1 / 44

newlearningcommunities.pbworks Holly Rae Bemis- Schurtz , M.A. @ hollyrae

Fostering New Learning Communities, Nurturing Online Learning Ecosystems June 19, 2009 # sloancsym # nlc San Francisco Sloan C International Symposium on Emerging Technology Applications for Online Learning. http:// newlearningcommunities.pbworks.com

darby
Download Presentation

newlearningcommunities.pbworks Holly Rae Bemis- Schurtz , M.A. @ hollyrae

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Fostering New Learning Communities, Nurturing Online Learning EcosystemsJune 19, 2009 #sloancsym #nlc San FranciscoSloan C International Symposium on Emerging Technology Applications for Online Learning http://newlearningcommunities.pbworks.com Holly Rae Bemis-Schurtz, M.A. @hollyrae Susan Bussmann, Ph.D. @suceppib New Mexico State University We apply these concepts to foster experiential learning for K-20 educators.

  2. Consider … Clarity, focus, perspective, adaptation, evolution

  3. Influential Concepts Learning Ecosystems(Gutl & Chang) Connectivism(Siemens & Downes) Bioteaming(Thompson)

  4. Overview • New Learning Contexts & Skills • Learning Ecosystem as a Model • Characteristics of New Learning Communities (NLCs) • Organizational Biomimicry • One to many communications • Self organizing, collective leadership • Developing NLCs • Nurturing & Supporting NLCs • Assessing NLCs

  5. Scoble’s Social Media Starfish http://www.flickr.com/photos/dbarefoot/1814873464/ The Conversation Prism http://www.briansolis.com/2008/08/introducing-conversation-prism.html Social Media Landscape http://www.fredcavazza.net/2008/06/09/social-media-landscape/

  6. What happens to learning in this context? “Our learning and information acquisition is a mashup. We take pieces, add pieces, dialogue, reframe, rethink, connect, and ultimately, we end up with some type of pattern that symbolizes what’s happening ‘out there’ and what it means to us. And that pattern changes daily. G. Siemens and P. Tittenberger. Handbook of emerging technologies for learning, March 2009.

  7. Connectivism ‘A learning theory for a digital age’ from George Siemens (@gsiemens) & Stephen Downes (@downes). Influenced by learning theories, social structures, and technologies, such as • Affordance of tools • Contextual situated learning • Social learning theory • Epistemological views • Embodied cognition • New media theory • Systems theory • Network theory

  8. In a nutshell… • ‘knowledge and cognition are distributed across networks of people and technology is the process of connecting, growing, and navigating those networks' • the knowledge of the network is bigger than any one node Handbook of emerging technologies for learning, March 2009 http://ltc.umanitoba.ca/wikis/etl/index.php/Handbook_of_Emerging_Technologies_for_Learning

  9. Learning is forming connections Connectivism(George Siemens & Stephen Downes) • Learning is connecting new experiences within our neural, conceptual and social networks • Depth and diversity of the connections is what determines understanding • Frequency of exposure and integration with other concepts can strengthen understanding • Connections can be strong or weak – different networks serve different needs • Expertise (the facility of using networks) is what is needed to learn in this new context

  10. New Learning Skills G. Siemens and P. Tittenberger. Handbook of emerging technologies for learning, March 2009. “New Learning, New Educators, New Skills”

  11. Soft Skills http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soft_skills Created with Wordle - http://www.wordle.net/

  12. Technology Fluency & Adeptness Flickr Creative Commons Search for ‘early adopters’ or ‘power users’ http://www.flickr.com/photos/hbemisschurtz/favorites/

  13. Wayfinding • Wayfinding encompasses all of the ways in which people and animals orient themselves in physical space and navigate from place to place • traditional navigation methods used by indigenous peoples • in the context of architecture to refer to the user experience of orientation and choosing a path within the built environment • the set of architectural and/or design elements that aid orientation. • From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wayfinding

  14. Sensemaking Sensemaking is the ability or attempt to make sense of an ambiguous situation. • creating situational awareness and understanding in situations of high complexity or uncertainty in order to make decisions. • "a motivated, continuous effort to understand connections (which can be among people, places, and events) in order to anticipate their trajectories and act effectively" (Klein et al., 2006a). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sensemaking Klein, G., Moon, B. and Hoffman, R.F. (2006a). Making sense of sensemaking I: alternative perspectives. IEEE Intelligent Systems, 21(4), 70-73.

  15. How do you support the development of personal learning skills?

  16. Consider the Ecosystem A network of living and nonliving things Energy and water cycles continuously Producers generate for Primary. Secondary, & Tertiary Consumers Decomposers recycle and compost for a healthy foundation Illustration by Sabine Deviche (ASU) http://askabiologist.asu.edu/research/ecosystems/index.html

  17. Learning Ecosystem as a Model Gutl & Chang, 2008 • a comprehensive review of the ecosystem model as used to describe highly dynamic learning environments that change organically and often • a model to identify perspectives, relationships, approaches and implementations • assists in identifying pedagogical, cognitive, social, organizational, and technological aspects

  18. Characteristics • Open and flexible to allow for student's self direction • Support the individual learner and the community in a natural learning process • Network of learning agents and sources dynamically changes according to situations and context (Gutl & Chang, 2008)

  19. from David Armano (@armano)

  20. Our working definition A learning ecosystem is… a framework for understanding new learning environments that incorporate a variety of tools (ie: course management systems, Web 2.0 applications) and multiple touch points (web, client, mobile) that aims to make transparent to the members of the learning community various channels (relationships, pathways, protocols) for learning.

  21. So we’ve tried… To establish a framework which shows our ecosystem. The next few slides show this over time. Each is only a snapshot of a dynamic system~ a moment in time.

  22. Current Events & Trends Ambient Consumption Widgets & RSS Primary Consumption External Communities Facilitation and Assessment Production Recomposition

  23. Level of learner investment/aka “risk” Ambient Consumers Primary Consumers Producers Recomposers Parra, Bemis-Schurtz, Bussmann (NM TIE & iNACOL VSS, 2008)

  24. Learner Responsibility Learner as Lurker Learner as Connector Relationship to Requirements Learner as Producer Learner as Recomposer

  25. Learning/Course Management System • Webconferencing System • VOIP Instant Messaging Tool • Robust Wiki • Blogs • Micromedia • Robust Wikis • Voice Discussion Tools Learning & Content Management Tools Collaboration & Interaction Tools Learning Ecosystem Tools Content Creation & Dissemination Tools Learnstreaming Tools • Multimedia Creation Tools • Social Bookmarking Tools • Content Sharing Tools • Custom Search Tools • Lifestreaming Tools • Analytic Tools • RSS Feed Aggregators • Social Networks

  26. Examples of NMSU & RETALearning Ecosystems • Used at various levels, K-20 to foster experiential learning for educators • Shared quickly for reference ;-)

  27. Podcasting and Vodcasting for Improved Achievementhttp://pvia.pbworks.com • 3rd grade Educator Teams implement podcasting in classrooms • Mentors (RETA Instructors) Facilitated by @suceppib @hollyrae & Bethany Bovard (@tektrekker)

  28. Online Teaching & Learning Opportunities Programhttp://otlo.pbworks.com/eLearning-Ecosystem • Secondary educators develop OTL environments for distance delivery • Multi-year program Facilitated by @suceppib & Julia Parra (@desertjul)

  29. NMSU Division of Student Success • Students and staff learn to access and share support online • Very much in ‘beta’ ;-) Facilitated by @hollyrae with Laura Grant (@laurapresently) & Phillip Johnson (@phlipper3000)

  30. Online Teaching & Learning Graduate Certificate Programhttp://extended.nmsu.edu • 15 credit graduate program • Prepares learner for OTL Facilitated by @suceppib, @tektrekker & Julia Parra (@desertjul)

  31. So… • What happens to the community when it spans across all of these contexts? • How does this influence our pedagogy?

  32. Characteristics of New Learning Communities • Personal learning skills are integral • Conversation is not just in one system/tool/place • Communities overlap between networks • Connections (the stuff of learning) are made organically • Highly dynamic, Influenced by a wider social experience and...

  33. Organizational Biomimicry • Looking at ‘power users’ & ‘power’ communities of natural ecosystems • Ken Thompson (The Bioteaming Manifesto) • Traits of successful bioteams • Pheromone messaging • Collective leadership These are new communication styles for humans!

  34. One to Many Communications Thompson (2008) – Did ants invent the perfect mobile messaging system? http://www.bioteams.com/2008/04/30/did_ants_invent.html

  35. Collective Leadership Thompson (2008) Why penguins have no commanding officer http://www.nesta.org.uk/why-penguins-have-no-commanding-officer/

  36. This is a tremendous shift! • Successful bioteams are highly dependent on members’ beliefs and values • One to many communication methods are new to humans • Each users experience is unique and personal responsibility is substantially increased So what strategies can we use to develop, nurture and evaluate our new learning communities?

  37. Developing NLCs • Begin with needs & comfort level assessment • Choose core elements (tools) purposefully with learners in mind • Make the ecosystem explicit • Maps • Categories • Tools • Philosophy • Design so that you are facilitating interaction • open ended and self directed activities • act as concierge, connector, atelier, curator

  38. Developing NLCs (ctd.) • Establish reasonable expectations • Consider learner risk • Encourage voluntary participation • Provide a synchronous orientation to the ecosystem • Utilize audio/video tools frequently to support knowledge of the ecosystem • Establish protocols for utilizing channels (ie: engaging a colleague or instructor via Skype)

  39. Supporting NLCs • Foster metacognitive awareness of the ecosystem, tools, touch points, channels with continued support • Consider ‘Bio-score Calculator’(http://www.bioteams.com/flash/IsYourGroupaBioteam.html) • Assist students in developing an idea of their own personal learning network • Identify your own strategies for wayfinding, make transparent for your students • Encourage social sensemakingthroughout the experience

  40. Assessing NLCs • Consider Ken Thompson’s ORGANICS (for assessing self organizing within a group) • Evaluate growth in student’s • self assessment of use of PLN(s) • concept maps of PLN(s) over time • Utilize summative assessments that are outcomes based (such as a portfolio) • Utilize formative assessment (such as learnstreaming)

  41. Learnstreaming* Use of these types of tools to develop holistic and formative understandings about what is happening in the learning community • Lifestreaming (Plaxo, FriendFeed) • Analytic Tools (Lijit, Google Analytics) • RSS Aggregators • ‘Friendships’ in social networks *this is experimental, be cautious

  42. Let’s engage in somesensemaking.hollyrae@nmsu.edusuceppib@nmsu.edu Resources continue to grow… http://newlearningcommunities.pbworks.com * http://delicious.com/hollyrae/connectivism * http://delicious.com/hollyrae/ecosystem * http://delicious.com/hollyrae/bioteams

More Related