroughly)
      * [Ask the opening question](#ask-the-opening-question)
      * [Resuscitate deteriorating dialogues](#resuscitate-deteriorating-dialogues)
      * [Handle side conversations](#handle-side-conversations)
      * [Refocus by reading](#refocus-by-reading)
      * [Let people speak](#let-people-speak)
      * [Challenge groundless criticism](#challenge-groundless-criticism)
      * [Rotate Moderators](#rotate-moderators)
      * [Background Requirements](#background-requirements)
      * [Elucidation Statement or Questions](#elucidation-statement-or-questions)
      * [Politeness & Patience](#politeness--patience)
    * [3.3 ACTIVE PARTICIPANT](#33-active-participant)
    * [3.4 PREPARED PARTICIPANT](#34-prepared-participant)
    * [3.5 DISTINGUISHED PARTICIPANT](#35-distinguished-participant)
  * [4. CUSTOMS](#4-customs-1)
    * [4.1 OPENING QUESTION](#41-opening-question)
    * [4.2 SEQUENTIAL STUDY](#42-sequential-study)
    * [4.3 AGENDA](#43-agenda)
    * [4.4 SUBGROUP](#44-subgroup)
    * [4.5 STUDY CYCLE](#45-study-cycle)
    * [4.6 DISTRIBUTED DIARY](#46-distributed-diary)
    * [4.7 AFTER HOURS](#47-after-hours)
<!-- TOC -->

## Introduction

A study group can make a difficult book easier to understand, it can succeed
where an unsatisfying class fails, and it can support you if your environment
doesn't support your ongoing learning and growth.

A study group is a collection of individuals who meet regularly to improve
their understanding of some non-trivial subject, like a body of great literature,
by participating in dialogue.

The authors and architects of the original pattern language understood that
individuals vary in how they obtain knowledge. Some don’t have a lot of time
and want to gain knowledge as fast as possible. Others prefer to extract as
much knowledge as they can by pondering a work’s every paragraph and
page. Still others prefer to study a work’s visual elements–its photographs
and sketches–before diving into the words.

There are 21 patterns in this pattern language. They are grouped into four
sections called Spirit, Atmosphere, Roles, and Customs. As you study the
patterns from each section, consider the structure of this language: **the
patterns from the Spirit section, at the beginning of the language, help to
define the study group's core, its spirit of learning. The patterns that follow
this section, in Atmosphere, Roles and Customs, are all intimately tied to the
earliest core patterns and serve to re-enforce them**.

## Concepts

| Concept            | Meaning                                                                      |
|--------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| [Great] Literature | Piece of information in it's original form, un-destiled, no summarized, etc. |


## Summary

### 1. SPIRIT

_After identifying a great source of knowledge in a subject, work to create a
rewarding, intellectually safe environment for the study of that subject._

1. KNOWLEDGE HYDRANT
2. POOL OF INSIGHT
3. SAFE PLACE
4. ENDURING ENERGY
5. KINDRED COLLABORATORS

### 2. ATMOSPHERE

_Establish a home for the study group that is centrally located, comfortable,
aesthetically pleasing, and conducive to dialogue._

1. COMMON GROUND
2. PUBLIC LIVING ROOM
3. INTIMATE CIRCLE
4. VIRTUAL SPACE

### 3. ROLES

_Lead and energize the group, come prepared, and help guide dialogues so
that they are insightful and productive._

1. ENTHUSIASTIC LEADER
2. MOTIVATED MODERATOR
3. ACTIVE PARTICIPANT
4. PREPARED PARTICIPANT
5. DISTINGUISHED PARTICIPANT

### 4. CUSTOMS

_Follow customs that will re-enforce the spirit of the group, piquing
participant's interest in dialogues, accommodating different learning levels,
making the study of literature easier, recording group experiences, and
drawing people closer together._

1. OPENING QUESTION
2. SEQUENTIAL STUDY
3. AGENDA
4. SUBGROUP
5. STUDY CYCLE
6. DISTRIBUTED DIARY
7. AFTER HOURS

## 1. Spirit

### 1.1 Knowledge Hydrant

> . . . where can one obtain knowledge in its fullest, unfiltered, unsimplified, form?

This ignorance about great literature is widespread. It exists today primarily
because several important ideas about great literature have been forgotten.
These include some of the following facts:

- The hard work put into the study of great literature is worthwhile because
it ensures that people retain the knowledge they wish to obtain
- Great literature is much easier to understand when it is studied in an
intelligent sequence ([4.2 SEQUENTIAL STUDY](#42-sequential-study))
- It is easier and more rewarding to study great literature with other people ([1.2 POOL OF INSIGHT)](#12-pool-of-insight))

**Discover the great literature in your profession or area of
interest—the finest books, articles, and speeches ever
written—and then begin an earnest study of these works.**

So how do you find the great literature worthy of study? Ask people. Ask
knowledgeable people which authors they like, what are their favorite books,
what profoundly influenced them?

After identifying the works, form or join a study group  ([1.2 POOL OF INSIGHT](#12-pool-of-insight)), order the works
to be studied ([4.2 SEQUENTIAL STUDY](#42-sequential-study)), and compose an [4.3 AGENDA](#43-agenda).

### 1.2 Pool of Insight

> . . . once you've discovered your [KNOWLEDGE HYDRANT](#11-knowledge-hydrant), it can be overwhelming to drink from it. This pattern suggests how to make the study
> of great literature easier and more rewarding.

**To obtain the fullest understanding of great literature--to penetrate its
meaning – it is tremendously helpful to read and study a work on one's own
and then engage in meaningful dialogue on the work with others.**

In dialogue, people get the chance to learn from themselves and from their
colleagues. In communicating how they understand something, people may:

- clarify what confused others
- expose their own misunderstandings
- reveal new ideas
- articulate that which they didn't know they knew

There is a spirit present in dialogues that one doesn't
find in many other learning environments. Frequent meetings help sustain this
spirit. **When a group doesn't meet frequently, it can struggle to keep its
momentum and enthusiasm**; lively subjects and debates can fade between
meetings, and if people miss just one meeting, they will be absent for a very
long period. **Many groups sustain a group's spirit by meeting weekly or
biweekly**.

Group study also helps motivate people to learn, especially when they are no
longer officially "in school." A reading assignment every week or every other
week can help individuals continue to learn while balancing work and family
life.

**Read and study literature on one's own, but discuss it with
others in a regular study group. Aim to ask questions about
what you don't know and explain what you do know. Your
exchanges with colleagues will enrich your understanding
immensely.**

The best study groups are those in which individuals feel comfortable
learning with others ([1.3 SAFE PLACE](#13-safe-place)).

Atmosphere plays an important role in a dialogue. Some environments
promote dialogues ([2.1 COMMON GROUND](#21-common-ground), [2.2 PUBLIC LIVING ROOM](#22-public-living-room))
and some don't.

The most enriching study happens when a group has a [MOTIVATED
MODERATOR](#32-motivated-moderator) and [PREPARED PARTICIPANTS](#34-prepared-participant)...

### 1.3 SAFE PLACE

It is so important that a place of learning be a safe place. People need to feel
that they can experiment, or be wrong, for almost everyone becomes
uncomfortable if they fear that anything they say will be harshly criticized.
When places of learning have highly critical or judgmental natures, an
individual's ability to learn can easily be compromised.

In dialogue, participants must be comfortable to ask questions, even illogical,
overly simple, or silly questions. **It is the group's task to handle such
questions in such a way that individuals aren't stifled, or embarrassed, but
encouraged to continue learning**.

All participants within a dialogue need to help establish the safe place.
Usually, it is up to the [MOTIVATED MODERATOR](#32-motivated-moderator) to be especially
vigilant. With great diversity in a group-- people who are provocative or
reserved, skeptical or generous, newcomers or veterans --it is very easy for
study group sessions to become unsafe.

Maintaining a safe place is easier if a group establishes customs. Such
customs can help participants and moderators know what to do when different
types of discord arise

> Establish a warm, tolerant, polite and focused environment
> in which individuals help each other and where everyone is
> comfortable to ask questions and make mistakes.

### 1.4 ENDURING ENERGY

> It's fairly easy to start a study group. But keeping it going,
> so that members are active, dialogues are insightful, and the
> group is long-lived, is another matter altogether.

A study group's energy initially comes from its founder. If the founder is
genuinely interested in creating a thriving, long-lasting [POOL OF INSIGHT](#12-pool-of-insight),
to improve himself and his community, the group will start life with a
powerful energy. But if the founder is merely interested in short-term gains,
or personal recognition, the group will be short-lived.

#### Frequent Meetings

It is difficult to maintain any sort of flow, or continuous energy, if a
group doesn't meet very often. When a group is studying a body of
knowledge, a month between meetings is usually far too long for people
to maintain focus and enthusiasm. Therefore, have the group meet
weekly or bi-weekly. **These frequent meetings will allow a group to
study effectively, and may lead some members to become [KINDRED
COLLABORATORS](#15-kindred-collaborators)**.

#### Hour Meetings

A one-hour meeting is typically not enough time for a group to have an
insightful dialogue on a piece of literature. But three hours is too much
time, since most participants can't actively engage in dialogue for that
long. Therefore, **limit dialogues to a maximum of 2 hours, and if energy
has waned significantly before that time, finish the meeting early**.

#### Short Breaks

At a certain time in a dialogue, a group's intensity, focus and
effectiveness will begin to diminish. If the group doesn't take a break at
this time, the quality of the dialogue may begin to deteriorate, and people
will become uncomfortable. Therefore, **allow for a short (ten or fifteen
minute) break in the middle of a study group session**, to let members
reflect, chat, use the restrooms, and prepare for the next half of the
dialogue.

Equally important, is a group's meeting quarters, since the location and space
will play a huge role in sustaining a group's energy. People need to be excited
about attending a group.

> Create study groups out of genuine enthusiasm to study a
> subject in-depth. Meet weekly or bi-weekly for two hours,
> and have a short break in the middle. Choose a meeting
> location where people will enjoy passing time, and study only
> those writings which are worthy of the group's attention.

### 1.5 KINDRED COLLABORATORS

Join or form a small group that meets regularly and studies ideas that are
important to you. As you get to know people, valuable, career-enhancing
collaborations will develop.

## 2. ATMOSPHERE

### 2.1 COMMON GROUND

People want to connect with others but aren't willing
to do so in settings that make them feel uncomfortable. Location plays a vital role in the life of a group.

> Oldenburg's thesis is that people need informal public places
> where they can gather, put aside the concerns of work and
> home, relax, and talk. Germany's beer gardens, England's
> pubs, and French and Viennese cafes created this outlet in
> people's lives, providing a neutral ground where all are equal
> and conversation is the main activity.

> Hold public study groups where diverse individuals will all
> be on common ground. The best locations are easy for
> people to get to, but not too close to their offices or homes.

### 2.2 PUBLIC LIVING ROOM

Great locations for study groups resemble large, comfortable living rooms. There are various types of chairs that may be rearranged, perhaps a sofa and rugs, some lamps or other warm lighting, and windows. When people feel comfortable they forget about themselves and may freely engage in dialogue.

_Some of the best locations are quiet, aesthetic places that invite reflection_: a centrally located cafe, a spacious gallery or bookstore, a room with a magnificent view, or some nook or corner of a hotel or lodge.

> Place each sitting space in a position which is protected, not
> cut by paths or movements, roughly circular, made so that
> the room itself helps suggest the circle - not too strongly -
> with paths and activities around it, so that people naturally
> gravitate toward the chairs when they get into the mood to
> sit. Place the chairs and cushions loosely in the circle, and
> have a few too many.

> Choose a warm, spacious establishment where people will
> enjoy mingling before and after study sessions, where there
> is comfortable, rearrangeable furniture, plenty of warm lighting, and a variety of foods and drinks.

### 2.3 INTIMATE CIRCLE

> Awkward seating arrangements alienate people and thwart a
> group's ability to work together. The best configurations
> allow participants to easily see and hear each other. Yet
> many establishments don't provide either the furniture or
> space to make this happen, or don't let groups rearrange the
> furniture.

> ...**people will feel oppressed, both when they are either
working in an undifferentiated mass of workers and when
they are forced to work in isolation**. The small group
> achieves a nice balance between the one extreme in which
> there are so many people, that there is no opportunity for an
> intimate social structure to develop, and the other extreme in
> which there are so few, that the possibility of social groups
> does not occur at all.
> ...
> In our own survey of attitudes towards workspace -- taken
> among workers at the Berkeley City Hall -- **we found that
people prefer to be part of a group that ranges from two to
eight.** When there are more than eight, people lose touch
> with the group as a human gathering.

> Choose a location with ample room, many tables and chairs,
> and the freedom to rearrange the spaces to form rough
> circles or ovals that may dynamically expand or contract.

### 2.4 VIRTUAL SPACE

> Without an online presence, a study group will lack a cost-effective way of advertising its existence, organizing
> events,
> staying connected and attracting new members.

The trick to building a good site, is to avoid loading the site with too much
content that will regularly change, and to enlist the group's participants to
maintain the content that will need routine updating.

If the study group keeps a [DISTRIBUTED DIARY](#46-distributed-diary) or provides feedback
to authors, it is a good idea to post this material to the site, for the edification
of group members, and to foster online dialogue. For conducting such
dialogues, a simple, group email server or service (such as eGroups) is useful.
[AGENDA](#43-agenda) are particularly helpful for members and non-members of a
group and are therefore best placed on the site. A good agenda will span
several months, giving people the chance to plan their schedules and study
readings prior to group meetings ([3.4 PREPARED PARTICIPANT](#34-prepared-participant)).

> Establish an online presence where the study group's
> mission, activities, and [DISTRIBUTED DIARIES](#46-distributed-diary) are posted, where members may continue
> dialogues, or chat, and where prospective members may learn more about the
> group.

## 3. ROLES

### 3.1 ENTHUSIASTIC LEADER

> When a group doesn't have a leader who is passionate about
> the subject and determined to nourish and maintain its
> energy and culture, a group can languish, and possibly not
> survive.

The best leaders are those who are genuinely enthusiastic about a group's
mission. Such individuals will lead by example and seek to make the group
thrive, through continuous improvement.

- Leaders will help ensure that [AGENDAS](#43-agenda) are kept up to date, and that the
  readings being selected are worthy of the group's attention.

- To inspire a group, a leader may plan special events at which authors or
  leading scholars visit and participate in dialogues ([DISTINGUISHED
  PARTICIPANT](#35-distinguished-participant)).

- To help keep a group informed and to attract new faces, a leader will help
  produce an informative Website ([VIRTUAL SPACE](#24-virtual-space)) and will encourage
  others to invite new members to the group.

- Should other groups attempt to subsume the group, the leader will step in to
  either prevent a take-over or to explore the idea with the group.

- If a group's meeting location is no longer working for a group, the leader will
  work with others to help find a more suitable location.

> Lead study groups by example and with enthusiasm. Make
> them places where people want to be, and invite the greater
> community to participate. Energize members with
> stimulating events, virtual dialogues, and seek to
> continuously improve the group by listening closely to
> member's ideas.

### 3.2 MOTIVATED MODERATOR

> Without a moderator, dialogues may wander aimlessly,
> arguments may erupt, people may talk on top of each
> another, and a group may fail to ever explore an author's
> deeper meanings.

The following practices define what good study group moderators do:

#### Prepare thoroughly

When a moderator doesn't prepare thoroughly for a session, when he or
she doesn't read thoroughly, or discover important questions about a
reading, or understand a moderator's responsibilities, the quality of a
dialogue may be compromised. **Therefore, moderators must prepare
thoroughly before sessions and understand how to effectively moderate**.

#### Ask the opening question

Asking challenging, penetrating questions about a reading is essential to
establishing engaging, enlightening dialogue. **Therefore, moderators
must discover important questions, and ask and re-ask these questions at
the beginning and throughout a session [OPENING QUESTION](#41-opening-question)**.

#### Resuscitate deteriorating dialogues

Dialogues can deteriorate easily: they can slow to a crawl, fail to be
engaging, get way off track or become too argumentative. Therefore,
**moderators must promptly diagnose problems and resuscitate dialogues
accordingly**.

#### Handle side conversations

A group may effectively participate in only one discussion at a time.
Therefore, **side conversations must promptly be quieted or politely
postponed**.

#### Refocus by reading

Inattention to an author's words can produce lengthy, unproductive, off-topic conversations or can lead to wayward
arguments that would cease to exist if a group merely studied a relevant passage. Therefore, **to refocus a group on an
author's content, moderators may read significant passages out loud**.

#### Let people speak

Active participants (i.e. people who talk a lot) or veteran members of a
group, can sometimes make it hard for less active, or newer members of a
group to effectively participant in a discussion. Therefore, **when
participants struggle to join a dialogue or get a word in edgewise,
moderators must step in and give these individuals opportunities to be
heard**.

#### Challenge groundless criticism

Non-specific or detail-free criticism, like "I just didn't like it", fails to
enlighten anyone and isn't helpful to a dialogue. Therefore, **moderators
must challenge groundless criticism**, often by asking individuals what
exactly they disliked.

#### Rotate Moderators

**A moderator who really knows a particular piece of literature and also
knows how to moderate, is a lot better than a moderator who only knows
how to moderate but doesn't know the literature.** Therefore, rotate
moderators, particularly when individuals are expert in various readings,
but also to give others a chance at playing the role.

#### Background Requirements

It's great if everyone participates in a dialogue, provided that everyone is
on the same page: if an individual is clearly way over his or her head, it
may mean that the individual needs to catch up to the group by studying
some previous papers or books. Therefore, **moderators must gage
whether participants are dragging a group down with unrelated or
unnecessary questions, and if they are, the moderator needs to politely
tell the participant to do some homework or form or join a [SUBGROUP](#44-subgroup)**.

#### Elucidation Statement or Questions

If a part of a group simply isn't understanding something, and it is
holding back the rest of the group, or the misunderstanding is leading to
more confusion, something needs to be done to clarify the confusion.
Therefore, **moderators must be aware of what is confusing people and
either ask questions that will help clarify the point or clearly explain the
point**.

#### Politeness & Patience

Rude behavior within a study group must never be allowed. Therefore,
**the moderator must make the peace, and get all members to understand
that all members need to respect each other, regardless of whether or not
they agree**.

> Moderate dialogues by asking penetrating questions, keeping
> dialogues focused, balancing diverse personalities, and
> helping group's increase their understanding. Give all
> members a chance to moderate, but let them choose when
> they want to play the role.

### 3.3 ACTIVE PARTICIPANT

> Anyone who is a member of a study group, or wants to join
> one, can find something lacking in an existing group: the
> meeting location, the number of people who attend, the
> literature being studied. Few of these things are incapable of
> change. However, too many people fail to realize that they
> can actively change a group, helping mold it to meet their
> needs

Each group is really shaped and managed by both its [ENTHUSIASTIC
LEADER](#31-enthusiastic-leader) and its regular participants. If the leader and the participants
work together, they can make the group a powerful educational center for
every participant.

Being an active participant doesn't just mean getting your needs met. It also
means helping others to get theirs needs met - and this can have a tremendous
effect on the group's lifespan.

> Actively and patiently shape a study group by seeing to it
> that the group meets your needs. Work with the group's
> leader to introduce change, and create customs, like
[SUBGROUPS](#44-subgroup), to make it easier for the group to
> accommodate diverse needs. Actively help others, particularly
> newer members of a group, so that the group meets their
> needs and so that they become valuable participants in the
> larger group.

### 3.4 PREPARED PARTICIPANT

> When individuals don't study prior to a dialogue, they either
> add nothing to the dialogue, or add too much. The
> unprepared participant may ask questions that are off-track
> or elementary or may contribute ideas that misguide rather
> than further a productive inquiry.

If a group chooses to study some piece of literature, a participant who
thoroughly prepares will actively read and note:

- what they did and did not understand
- what they thought were key points
- what they did not agree with
- what ideas related to other writings
- how the work could be improved

Now it is not common for all participants within a dialogue to prepare
thoroughly. So what does a group do when an unprepared participant is
thwarting a dialogue? Since dialogues can handle only so many superfluous
contributions before they begin to sour, prepared participants need to be
vigilant and assist a dialogue's [MOTIVATED MODERATORs ](#32-motivated-moderator) in
assertively keeping things focused, civil, and productive.

Another technique, which is far from optimal but sometimes necessary for
groups with busy professionals, gives people time to read and discuss
passages when the group meets. This does not usually give a group a chance
to get a deep understanding of a reading, but it can be a way to launch a
dialogue if few have had time to prepare.

> Study literature thoroughly prior to each study session.
> Select great literature for study since people will be more
> motivated to study it over lesser works. Make each reading
> assignment manageable -- not too small or too large, but
> commensurate with a group's abilities and the density of
> each reading.

### 3.5 DISTINGUISHED PARTICIPANT

> Individuals who are distinguished in their fields often lecture
> to large audiences. These lectures tend to be far less
> educational–for the lecturer and the listeners–than a good
> dialogue.

> Veteran educators Dani and Jerry Weinberg are fond of a quote from a friend
> who once described the lecture method as "a way of getting material from the
> teacher's notes into the student's notes--without passing through the brain of
> either one." ([Weinberg1999], p. 1)

For study groups, it is optimal if a distinguished individual comes to
participate in the group's dialogue as an equal member.

> Invite distinguished people to attend a study group and
> participate in dialogue. Such individuals will energize the
> group, and help foster great dialogues. Let everyone in a
> group have an opportunity to participant in dialogue with
> such an individual, either by forming larger-than-normal
> circles, or by scheduling multiple study sessions over the
> course of weeks or months.

## 4. CUSTOMS

### 4.1 OPENING QUESTION
### 4.2 SEQUENTIAL STUDY
### 4.3 AGENDA
### 4.4 SUBGROUP
### 4.5 STUDY CYCLE
### 4.6 DISTRIBUTED DIARY
### 4.7 AFTER HOURS