Connectivism Learning Today

The network is the learning

What’s Happening (the “why” of connectivism)? Rapid knowledge growth (duh? Really?) Changing tools and needs=changing learners Informal learning eclipsing formal learning “know-how” and “know-what” replaced by “know-where” Two-way flow - creator and consumer of content can interact Questioning bias End-user in control - Voices given to individuals Decentralized - power pushed to the edges Modularization Pliable connections (or connected specialization) History given to knowledge/learning that used to vaporize

Learning impact? Are LMS’ sufficient? “To fully know” is impossible Connections to others who know is how we function in a complex environment Living is a learning process Do we need courses? Learning outcomes? We aren’t always constructing, but we are always connecting

What’s wrong with existing theories of learning? Processing/constructing is loaded onto the learner…an unsustainable model in rapid knowledge growth

Perceptions of Learning Domains Transfer Acquisition Emergence Accretion Intent Baseline learning, compliance, collaborative, innovative

Connectivism Theory of organizing, learning, communicating and functioning in a digital, knowledge economy

Principle 1: Learning and knowledge rests in diversity of opinions Effective learning occurs in an ecology of diverse opinions and views “I know” is moving to “we know as a team” Connected specialization

Principle 2: Learning is a process of connecting specialized nodes or information sources. Complexity of functioning in today’s environment requires forming connections among specialized nodes The aggregation of differing knowledge fields and perspectives is the corner-stone of learning

Principle 3: Learning may reside in non-human appliances. Data Information – data with intelligence applied Knowledge – comprehension of information Meaning – implications of knowledge Learning happens between knowledge and meaning These elements can reside in databases, iPods, or be integrated into tools

Principle 4: Capacity to know more is more critical than what is currently known Knowledge is the oil of the information/knowledge economy. Those who understand how it flows are the keepers of the new pipeline

Principle 5: Nurturing and maintaining connections is needed to facilitate continual learning. Connections ensure continued access to changing dynamics – corporate, global, societal

Principle 6: Ability to see connections and patterns between fields, ideas, and concepts is a core skill. Pattern recognition replaces mental processing functions in complex environments

Principle 7: Currency (accurate, up-to-date knowledge) is the most critical function in a knowledge economy Rapidly changes result in existing elements becoming outdated Outdated/disconnected decision making is a key challenge for organizations

Principle 8: Decision-making is itself a learning process. Choosing what to learn and the meaning of incoming information is seen through the lens of a shifting reality. While there is a right answer now, it may be wrong tomorrow due to alterations in the information climate affecting the decision.

LearningEcology Shift from designing learning to designing ecologies in which learning will occur

Types of tools? Functionality of ideal tools evidenced by: Blogs, wikis, podcasts, vlogs, del.icio.us, collaborative tools, groupware tools, VoIP, Furl, bloglines etc. Any tool which enables people to connect with each other or with content.

It’s all come undone: Centering Agents Newscast Newspaper Any single source of information which aggregates multiple sources Evisceration of centering agents

Challenge for knowledge workers today Rapid knowledge requires greater efforts on the part of the centering agents (i.e. everyone has a voice (podcast, blog, wiki) The elimination of centering agents generates stress – It’s too much!!! KM, elearning, epss, content management, knowledge discovery, network creation, CoPs, PKM – it’s all the same mess – Let’s strategically Connect

General assumptions Information pace too rapid for current model of learning Organizations need to rethink learning Model selected must be dynamic (self-updating) and fluid (not artificial construct of courses) Different learning format requires different responses Pressures from other fields – music, video, news – are being felt in education

Learning as Network Creation Nodes – people, data, programs, communities – anything which can be linked Connections – some meaningful form of interacting, RSS, Aggregators, epss Chaos is ok

What does this mean to corporate education? Learning conceptualized as continual process, not isolated, artificial constructs Currency in decision making Education not used to support strategy – learning used to inform strategy (and as a by-product of strategy implementation) Can we achieve strategy when we give up control? SOSS (shaped by structured ecology) Foster connections – relationships, dialogue

What does this mean to higher education? Centering agents – of information for your learners Non-courses (beyond basic level – i.e. bachelors) Accretion learning Life-long – social, self-forming, dynamic (tether learner to organization) Subscription revenue Form connections – people, content, ideas Diversity of tools and concepts

Questions?

George Siemens www.elearnspace.org www.connectivism.ca Email: gsiemens@elearnspace.org