why networked learning matters

Why Networked Learning Matters

Dr. Alec CourosReforms Symposium 2011

#rscon11

intro

The Blur

open scholarship

Open Doctrine

Networked Learning?

“networked learning is a process of developing and maintaining connections

with people and information, and communicating in such a way as to

support one anotherʼs learning.” (Wikipedia)

10 Reasons WNLM

#1: The Tools Make It Easy

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“Free” Tools

#2: The Monopoly Is Ending

David Wiley

@opencontent

Then vs Now

Analog Digital

Tethered Mobile

Isolated Connected

Generic Personal

Consumption Creating

Closed Open

David Wiley

@opencontent

Education vs Everyday

Analog Digital

Tethered Mobile

Isolated Connected

Generic Personal

Consumption Creating

Closed Open

Why Do Students Go to University?

Content

Social Life

Degrees

Support Services

(Wiley, 2010)

Why Do Students Go to University?

Content

Support ServicesSocial Life

Degrees

WikipediaPLoS

OCW

Open Courses

Google Scholar

arXiv.orgFlatworld K

MCSEGCT

ACT

CCNACNE

Facebook

MMOGsMySpace

Twitter

Yahoo! AnswersQuora

Skype

(Wiley, 2010)

ChaCha

#3: We Are Smarter Together

#4: Some Of Our Best Teachers Arenʼt Our Teachers

#5: Geography Doesnʼt Matter.Learning Matters.

#6: Audience Makes a Difference

#7: Sharing Is Vital To Learning

“itʼs about overcoming the inner 2 year old in

you that screams mine, mine, itʼs mine.”

(Wiley, TEDxNYED, 2010)

“If thereʼs no sharing ... there is no education. Education is inherently an enterprise of openness and sharing

and generosity. ” (Wiley, TEDxNYED, 2010)

Dean Shareski

“knowledge is not like a cheeseburger”

#8: Network Literacy & Digital Citizenship

@hrheingold

• “Understanding how networks work is one of the most important literacies of the 21st century.” (2010)

Network Literacies

• redefine communities, friends, citizenship, identity, presence, privacy, publics, geography.

• enable learning, communication, sharing, collaboration, community.

• networks form around shared interests & objects.

networks

Howard Rheingold

http://www.anduro.com/calgary-mayor-race.html

Teens are not connecting in the ways we fear. But, we need to pay attention to:

•Properties: persistence, replicability, searchability, scalability, (de)locatability.

•Dynamics: invisible audiences, collapsed contexts, blurring of public & private spaces

@zephoria

danah boyd

#9: Networks Allow Us to Make the World a Better Place

#10: The End of Education & the Beginning of Learning

“We need to move beyond the idea that education is something

that is provided for us, and toward the idea that an education

is something that we create ourselves.”

(Downes, 2010)

web: couros.catwitter: courosagoogle: couros

couros@gmail.com