CCK09-Learning as Thinking about Knowledge – Part 2

Knowledge and how it is constructed during the distributed learning process: a re-examination.

For adolescents to think about knowledge in a thoughtful way, four conditions should be in place (Bransford et al. 1999; Caine and Caine 1997; Jensen, 1998; Perkins 1992)
1. The knowledge needs to be substantive and considered “worthy” of adolescent thought
2. Adolescents should be expected to think critically about the knowledge they are acquiring
3. Adolescents need an opportunity to construct and understanding of the knowledge in collaboration with others, including the teacher
4. The classroom climate should be conducive to intellectual, social and emotional growth

Upon reflection, what I would like to critically examine is whether knowledge could be acquired or not. Under  connectivism, knowledge is distributed across the network and learning refers to the connections that are formed through the navigation of information over the networks.

So item 2 would need to be revised as: Adolescents should be expected to think critically about the information and distributed knowledge over the networks.

Item 3 could also need to be revised, as self organised learning, self-determined learning, and peer-to-peer learning with Web 2.0 tools is ubiquitous, even without the presence of a “teacher”.  So item 3 would become: Adolescents need an opportunity to construct and traverse across the networks, explore and recognise the patterns (knowledge) upon reflections, with oneself and others.  Repurposing, remixing, recreation and redistribution of distributed “information and knowledge” would be part of the basis of connective knowledge and learning under a connectivist approach

Item 4 also need to be revised to: The “social classroom”, social groups and or networks or social/learning communities should be conducive to intellectual, social and emotional growth.

Knowledge is related to pattern and learning is related to recognition.

Can you recognise the following patterns?

John

CCK09-Groups versus Networks

It’s interesting to reflect on this Stephen’s Groups versus Networks

How far does it reflect the reality?

Let me reflect on what happens inside and outside organisation.

Group (Myths or Reality?)

– more successful inside organisation, but not necessarily outside organisation – why? Inside an organisation, people are to follow the vision and mission statement, adopt the strategies and act on strategic plans, work as a team, and innovate and improve also within the team boundary, with goals and projects.  The organisation would value team work and collaboration amongst teams.  However, there is always the danger of group think in a group or team.

Networks (Myths  or Reality?)

– more successful outside organisation, with other networkers, but not necessarily inside organisation – why?  Outside an organisation, networkers could explore their “dreams” with people of different backgrounds, fields and expertise, especially with others who might have a common interests or a diverse fields of interests.  Networkers could exercise full autonomy without constraints, or they could join or leave different networks at any time, or be connected with any one and with more openness due to relatively low conflicts of interests (as compared with those working colleagues, superiors etc.). So connectivity may be more highly valued than that in groups inside organisation.

This is the network that I perceived:

This is the group that I perceived:

This is how I perceive myself as an individual (to stay with the group and or network):

How about you?

CCK09- Connectivism – Building a Circuit Diagram for the Brain

This Building a Circuit Diagram for the Brain provides a fantastic explanation about learning.

So, in learning, it involves neurons, synapse, circuits and stimulus.

These may be of interests to us:

Retention of learning

Generation of learning

Reversal of learning

Does this help in understanding human learning (at the neuronal or neural level)?

 

John