1. Connectivism: Museums as Learning Ecologies Presented to Canadian Heritage Information Network March 9, 2006 George Siemens

2. Learning Theories TheoryLearning modelLearning resides BehaviourismBlack boxBehaviour demonstration CognitivismComputer-modelIn the mind of the individual – processed Constructivism Creation or construction of meaning (Building) In the mind of the individual – constructed ConnectivismNetworks and ecologies, connections Distributed, in network

3. What is the museums view? What is the museums definition of learning?

4. Function of museums Memory Study/research Knowledge sharing Learning How well are museums doing?

5. Challenge: how to improve learning Improving the learning aspect of museums: –In recognition of existence (public head space) –Valuation –In process –In Method Online Face to face Blended

6. Democratizing Learning Let the learners decide In all cases? What about educational targets, standards, established criteria within fields? Link tool with intent –Facets - Bloom, Fink, Wiggins: Integral Small pieces, anywhere, any tool, any time (learning is in the aggregate)

7. The 5 Cs of learning today

8. What about community? Spaces for industry professionals to dialogue with each other… Spaces for learning providers to learn Spaces for visitors to learn Where does community fall short?

9. Where is the new value point? User-controlled Integration –Time –Device –Space –Format Content Dialogue Aspect of ecology

11. Blending realities Online and face-to-face Online is physical is online

12. Its coming undone… Things fall apart; the Center cannot hold; Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world (Yeats) Decentralization and distributed representation of knowledge –Critical in diverse, rapidly developing knowledge spaces Conundrum: complex environments, without a filtered center, are overwhelming

15. Whats happening in libraries? Intent: Relevance Connections: people, technology, information…in context Device independent Ubiquitous Move to openness Multi-faceted: experts, conversation-based, information-coaching Learning commons - integrated

16. Connectivism Learning as network creation Knowledge rests in networks Diversity Non-human devices Know-where more important than know-what and know-how Pattern recognition is key Currency of knowledge is critical

17. Connectivism Taxonomy Awareness and Receptivity Connection-forming Contribution and Involvement Pattern Recognition Meaning-making Praxis

18. Move from creating content to creating space in which content is explored

20. Functionality of ecologies… DIVERSITY Learning informally Self-expression Dialogue/debate Archived knowledge Structured learning (courses) Apprentice/mentor Tool-rich Capacity for centering elements

21. Tools and death by buzzwords Blogs Wikis Podcasts Games Story telling Immersive learning Situated learning Communities of practice Social bookmarking Tags and folksonomies Video logging Wireless Emergent Ubiquitous RSS Aggregators

22. Transitioning museums Create ecologies Teaching teachers Networks/CoPs for practitioners Extending technology (ubiquitous) Blending –Adding tech to F2F –Adding sociability to online

23. Begin…grow capacity