A keynote presentation at the University of Durham, Jan 2013 Allison Littlejohn

1. The learning ecology: why the promise of an economy of scale has not been achieved A keynote presentation at the University of Durham, Jan 2013 Allison Littlejohn Director, Caledonian Academy Chair of Learning Technology www.gcu.ac.uk/academy Collaborators: Dr Isobel falconer, Dr Anoush Margaryan, Dr Colin Milligan,, Lou McGill, Glasgow Caledonian University, UK

2. Key challenge: continual learning Grand challenge “The most profound impact of the Internet… is its ability to support and expand the various aspects of social learning”. “Attention has moved from access to information towards access to other people”. John Seeley Brown (2008), Minds on Fire

3. Scenario 4 Grand challenge Our times are characterized by immaterial labour... ...labour that is not restricted to material production but penetrates also the political, the social, the cultural, and ultimately life itself. ‘Multitude’, Hardt and Negri, 2004

4. Key challenge: continual learning

5. Scenario 4 Grand challenge • Telepresence • Multi-site micro expertise • Networked innovation • Crowdsourcing • Multi site data analysis

6. Key challenge: continual learning Grand challenge GC: Every graduate from the UK HE sector has the ability, confidence and mindset to plan and implement his/her own learning pathway to achieve his/her learning goals.

7. Scenario 4 • Stepanyan, K, Littlejohn, A & Margaryan, A (2012) Sustainable eLearning, Journal of Educational Technology and Society

8. How do learners learn in open, unstructured, networked environments? • How can learners be prepared for learning in such environments? • What learning approaches prevail? • Do inter-relationships change in open, unstructured environments? Key challenge: continual learning Grand challenge

9. Question 1 How do people learn in open, unstructured, networked environments?

10. How do learners learn in unstructured env? Context:Shell global knowledge sharing networksPeriod: Sept 08-Apr 09Method/instruments: Mixed method: Questionnaire (Cross and Parker, 2004) & semi-structured interviews (critical incident)Sample:survey: n=462 (E46%; N27%; M27%); interviews: n=29 (E41%, N31%, 28%M)

11. How do learners learn in unstructured env? COLLECTIVE KNOWLEDGE

12. Connect How do learners learn in unstructured env? COLLECTIVE KNOWLEDGE

13. Connect How do learners learn in unstructured env? • Consume COLLECTIVE KNOWLEDGE

14. Connect How do learners learn in unstructured env? • Create • Consume COLLECTIVE KNOWLEDGE

15. Contribute • Connect How do learners learn in unstructured env? • Create • Consume COLLECTIVE KNOWLEDGE

16. Contribute • Connect How do learners learn in unstructured env? • Create • Consume COLLECTIVE KNOWLEDGE

17. Contribute • Connect How do learners learn in unstructured env? Charting occurs when each learner maps his/ her learning pathway through planning, implementing & reflecting on learning goals • Create • Consume CHARTING

18. Contribute • Connect How do learners learn in unstructured env? Charting occurs when each learner maps his/ her learning pathway through planning, implementing & reflecting on learning goals Builds individual & collective knowledge • Create • Consume CHARTING

19. Scenario 4 Question 2 How do these knowledge actions relate to approaches to learning?

20. Scenario 4 What learning approaches are used? • Acquisition Participatory • of knowledge • Sfard, 1998

21. Scenario 4 What learning approaches are used? • Knowledge creation • Acquisition Participatory • of knowledge • Sfard, 1998; Paavola, Lipponen, and Hakkarainen, 2004

22. Contribute • Connect What learning approaches are used? Acquisition • Create • Consume COLLECTIVE KNOWLEDGE

23. Contribute • Connect What learning approaches are used? • vidcast lectures • OERs • Open Courseware • x-type MOOC Acquisition • Create • Consume COLLECTIVE KNOWLEDGE

24. Scenario 4 What learning approaches are used?

25. Scenario 4 What learning approaches are used?

26. Scenario 4 What learning approaches are used? Acquisition • Typically sequenced tasks with vidcast lectures, computer marked tests. • Little or no interaction with the thousands of other learners

27. Contribute • Consume What learning approaches are used? Participatory • Create • Connect COLLECTIVE KNOWLEDGE

28. Contribute • Consume What learning approaches are used? • online tutorials • blended • learning • cMOOC Participatory • Create • Connect COLLECTIVE KNOWLEDGE

29. Scenario 4 What learning approaches are used?

30. Scenario 4 What learning approaches are used?

31. Scenario 4 What learning approaches are used? Participatory • Typically structure provided by instructor. • Learners provide peer support & create/ contribute content

32. Contribute • Connect What learning approaches are used? Knowledge creation Third type afforded by networked technologies • Create • Consume COLLECTIVE KNOWLEDGE

33. Contribute • Connect What learning approaches are used? Knowledge creation Third type afforded by networked technologies • Create • Consume • research • degrees • professional or • workplace learning COLLECTIVE KNOWLEDGE

34. Scenario 4 Connecting the individual & collective Social objects as knowledge is created/shared collectively See Knorr-Cetina, K (2001), Edwards, A (2011) and Paavola, S., & Hakkarainen, K. (2005). The knowledge creation metaphor: An emergent epistemological approach to learning. Science and Education, 14(6), 535-557 Digital networks used to connect while sensemaking Siemens, G. (2005) Connectivism: Learning as Network-Creation http://www.elearnspace.org/Articles/networks.htm Shared goals as a focus for knowledge creation Littlejohn, A., Milligan, C and Margaryan, A (2012) Charting Collective Knowledge, Journal of Workplace Learning

35. Connecting the individual & collective Goals as the Social Object

36. Your goal You

37. Your goal You Formal Learning Knowledge Networks Libraries of Cases / Examples of Practice Collaborative Spaces Shared resources (e.g. delicious) Dynamic Knowledge, e.g. wikis Your Knowledge Smart Information Recommended Resources

38. Anyone Peers with similar goals People with similar skills Team Tutor External contacts You Your goal You Formal Learning Knowledge Networks Libraries of Cases / Examples of Practice Collaborative Spaces Shared resources (e.g. delicious) Dynamic Knowledge, e.g. wikis Your Knowledge Smart Information Recommended Resources

39. GROUP Anyone Peers with similar goals People with similar skills Team Tutor External contacts You Your goal You Formal Learning Knowledge Networks Libraries of Cases / Examples of Practice Collaborative Spaces Shared resources (e.g. delicious) Dynamic Knowledge, e.g. wikis Your Knowledge Smart Information Recommended Resources

40. GROUP NETWORK Anyone Peers with similar goals People with similar skills Team Tutor External contacts You Your goal You Formal Learning Knowledge Networks Libraries of Cases / Examples of Practice Collaborative Spaces Shared resources (e.g. delicious) Dynamic Knowledge, e.g. wikis Your Knowledge Smart Information Recommended Resources

41. GROUP NETWORK Anyone Peers with similar goals People with similar skills Team Tutor External contacts You Your goal You Formal Learning Knowledge Networks Libraries of Cases / Examples of Practice Collaborative Spaces Shared resources (e.g. delicious) Dynamic Knowledge, e.g. wikis Your Knowledge Smart Information COLLECTIVE Recommended Resources

42. Anyone Peers with similar goals People with similar skills Team CONNECT Tutor External contacts You CONSUME Your goal You Formal Learning Knowledge Networks Libraries of Cases / Examples of Practice Collaborative Spaces Shared resources (e.g. delicious) Dynamic Knowledge, e.g. wikis Your Knowledge Smart Information Recommended Resources

43. Anyone Peers with similar goals People with similar skills Team CONNECT Tutor External contacts You CREATE CONSUME Your goal You Formal Learning Knowledge Networks Libraries of Cases / Examples of Practice Collaborative Spaces Shared resources (e.g. delicious) Dynamic Knowledge, e.g. wikis Your Knowledge Smart Information Recommended Resources

44. Anyone Peers with similar goals People with similar skills Team CONNECT CONNECT Tutor External contacts You CREATE CONSUME Your goal You CONTRIBUTE Formal Learning Knowledge Networks Libraries of Cases / Examples of Practice Collaborative Spaces Shared resources (e.g. delicious) Dynamic Knowledge, e.g. wikis Your Knowledge Smart Information Recommended Resources

45. Anyone Peers with similar goals You and Your Peers People with similar skills Team CONNECT CONNECT Tutor External contacts You CREATE CONSUME Your goals CONTRIBUTE Formal Learning Knowledge Networks Libraries of Cases / Examples of Practice Collaborative Spaces Shared resources (e.g. delicious) Dynamic Knowledge, e.g. wikis Your Knowledge Smart Information Recommended Resources

46. Scenario 4 What learning approaches are used? The knowledge-creation approach to learning highlights those kinds of activities where people collaboratively develop new artefacts and products while learning Hakkarainen, Palonen, Paavola, & Lehtinen, 2004.

47. Scenario 4 What learning approaches are used? The knowledge-creation approach to learning highlights those kinds of activities where people collaboratively develop new artefacts and products while learning Hakkarainen, Palonen, Paavola, & Lehtinen, 2004. ‘... A kind of individual and collective learning that goes beyond information given and advances knowledge and understanding’ Paavola and Hakkarainen, 2005

48. Pause for thought • Q Should networked knowledge creation be a mainstream approach to learning in universities? • If yes – How can we implement it into mainstream practice? • If yes – How can we prepare learners for this form of learning? • If no – What are the consequences of not mainstreaming this approach to learning?

49. Charting tools use goals as a social object for sharing, discovery and cooperation