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New structures of learning: The systemic impact of connective...

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Saved by 22 people (0 private), first by anonymouse user on 2008-08-29


Public Comment

on 2008-08-29 by harshbarger

A third element is the teacher as role model. This should not be overlooked or undervalued.

on 2008-08-29 by topsailpirate

key questions facing education

Public Sticky notes

theoretical shift from instructor or institution-controlled teaching to one of greater control by the learner.

Highlighted by hreeves

connectivism

Highlighted by hreeves

practical instantiation of this shift is found in new technologies that permit individuals greater control over the creation of content and interaction with others not confined by geographical boundaries

Highlighted by hreeves

read-write web, participatory technologies, or Web 2.0

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it took in excess of 40 years for organizations to change the physical arrangement of institutions in response to the new affordances of the electrical engine

Highlighted by hreeves

Only, after a period of exploration, do we begin to understand how new tools require a reshaping of existing physical structures.

Highlighted by ctscho

limitation of physical classrooms and existing information structures in education play a similar role in delaying innovation as the centralized power source in multi-story buildings did during the adoption of electrical engines.

Highlighted by hreeves

et, the promised revolution failed to appear as education continued to exist in primarily in a classroom environment. Information, and by extension, education, systems "may be seen as direct counterparts of the physical layouts and materials flow patterns of production and transportation systems" (David, 1990, p. 360). The limitation of physical classrooms and existing information structures in education play a similar role in delaying innovation as the centralized power source in multi-story buildings did during the adoption of electrical engines.

Highlighted by topsailpirate

1.      Our ability to create and share information and content

2.      Our ability to connect and dialogue with others, a progressive minimization of the tyranny of space and time

3.      Our ability to experience a simulated reality

Highlighted by ctscho

The world of expert, clearly-defined, and well-organized knowledge formed by ancient philosophers and deciphered by subsequent thinkers, has today given way to continual flux.

Highlighted by ctscho

the development of alternative modes of teaching and learning.

Highlighted by ctscho

The ability to continue to learn and develop new knowledge replaces the importance of existing knowledge, or, what is known today is less important than the capacity to continue to know more. The development of a certain type of person with certain mindsets exceeds the importance of being in possession of a particular type of knowledge - becoming in contrast with knowing.

Highlighted by harshbarger

. The development of specific skills and mindsets becomes as critical as, or even more so, than the possession of existing knowledge.

Highlighted by ctscho

a transition from an epistemological to an ontological emphasis

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The development of a certain type of person with certain mindsets exceeds the importance of being in possession of a particular type of knowledge - becoming in contrast with knowing.

Highlighted by ctscho

A view of change is required that moves beyond Christensen's (1997), Moore's (1999), and Senge et al.'s (1999) models and begins to addresses the impact of trends and innovations on the spaces and structures of learning. In academic settings, new innovations arise through small pockets of research, experimentation, and new approaches developed in response to observations of change pressures (see Figure 2). New trends drive innovation when educators, school systems, and research groups begin to adopt new approaches for learning. These methods are at times seen as innovations in curricula and at times as pedagogic innovations.

Yet, in spite of small-scale innovation, new methods typically do not result in new spaces and structures of learning. As noted by David (1990), new innovations are adopted in the context of existing physical spaces. Changes of a more significant and profound nature need to be enacted at a system-wide level. The adoptions of blogs and wikis in classrooms, or use of Second Life and other virtual worlds, or the use of social networks to connect learners with peers around the world, still occur largely within a classroom context. To truly harness the transformative potential of new technologies, change at a systemic level is required.

Highlighted by edcccdean

A view of change is required that moves beyond Christensen's (1997), Moore's (1999), and Senge et al.'s (1999) models and begins to addresses the impact of trends and innovations on the spaces and structures of learning.

Highlighted by ctscho

When applied to the academic sector, dialogue about changing learning spaces and structures suggests a fundamental rethinking of classrooms, courses, and programs is needed. Given the opportunities of technology to extend access to content, experts, and peer learners, does an existing classroom model still make sense? Do one-instructor classrooms need to give way to more diverse approaches of many instructors and many peer learners? How should curriculum be developed? How much structure needs to be applied to this type of model in the development of curricula and in the planning of instruction? Does instructional design similarly need to be rethought?

Highlighted by harshbarger

Yet, in spite of small-scale innovation, new methods typically do not result in new spaces and structures of learning.

Highlighted by ctscho

still occur largely within a classroom context.

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A smoother or more rapid experience in the restructuring of education can hardly be expected.

Highlighted by ctscho

dance of change

Highlighted by ldurff

limitless dimensions exist in our learning (p. 4). In addition to formal education, learning occurs through games and simulations, mentoring and apprenticing, performance support at the point of a learning need, self-learning that arises through critical and creative thinking, communities of practice and personal learning networks, as well as the many informal learning situations that arise through conferences, reading, volunteering, and hobbies. A future model of learning must embrace the broad-spectrum of learning situations and recognizes the value of different modes of cognitive and social development that arise outside of institutional structures.

Highlighted by ctscho

Arguably, traditional education is defined by two elements of organization: bounded classrooms and hierarchical organization of information and content

Highlighted by harshbarger

Arguably, traditional education is defined by two elements of organization: bounded classrooms and hierarchical organization of information and content

Highlighted by ctscho

For example, the internet, with its emphasis on openness and diversity, challenges the classroom conception of authority and expertise.

Highlighted by harshbarger

The structured approach of information filtered in advance, by the educator, and presented in a fairly coherent form defines classrooms.

Highlighted by harshbarger

Connectivism is essentially the assertion that knowledge is networked and distributed, and the act of learning is the creation and navigation of networks. The distributed nature of knowledge and the growing complexification of all aspects of society require increased utilization of technology to assist our ability to stay current, manage information abundance, and solve highly complex problems.

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An ecology, for our purposes here, can be viewed as an environment that fosters and supports the formation of communities and networks (Siemens, 2003)

Highlighted by ctscho

The slow pace at which educational institutions have reacted to technological developments through the creation of new pedagogies can be traced to the physical structures of existing classrooms. Where technologies - such as learning management systems - duplicate the structure of a classroom, little innovation is seen. Where technologies, such as those under the umbrella of the read/write web or Web 2.0, create a new space and manner of interaction, significant innovation can be seen, as well as ongoing calls for structural reforms (Barnett, 2004; Downes, 2008; Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development [OECD], 2007a; Siemens, 2008).

Highlighted by edcccdean

on 2008-11-17 by edcccdean

Follow up

on 2008-11-18 by ldurff

Specifically, which technologies create new spaces or manners of interaction? Is this refering virtual worlds or twitter? To what else could it refer?

Researchers and institutions are beginning to address these inefficiencies through discussion of participatory pedagogies (Askins, 2008; Collis & Moonen, 2008). A participatory pedagogy is one that does not fully define all curricular needs in advance of interacting with learners. Learners are able to contribute to existing curricula. The organizational work of faculty members does not comprise the entirety of the course content and does not consist of the sole perspective used to filter content. Multiple perspectives, opinions, and active creation on the part of learners all contribute to the final content of the learner experience. This participatory emphasis is reflective of current ongoing trends with online content creation (OECD, 2007b) and with collective approaches to participatory sensemaking (De Jaegher & Di Paolo, 2007). Activities of learning, interpreting the meaning of trends, and creation of new resources can all be achieved through participatory approaches.

Highlighted by edcccdean

the internet is a hub of creative chaos.

Highlighted by ldurff

A participatory pedagogy is one that does not fully define all curricular needs in advance of interacting with learners. Learners are able to contribute to existing curricula. The organizational work of faculty members does not comprise the entirety of the course content and does not consist of the sole perspective used to filter content. Multiple perspectives, opinions, and active creation on the part of learners all contribute to the final content of the learner experience.

Highlighted by ctscho

Questions shaping future directions

Highlighted by topsailpirate

Connectivism is essentially the assertion that knowledge is networked and distributed, and the act of learning is the creation and navigation of networks

Highlighted by ldurff

Multiple interacting elements occurring on tension fault lines,

Highlighted by ctscho

create a climate where it becomes difficult to accurately explore or consider future directions.

Highlighted by ctscho

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on 2008-11-18 by ldurff

Is this really feasible in elementary education? How?

Multiple perspectives, opinions, and active creation on the part of learners all contribute to the final content of the learner experience.

Highlighted by ldurff

universities sometimes overlook individual genius in evaluating a discipline by its history, rather than the innovations that may bring the discipline in new directions.

Highlighted by ctscho

networked models of learning,

Highlighted by ldurff

on 2008-11-18 by ldurff

Anyone know of any school, at any level, doing this right now anywhere on the globe?

The learner begins by accessing a search resource that permits her to search for educational content and material. The content is not prepackaged as we might expect in courses. Rather, it's fragmented and largely de-contextualized. The experience of learning is one of the learner availing herself to an expert to provide guidance - the search resource searches both people and content. Or, if the learner has some familiarity with the field, she can begin to self-explore and self-regulate her own learning according to existing standards and outcomes defined by different academic fields. These standards (which really is the wrong word, I mean something more like "minimum knowledge, skills, and abilities to be considered competent in a field") will be freely available from universities, schools, public learning centers, or apprentice boards.

Highlighted by ctscho