Becoming a Network Learner by Giorgio Bertini

Becoming a Network Learner: Towards a Practice of Freedom Scott Leslie, BCcampus April 2010 Tlt â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;10 - Saskatoon

Why I became a Network Learner

Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been online a LONG time

I wanted to understand the Present in terms of the Past

But came to accept that the Network changes things

This change represents both challenge and opportunity

Todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s learner can expect to hold at least 10 different jobs in their lifetime

…may have jobs that didn’t exist when they were born

â&#x20AC;Ś live in a world where information grows exponentially

But the network means old constraints are lessened

…it enables “groups of affinity” (or networks) to form

…and enables Network Effects & Virtuous Cycles

Social software is helping us connect

â&#x20AC;Śin ways that scale and better cope with complexity

Finally I stopped worrying & started (network) learning

What is a Network Learner?

ttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XwM4ieFOotA

Learning Out in the Open

Authentic / Real World Engagement

Active Production of Learning Content

Truly Lifelong Learning Environment/Network

Learnerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Own Choice of Tools, Connections & Content

And if we want to be able to teach these learnersâ&#x20AC;Ś

From http://www.scribd.com/doc/3363/DissertationCouros-FINAL-06-WebVersion

Becoming a Network Learner â&#x20AC;&#x201C; The PLE

What is a PLE? “Personal Learning Environments are systems that help learners take control of and manage their own learning. This includes providing support for learners to • set their own learning goals • manage their learning; managing both content and process • communicate with others in the process of learning and thereby achieve learning goals.” – Wikipedia “…an overall approach or a set of capacities (rather than a single application or technology). Unlike the current LMSbased institution-centric approach which typically require the learner to enter a single 'location' online to take an online course, PLEs are environments focused on giving learners more control over where and how they learn” – Scott Leslie

Attempts to create a single PLE toolâ&#x20AC;Ś

…but it is best understood as NOT a monolith

Where did PLEs come from

• Perceived shortcomings in current (LMSfocused) approach to online learning • Opportunities offered by new breed of socially networked tools (user-centric design and loosely coupled interoperation) • Increased availability of free, high-quality open educational resources • Emerging understanding of the different opportunities that networks afford lifelong learning and learners

But they also came out of actual practice

http://edtechpost.wikispaces.com/PLE+Diagrams

From http://tesl-ej.org/ej34/m1.html

From http://halfanhour.blogspot.com/2006/10/ple-diagram.html

From http://www.microbiologybytes.com/tutorials/ple/ple5.html

From http://nogoodreason.typepad.co.uk/no_good_reason/2007/12/my-personal-wor.html

From http://www.flickr.com/photos/92632631@N00/2530138127/

Common Attributes â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Syndication, Aggregation, Profiles

But what does MY PLE look like?

• From a tool perspective it looks similar to many others • But in how I conceive/depict it, I wanted to reflect PEOPLE in my learning network as well • I learn with/from different people, often depending on the amount of shared context/trust relationships

M PR ICR ES OB EN LO C GS E TO / O LS Don’t interact with

BLOGS W

Referrer logs & the power of positive narcissism Find new folks through trusted ones, comments, links

edutechwiki wikieducator I use and contribute to others’

Wikipedia

In each other’s IM clients

Email client

Friends & Trusted Acquaintances

Edubloggersphere / Friends of Friends

Blogosphere / Trustworthy Sources

Given them access to personal wiki

Desktop

Personal web server

PMOG

Browser Web-based Office Suites

Trailfire extension

Personal Media Production Tools

Me.dium extension

Personalized Toolbars, Extensions Bookmarklets Flock ‘social’ browser

The basis for my ‘lijit’ searches

Good source for Google Coop engines

Part of my del.icio.us network

Use “for:” links to share with each other

Will subscribe to each other’s feeds & channels

The Almighty Google

The serendipity of tags

Some will see my links through feed or blog syndication

teachertube Create new connections/ build reputation by using external hosting services for rich media

My friend’s lijit lenses

Creative commons search engines

OER recommender

The serendipity of tags

Public social bookmarking effects googlerank, can establish online reputation

SOCIAL BOOKMARKING

GReader search

SO SE C R IAL VI C ME ES D I

Technorati / Other Blog-based search

H C R A SE

t s ur Tf o s el cri C

them in this medium

Comment on each others Follow each blogs Strong other on twitter conversational ties

Read each other faithfully

The Web Browser

Some will use my wiki

Read some but not all

Blogging

Strong conversational ties; Read each other faithfully; Comment on each others blogs Friends

FOAF & edubloggers