A Tweet and a PokeHow Educators Harness the Power of Social Networks

Walls OptionalCamosun College

May 1, 2009Dr. Alec Couros

#wallsoptional

who is this guy?

Shifts in Edtech

Objectivism

Cognitivism

Social Learning

Constructivism

Individual growth

Group growth

(Schwier)(Leinonen)

journey

knowledge

• what is k?

• how is k acquired?

• how do we know what

we know?

• why do we know what

we know?

• what do humans know?

• who controls k?

• how is k controlled?

assumptions re: school

• knowledge is scarce

• access can be controlled

• boundaries make sense

• expertise rests only in individuals

• learning can be managed

• change is slow

• institutions can rest on reputation

• we can predict the future

• is the best way to learn

reactions: forms of openness

open source software

open contentopen access publication

open accreditation

open education

open access courses open teaching

free software

open educational resources

cathedral vs. the bazaar

how are creative works produced and shared?

copyright/copyleft/commons

how we view knowledge and creative works

how we view learning - institutional & informal

open content, access, publication, accreditation

access we have to free or inexpensive tools

Rocky Mountain News1859 - 2009

• redefine communities, friends, citizenship, identity, presence, privacy, publics, geography.

• enable learning, communication, sharing, connections, collaboration, community.

• networks formed around shared interests & objects.

social networks

lightbulbvs.

ipod

human networks

netbooks & 1:1

microblogging

Google/Twitter

Greasemonkey script

geotagging

streaming video

Each technology creates a new environment.

The old environment becomes content for

the new environment.

The effects of mediacome from their form

not their content.

cornflakes or cadillacs

• Accessing, analyzing, evaluating, and creating messages in a variety of forms.

• Enable skillful creators, consumers, and disseminators of media.

• Facilitate an understanding of strengths, weaknesses, and influences of media forms.

media literacy

how ideas spread

cautions

Soulja Boy

cautions

new challenges

affordances

new motivations

new forms

toward open & networked learning

re/think:

content

privacy

toward open educational experiences

interaction

social architecture

transparency

professionallearning

adaptI can haz pln

• become a learner (again)

• experiment with the tools

• learn to read new media

• explore online communities

• participate in web and f2f events

• be critical, but open-minded

• it begins with a single

connection, but you will be

embraced by the network

connecting

• greater access

• currency & adaptability

• improved economics

• adaptive pedagogy

• preserved knowledge

• greater diversity of voice

• sustainable communities

• transparency for critique

• long-term connections

advantages

web: couros.catwitter: courosagoogle: couros

alec.couros@uregina.ca

Don’t limit a child to your own learning, for he was born

in another time. ~Tagore

Videos:Barcelona 1908Open Doctrine

Cisco TelepresenceAnthro Intro to Youtube

Mother of All Funk ChordsEC&I 831 Course Trailer

Tweenbots

Related Flickr Set Available

This presentation is released under a CC-AT/NC/SA license. Contact me if you’d like the

original slide deck in Keynote format.