NOTES FROM:
First Facilitator Session – Review of Readings
http://cck11.mooc.ca/week1.htm – “The Stephen and George Linkfest”
From George’s first paper:
Connected specialization – “Store my knowledge in my friends”. I might not know how to do something, but I know who to call (connect to) that does have the answer.
Does Connectivisim entirely change the notion of expertise? – Stu Harris (cck11)
George’s reply – a significant influence for sure.
What is the difference between “adaptive patterns” and “remixed prior knowledge”? – Jack Park (cck11)
- Adaptive reveal our development over a period of time.
- Over time you see how someone connects with others.
- This might start to show how our patterns of knowledge develop. (e.g. many new inventions are combinations of other inventions – example the steam engine)
What connectivism claim in terms on knowledge construction that constructivism cannot? – Saadat (cck11)
- Not all learning is acquisition.
- More organic growth of knowledge
- New nodes are created and this can change the existing knowledge
- Focus on the connection to understand knowledge develop
- How we are connecting people and concepts
- Seeing learning from the lens of connection and connection forming
- “Explain what is the underlying biological pinning of other learning theories?”
“…not rejecting old theories, but how are you actually using them?” – Simon Fowler (cck11)
- Some value in existing theories don’t apply to the needs of people today
- Determine what is learning and how does it actually occur
Jack Park “so you’re saying they are the same. you appear to be saying that one builds on the other. so I’m interpreting the answer to say that connectivism builds on constructivism: not using the term “constructs” sounds a bit like wordsmithing — don’t mean to sound hostile, but everything that goes on in biological entities is anticipatory, whether constructed or not–at least, that’s one view. I buy completely the renewed emphasis on relationships (connections)”
- If we can understand the underpinnings of learning, how the brain itself produces similar connections, it tells us some level of synchronicity between these (Olaf Sorns)
- Sense that increasingly that the emphasis is shifting to a network assessment of learning. Constructivism is very board umbrella.
Look back in 10 years time, and we will most likely realize we still don’t have one theory that covers it all. Can we find a more imperial basis of how people learn and in turn the best way to teach?
Stu Harris (cck11) – Connectivism makes it more difficult to continue the silos.
Keith Hamon (cck11) – The connection is the key. A single neuron knows nothing, contains no idea, only a pattern of interconnected neurons can generate knowledge
Meaningful way to connect knowledge?
- We do need a base of knowledge to start with (George yes, Stephen perhaps no)
- Listening to a good lecture is much like a good book (sometimes)
- There is value sometimes, with some topics – exploration does not work. Direct instruction is needed (eg. medical)
- Experts can sense elements that novices can not. “intuition”. Not truly – fire example- it was too hot, too much water, too much etc. The Expert could “see” the patterns, but the novice couldn’t yet.
Overhead or skills necessary to truly utilize the tools in front of them?
- George – Learning and learning innovations need to work within the reality of what is available
- Stephen (perhaps) – ignore the system and do your own thing
- Focus on teachers, focus only material, focus only learners….need to balance all
- We don’t yet have the tools to effectively learn in this setting, but we are getting there.
- Need more tools that permit learners to learn without boundaries and barriers. Need fluid interaction.
- Barriers (time length, when, etc)
- Learning implications of social interactions?
Can connectivism exist without the technology?
- Yes constantly in a place of interacting with people with out technology
- (view that language is not a technology though)
- Treat the process of learning in social networks as a human attribute.
- Technology advances those social interactions to a level beyond the one on one level.
Larry Kahn (cck11): Given the pace with which technology is evolving, how long do you think Connectivism will remain a valid theory?
Stu harris (cck11): @Larry Doesn’t the theory itself provide for its own evolution?
Stephen: Insofar as other theories are consistent with connectivism, they can be adopted… but where they differ, they should be corrected.
Language – is itself a network. Meaning of any particular word, sentence, phrase, expression depends on a network of relationships with other words, sentences and phrases.
In connectivisim we take this seriously and this approach goes into the teaching and learning as well. The meaning is embedded into this network. Therefore the teaching of “facts” becomes more involved. More where learning becomes embedded into this network as well.
Connectivism explained to an 8 year old? Linn (cck11)
- You learn from your friends, but you don’t take your friends word for eve5rything , you check things out for yourself and then share what you learn with your friends. (Stephen)
How to unconnect from connections that don’t serve you well?
- G -Not connect any more – starve a node (concept) that’s not serving you any more.
- G -Ie: Flat earth policy – how well is it integrated with your overall knowledge structure.
- S – Ie learned racism to have yourself immersed in a world view, attitudes, beliefs, phrases, “dog whistles”(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dog-whistle_politics) this all together constitutes racism (works for biology, physics, math, etc).
- S – You can’t listen to it and turn it on or off at will. Over time you gradually gather these items, you may decide to agree or disagree, but none the less you have learned something.
- S – Learning is natural, learning is something you do not matter what. You’re receiving input all day every day and this supports and creates learning. Most is not purposeful. Absorbing, understanding and adapting to environment.
- G – Learning is absolutely constant
- S – you have very very limited control over what you learned, but you have control over what you are exposed to. You can try to resist (fire – if it touches you it will burn you).
- Nina (cck11): Link to Buddhism and Sufism, consciousness enables you to learn from every small experience and action.
- S – Attentiveness to understand and experience something.
- graemeferris (cck11): I find it useful to think about this in terms of the feedback mechanisms at work. Both positive and negative feedback mechanisms lead to learning
- G – only physical or biological damage to your brain may effect learning
S – Flat earth – the power of a concept is how integrated it is into other perceptions of your life.