Ecologies of learning

New structures and spaces of learning: The systemic impact of connective knowledge, connectivism, and networked learning

While this brilliant paper from George Siemens deals with schools and universities, it applies equally well to corporate learnscaping. First we create our habits (in this case, classrooms), and then our habits shape us. Here are a few choice morsels.

Limitless dimensions of learning

In addition to formal education, learning occurs through games and simulations, mentoring and apprenticing, performance support at the point of a learning need, self-learning that arises through critical and creative thinking, communities of practice and personal learning networks, as well as the many informal learning situations that arise through conferences, reading, volunteering, and hobbies. A future model of learning must embrace the broad-spectrum of learning situations and recognizes the value of different modes of cognitive and social development that arise outside of institutional structures.

Moving away from hierarchy and classrooms

…a classroom is a physically-bounded space that, again, by its design, suggests a certain view of learning. Learning is seen as bounded, structured, managed by a single expert (the teacher), and occurring within the confines of a small group of peers. In contrast, the internet can be seen as an ecology of learning with different affordances. For example, the internet, with its emphasis on openness and diversity, challenges the classroom conception of authority and expertise. The structured approach of information filtered in advance, by the educator, and presented in a fairly coherent form defines classrooms. In contrast, the internet is a hub of creative chaos. Educationally, the challenge is one of defining the type of ecology that will permit the formation of the broadest array of networks and communities to address the desired learning tasks and outcomes. The concern is not with structure itself, but rather with the assumption that structure is required across all spaces of learning. If ecologies are the spaces of learning, then networks are the structures of learning. Networks do not occur in a vacuum. They arise in a space that both supports and confines their creation.

If you’re not familiar with George’s work on connectivism, and you should be, here it is in a nutshell:

The centrality of networks as an organizing scheme is also reflected in education, teaching, and learning (Siemens, 2006) under the concept of connectivism. Connectivism is essentially the assertion that knowledge is networked and distributed, and the act of learning is the creation and navigation of networks. The distributed nature of knowledge and the growing complexification of all aspects of society require increased utilization of technology to assist our ability to stay current, manage information abundance, and solve highly complex problems.

Concluding thoughts

Education is not an end in itself. Education will continue to develop as the central element in preparing individuals and societies to participate in the information and knowledge age. The critical challenges facing humanity are many. A highly connected and well educated populace appears to hold the greatest prospect for meeting these challenges.

Education is concerned with the act of becoming. As with classical Greek educational objectives, learning assists individuals in coming to understand the world, to contemplate worthy and significant ideas and concepts, or, as conceived in a liberal arts education, learning is the process of coming to understand the world broadly and from many perspectives in order to see one’s role in advancing the needs related to ethics and humanity. While this need has been well-served by traditional education, the forces of technological change, new opportunities to create and share information, and increased ability for interact with peers globally require a new model based on networks and ecologies. The current age should be one of throwing open doors of learning to bring as many potential contributors to our future as possible.