Digital Citizenship: It’s More Than a Poster! Let me begin with a huge disclaimer.. These posters are not intended to substitute for true, open and honest discussions with kids, nor are they meant to replace the daily modeling that should be taking place in showing kids how to be a great digital citizen through our own actions. I’ve always been open with students. The Future of Learning in a Networked Society “This is the first generation of people that work, play, think, and learn differently than their parents … They are the first generation to not be afraid of technology. It’s like air to them.” – Don Tapscott This powerful video has some of the worlds best educators and thinkers outlining their view on the ‘future of learning in a networked society’, including the likes of Stephen Heppell, Sugata Mitra, and Seth Godin: YouTube: The Future of Learning, Networked Society Again, here are a few choice quotes that I like from the video, but watch it yourself for their context and many more I didn’t have time to write down: “We are probably at the death of education right now. Thank you to Grianne Conole for tweeting this earlier today.
Connectivism Connectivism is a hypothesis of learning which emphasizes the role of social and cultural context. Connectivism is often associated with and proposes a perspective similar to Vygotsky's 'zone of proximal development' (ZPD), an idea later transposed into Engeström's (2001) Activity theory.[1] The relationship between work experience, learning, and knowledge, as expressed in the concept of ‘connectivity, is central to connectivism, motivating the theory's name.[2] It is somewhat similar to Bandura's Social Learning Theory that proposes that people learn through contact. The phrase "a learning theory for the digital age"[3] indicates the emphasis that connectivism gives to technology's effect on how people live, communicate and learn. Nodes and links[edit] The central aspect of connectivism is the metaphor of a network with nodes and connections.[4] In this metaphor, a node is anything that can be connected to another node such as an organization, information, data, feelings, and images.
Change Magazine - September-October 2010 by Cedar Riener and Daniel Willingham There is no credible evidence that learning styles exist. While we will elaborate on this assertion, it is important to counteract the real harm that may be done by equivocating on the matter. In what follows, we will begin by defining “learning styles”; then we will address the claims made by those who believe that they exist, in the process acknowledging what we consider the valid claims of learning-styles theorists. What is a Learning Style? The claim at the center of learning-styles theory is this: Different students have different modes of learning, and their learning could be improved by matching one's teaching with that preferred learning mode. The most popular current conception of learning styles equates style with the preferred bodily sense through which one receives information, whether it be visual, auditory, or kinesthetic (for some reason, no one claims that there are tactile or olfactory learners). Why Should College Educators Care? 1.
Noble In recent years changes in universities, especially in North America, show that we have entered a new era in higher education, one which is rapidly drawing the halls of academe into the age of automation. Automation — the distribution of digitized course material online, without the participation of professors who develop such material — is often justified as an inevitable part of the new “knowledge–based” society. It is assumed to improve learning and increase wider access. In practice, however, such automation is often coercive in nature — being forced upon professors as well as students — with commercial interests in mind. This paper argues that the trend towards automation of higher education as implemented in North American universities today is a battle between students and professors on one side, and university administrations and companies with “educational products” to sell on the other.
We Should Be Doing More Than Teaching Digital Citizenship The quote above is one of my favorites about digital citizenship. My classroom is a global classroom but I don’t “teach” digital citizenship. My students are actually digital citizens and we learn about the digital world by being a part of it. I feel most of the issues kids have online with bullying, racism and inappropriate posting come from a lack of experience in the digital world. If you think about it the digital world is a very abstract concept, especially for young kids. How do you plan to give your class experiences being digital citizens this year? Here is the map of connections my class made last year Like this: Like Loading... Learning Networks and Connective Knowledge Learning Networks and Connective Knowledge Stephen Downes October 16, 2006 I have a lot of mixed feelings about this paper but it is an honest and reasonably thorough outline of my views. I hope people find it interesting and rewarding. The purpose of this paper is to outline some of the thinking behind new e-learning technology, including e-portfolios and personal learning environments. Parts of this paper are drawn from previous papers (especially Connective Knowledge and Basics of Instructional Design, neither of which are published). The Traditional Theory: Cognitivism The dominant theory of online and distance learning may be characterized as conforming to a ‘cognitivist’ theory of knowledge and learning. In other words, cognitivists defend an approach that may be called ‘folk psychology’. One branch of folk psychology, the language of thought theory, holds that things like beliefs are literally sentences in the brain, and that the materials for such sentences are innate.
Cybergogue: A Critique of Connectivism as a Learning Theory Background Having explored a “learning theory” that George Siemens (2005; 2006a) and Stephen Downes (2005; 2007) developed for a networked and digital world called connectivism. Fascinating and extensive conversations in the blogosphere and in educational journals debate whether connectivism is a new learning theory or whether it is merely a digital extension of constructivism. Siemens and Downes initially received increasing attention in the blogosphere in 2005 when they discussed their ideas concerning distributed knowledge. An extended discourse ensued in and around the status of connectivism as a learning theory for the digital age. Introduction A lamentable disadvantage of theories is also a satisfactory advantage of theories—that is, they are wont to change over time. What is Connectivism? At the dawn of the 21st Century, a new educational framework was developed called connectivism. The General Nature of Learning Theory 1. Defining Learning Theory 1. Instructional Theory Table
Why Connectivism is not a Learning Theory « A Point of Contact Firstly, the question of how to label Connectivism is an important one because this affects how people connect with the theory. As a relatively young theory, its growth, acceptance, employment and how people actually understand Connectivism all depend partially on how it is represented. Representing a theory inaccurately limits the quality of the potential connections made with that theory, an insurmountable obstacle for such a theory that is concerned with the creation of successful networks and connections of specific quality to support this success. Secondly, to be clear, my position isn’t one of anti-Connectivism. To say that Connectivism is not a learning theory is not to devalue the theory. Education is Intention There are any number of network types in the world: Restaurant Franchises, Delivery Networks, even Networks of Excellence. Distribution follows Distinction That knowledge is distributed is one of the key characteristics of Connectivism. Representation Matters Like this:
Technology is the Answer: What was the Question? -: UNESCO Education Education is one of UNESCO’s principal fields of activities. Since its creation in 1945, the Organization has worked to improve education worldwide believing it to be key to social and economic development. The Organization aims to help build a sustainable world with just societies that value knowledge, promote peace, celebrate diversity and defend human rights, achieved by providing Education for All (EFA). Its close links with education ministries and other partners in 193 countries place UNESCO in a key position to press for action and change. The Education Sector comprises some 400 staff members worldwide. The sector is under the authority of the Assistant Director-General for Education. Headquarters in ParisSome 150 staff members work in the Education Sector in Paris.