Francine Levesque /My Meanderings

Francine Lévesque's search & research meanderings

Follow the meandering search and research for a new career identity moving from mental health counseling where the individual was the focus to one where the health of people systems through organizational learning and KM is the new focus. I have a particular interest in virtual learning opportunities available in communities of practice, where facilitation skills are of the utmost importance. Strategic inquiry is a tool for emergent learning. Dialog is key and how to foster it is still underestimated.

Educationnally (/My Studies?)

• Presently on sabattical from an Educational Technology PhD, (May 2003)
• Pursuing a public management degree at l'ENAP in Montreal. (September 2003)
• I have a Master's degree in art psychotherapy
• A bachelor's degree in art education (with an emphasis on the psychological benefits of creative expression)
• A certificate in human relations (group dynamics)
• A degree in theatre design and fashion design (from a past life!)

My educational background allies teaching, facilitating, counseling with art and technology. I am now adding management and applied technology to create this new career identity of knowledge manager/facilitator. For the french speaking, you can read the variations on the theme from 3 perspectives: KM as economic and financial benefits pursuit; KM as a branch of HR (developping competencies, creating new knowledge--strong learning objectives) and finally: information management revamped as KM (with IT rather that content often driving the movement).

I am a proponent of the 2nd option, the organizational learning component that takes into account the value of workers, the importance of creating the right conditions for learning and performance. I strongly believe in the importance of the social & cultural factors underlying communication and learning which need special consideration in any km initiative.

Here is a non exhaustive list of key words for further searching: KM, "knowledge management", CKO (chief knowledge officer), CLO (chief learning officer), communities of practice, and more. In french, look for: "Gestion des connaissances", "gestion des savoirs", "veille concurentielle", "veille stratégique", "communautés de pratique", etc.

PROFESSIONALLY /My Sites

• continuing interests in KM (knowledge management) and Co Ps? (communities of practice)
• also knowledge representation or cartography
• particularly interested in web applications that support collaboration and learning
• and blogging as collaborative knowledge sharing and creation
• also managing a collaborative discussion group since 1999

PRESENT CAREER_ /My Jobs?

• professional art therapist (still hanging on to an identity soon to be obsolete !!!) *
• art therapist for Batshaw Youth & Family Services up to April 2001 where the position was closed
• I have subsequently closed my 7 year private practice in Dec. 2002
• presently work as a child care educator for BYFS (part-time)
• also teach at the high school level (occasionnal)

PERSONALLY_ /My Life?

• I use to paint & draw (my house is covered in my doodling), I now work with digital photography
• Time being limited I've replaced these creative expressions with 'internet expressions' giving voice to my love of communication technologies
• In love with France in particular, Europe in general, it's culture and potential
• Living in Montreal, Quebec Canada for now.......looking for opportunities to relocate in France
• My only son is living in Paris, and works as a computer network specialist
• I am fascinated and enamoured with European trains, especially the TGVs & Eurostar (3 hrs London-Paris, wow !!! )
• Last travel destination Dec. 2002 : Costa Rica,
• Previous travel destination June 2002: Nice, Marseille, Grenoble, Lyon, Paris
• Summer 2001 travel destination: London, Paris, St-Malo, Bordeaux, Baillone/Biarritz (St-Jean de Luz, St-Jean Pied de Porc), Carcassone, Perpignan, Collioure (Artist town)
• Hoping to visit: Corsica, Sardinia/Italy.......Norway & Iceland and the rest of the world !!

SOCIALLY /My Values?

• Slow Food? movement enthousiast. If you've never heard of it, view a special report on the topic (in french). How to contact 'Slow food Quebec`
• I believe in the preservation of public domain artifacts (documents, music, pictures)
• And have a social ecology perspective on life, without being radical. See an overview and more papers on the subject. Finally : Harbinger spring 2003 issue.

Why? you ask... then read on.

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• When I say obsolete, I mean that the clinical aspect of my professional identity is being shed. I will remain active in promoting the professions and linking like minded people at the international and local levels.

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