Can we keep this going on our own?

[Peetiedog]

I all,

I have posted a few times in the past, and have returned and stayed to read the AMA forum. I understand that the hosts are busy (as am I) but I wish I could continue to participate and lurk on this AMA forum.

I would like to see these AMA week to learn continue to happen. I am interested to see if we as the Boot Boarders reBoot these threads. I want to say first that I am not suggesting that I be the new leader, but hope that another or others could take up the leadership of the AMA topic selection. I have PMed Chad weeks ago, but received no reply.

Please let's us know if or am I , or even ?

Thank you...

[BottledViolence]

I've posted a few updates in the DiY thread, and am more than willing to post more if people are interested. If I see that new posts have been made in this forum, I will at least check to see if anyone has posted a question that I can answer.

So yeah, I'd like to keep it going. I see it as an open ended thing.

[CaptainKobold]

This whole thing looks quite interesting to me! Unfortunately, I don't know that I have a whole lot that I can throw into the pot, unless people are interested in psychology (especially social communication disorders, ASD and related disorders, bipolar and DBT, or other clinical matters with children).

Is the general format here that Chad puts up a thread on it and then people chime in?

[BottledViolence]

This whole thing looks quite interesting to me! Unfortunately, I don't know that I have a whole lot that I can throw into the pot, unless people are interested in psychology (especially social communication disorders, ASD and related disorders, bipolar and DBT, or other clinical matters with children).

Is the general format here that Chad puts up a thread on it and then people chime in?

He put up a subject with some "experts" and people asked questions. To be honest, the value is just as much in the questions asked as in the replies.

[CaptainKobold]

Interesting! I'll have to keep an eye on all of this, see if I can't contribute questions or answers as appropriate!

[Wayne]

Chad has certainly been busy and will take some time to get settled into his new routine. I don't pretend to speak for him, but I personally some when the community runs with something on thier own and makes it happen. If anyone wants to play a bigger part in these shoot Chad a PM and offer to coordinate to get them done.

[Peetiedog]

Well I PMed Chad soon after Wayne's post, but have heard a response regarding helping to keep this AMA section going. Bummer!

I'll check back in a few weeks to hope the AMAs are back...

[Burning]

I've been thinking about this as well. Unless there is a strong moderator objection, we could probably start them going again without moderator assistance. I think some ground rules would be necessary to keep it from being completely free form. I think there are advantages to keeping it to one at a time, for example.

Here are some thoughts I had for different methods. None of them are perfect, and I don't pretend this is anywhere near exhaustive, but it could give a starting point for discussion.

1.) Anyone can start an AMA on whatever topic they wish on a first come first served basis when its time for a new topic

Advantages: No one needs to do any bookkeeping. The topic leader determines when they do this, so they can guarantee it will fit their schedule.

Disadvantages: All control of the process is completely on the honor system/dependent on everyone understanding whatever ground rules we come up with. Also, first come first served can bias towards a subset of the forum population based on when they do their browsing.

2.) Leader of the next topic is picked from the volunteer thread at random (may want to take people who have already done one out of the running for a while to give everyone a chance). Leader picks the topic. Others with the same expertise/interest can also provide answers.

Advantages: Everyone interested gets a shot at leading on a fairly impartial basis. Topic leader can pick what they are most interested in being asked about.

Disadvantages: Probably the most intensive in terms of bookkeeping, to the point that it may not be much easier than how Chad was running things.


3.) Topics are nominated based on the interests in the volunteer thread and voted on by the forumites to pick the next topic. No single topic leader. Instead, all experts step forward based on the topic.

Advantages: Most likely to get what people are most interested in.

Disadvantages: Simultaneously reliant on a volunteer organizer and active participation from the rest of the community just to determine a topic. No guarantee that a topic will come up at a time convenient to the experts.


Anyone have other suggestions or modifications/hybridizations of the ones I came up with?

[Wayne]

Would love to see this happen as I enjoyed reading some of them. If you guys need anything stickied or any other such assistence just PM me and I'll be glad to help out.

[lostclause]

Burning, I think you might be onto something with no. 3 except maybe just pick from nominated topics in the 'let's brainstorm' thread then see which experts are available. If we go by formal voting it takes a lot of time and effort and might not align with the experts' schedules.

Only downside to that is it requires someone to step into Chad's shoes, PMing the experts and picking the topics requested.