Learning in Context

George Siemenswww.elearnspace.orgwww.connectivism.ca

Nature of Learning

• Climate in which learning occurs• Network creation (neural and social)

Learning

• About• To do• To be• To transform

Monochromatic

• Assuming that our current view is accurate all (or most) of the time

• Ignoring nuanced nature of learning, life, and situational specific aspect of intended learning

• Assumptions:– Each learning approach serves a unique

function– Each learning experience provides different

affordances

We’re going “know-where”

“Know-where” is more important than “know-what” and “know-how”

Know where…

Connected Specialization

• Content• Social (collect

knowledge in my friends (Stephenson))

• Learning approach– Multi-dimensional– Multi-faceted– Multi-contextual

Learning as a process, not event

Formal Learning• What:

– Courses– Programs– Degrees– Defined by “established knowledge”– Structure imposed by experts in advance of

learning• Why: Structure, serve stakeholders, focused• Good for: initiating learners who are new

(foundation building)• Ineffective: when learning “at the point of

need” is required

Experience/Game-based Learning

• What:– Problem Based Learning– Ill-defined learning targets– User defines process and space– Adaptive, flexible

• Why: Experiential (learning as a by-product of other activities)

• Good for: real life challenges• Ineffective: if foundations are not in place

(or the learning experience (as games) needs to provide foundation)

Mentoring/Apprentice Learning

• What:– Personal– Guided and facilitated by “expert”

• Why: Accelerate personal performance• Good for: personal, relevant

knowledge/learning• Ineffective: foundation forming, “high-

bandwidth”

Performance Support Learning

• What:– Learning at the point of need– Can rely on other learning approaches

• Why: Point of need, competence, assistive

• Good for: short, focused learning• Ineffective: Developing foundations

of a discipline

Self-Learning

• What:– Meta-cognition– Learning about learning– Learning that is personally driven

• Why: Learning for pleasure, personal competence

• Good for: Exploring areas of personal interest

• Ineffective: How do learners know what they need to know?

Community-based Learning

• What:– Diversity – “wisdom of the crowds”– Social/dialogue

• Why: create multi-faceted view of a space or discipline

• Good for: dialogue, diversity of perspective• Ineffective: foundational, “high time

requirement”

Informal Learning

• What:– Conferences – workshops – colleagues

• Why: Serendipity, constant, ongoing, “in the stream”

• Good for: Continual, ongoing, multifaceted

• Ineffective: Chaotic, not always valued, scattered

How do the pieces fit?

Various types of learning

• Challenge: – how to integrate various perspectives,

learning, etc.– How do we create the whole?

• Tools don’t exist yet• Still modeled after classrooms

Conversation, not Content

Tools for the Task

What’s wrong with courses?

• Courses can’t keep up with life today• Courses project start/stop learning• Schools need to transform/be

transformed by a particular era/culture

• Courses are “one-model” views (formal)

Stop building courses

• Start building learning spaces that enable learning

• Provide learners with knowledge skills to learn for life– Teach learners how to build a personal

learning network– Assist learners to build conduits not

consume content

Learning Ecology

Learning Ecology

Determining the approach

• Intended outcome• Nature of the learning task • Match task with appropriate medium• Consider profile and needs of learners• Meta-learning elements required (are

we trying to teach content or process?)• Diverse tools/spaces/ecologies

Newsletter subscription

www.elearnspace.orgwww.connectivism.ca