The myth of discussion boards

One of our assignments for my current unit is to find and contribute to 3 discussion boards external to the USQ website. I have spent many hours trawling the internet and while I found hundreds of discussion boards, there are so few worth contributing to simply because the activity is so low.

Occasionally thought leaders in the field of learning and learning technology hold online conferences which involve lively discussion of many topics but these generally peter out once the conference ends. I'll keep looking but my backup is to meet the task requirements by engaging with fellow USQ students (defeating the object?) in discussions that technically sit outside the regular site.

The advantage of carrying on discussion with fellow students is that over the past few weeks we have built up a measure of trust and respect for each others opinions that would not necessarily exist if I were to jump into an existing discussion elsewhere. While we might not be experts we all have a interest in the topics discussed (and getting a pass grade in the unit!!).

Pause for thought!

In online communication, it's so critical to read and re-read your text before posting. I recently posted an entry to our internal discussion board and made quite a sweeping and largely inaccurate statement. Luckily (!) for me, our moderator picked up on my indiscretion and encouraged me to rethink what I had asserted.

I actually felt a little bit of a bully. Personalities can come across as being more knowledgeable with the use of strong statements. Moderators need to, as mine did, ensure that assumptions are not just accepted but challenged when needed.

Connectivism and Communities of Practice

Thursday, December 08, 2005
Connectivism and Communities of Practice by Joanne Weston

The term Knowledge Management has traditionally referred to ongoing efforts to harness explicit and tacit knowledge within an organisation while 'organisational learning' tends to be more focussed on static efforts to meet specific learning objectives. Recently, the lines have become blurred to the extent that a merger in strategies should be considered by any organisation serious about harnessing knowledge and promoting learning. Siemens' article, 'Connectivism: A Learning Theory for the Digital Age', discusses the need for 'a theory that attempts to explain the link between individual and organizational learning' (Siemens, 2004). He expands his theory of networked learning further in his article ‘Connectivism: Learning as Network-Creation’ (Siemens, 2005). I will demonstrate that the theories outlined in Siemens’ two articles are aligned with Wenger’s attempts to rethink learning in the shape of Communities of Practice (CoP).

Siemens explains that the previously prevalent learning theories of behaviourism, cognitivism and constructivism needed updating as learning has become a continuous lifetime occupation taking place through interaction with the learner's environment. He goes on to explain that the aforementioned learning theories 'fail to describe how learning happens within organisations' (Siemens, 2004). His proposal is Connectivism. As the name suggests, Siemens new learning theory asserts that 'we derive our competence from forming connections' (Siemens, 2004). The connections must be made between nodes or members of a CoP (who in turn are individual networks made up of nodes and connections). Once nodes have formed connections the network (or CoP) is formed (Siemens, 2005). The critical factor is the nature of the connections that we make or the order that create from the chaos i.e. 'forming connections between specialized communities'. Once this network or CoP is formed the information system continuum of data to information to knowledge to meaning can begin.

Wenger's definition of 'Community' describes how an individual becomes a member after pursuing interest in a domain, 'members engage in joint activities and discussions' (Wenger, 1998). Siemens’ description of the starting point of Connectivism can be applied to the Coalescing and Active stages of CoP development, 'Personal knowledge is comprised of a network, which feeds into organizations and institutions, which in turn feed back into the network, and then continue to provide learning to individual. This cycle of knowledge development (personal to network to organization) allows learners to remain current in their field through the connections they have formed.' (Siemens, 2004)

CoPs and Connectivism are united in that they are both models of 'learning that acknowledge the tectonic shifts in society where learning is no longer an internal, individualistic activity' (Siemens, 2004). As Siemens highlights, the affordances of new technologies of the Web 2.0 era such as Blogs, Wikis and discussion boards are enabling learners to form their own connections or learning pathways (Siemens, 2005) thereby facilitating the critical factor of participation in CoPs.

The theory of Connectivism and CoP recognises that different levels of participation exist with the network or community. Siemens states that a ‘node may exist within a network, even if it is not strongly connected’ (Siemens, 2005) while Wenger acknowledges that our involvement in some CoPs will be of a more peripheral nature (Wenger, 1998). While core members or nodes are critical to survival, all levels of participation, from primary to passive users, have a part to play.

Clearly, Connectivism and CoPs have a large role to play in any learning and Knowledge Management program. Wenger states that the collective is necessary simply because ‘domains’ are too complex for one individual to master (Wenger cited by Pór, 2001) while Siemens claims that the differing perspectives brought together by nodes in the same network are necessary for exploring ideas and attaining meaning from knowledge (Siemens, 2005). The challenge is for decision makers to embrace this new paradigm having considered for so long that the acquisition of knowledge within a domain is a finite concept. As Siemens observes, ‘Knowing is no longer a destination (but) a process of walking in varying degrees of alignment with a dynamic environment’ (Siemens, 2005).

References:

Pór. G, (2001) Building a Case for Communities of Practice: what makes them an economic imperative?

Siemens. G (2004). ELearnspace. Connectivism: A Learning Theory for the Digital Age. Retrieved September 13, 2005 from http://www.elearnspace.org/Articles/connectivism.htm

Siemens. G (2005). Connectivism: Learning as Network-Creation. Retrieved November 15 2005 from http://www.elearnspace.org/Articles/networks.htm

Wenger. E, (1998) Systems Thinker. Communities of Practice: Learning as a Social System. Retrieved November 8 2005 from http://www.co-i-l.com/coil/knowledge-garden/cop/lss.shtml

Wenger. E, (1998) Communities of Practice Learning, Meaning and Identity. Cambridge University Press.

Predicting the future of learning

I found this interesting tool used by the Elliot Masie group to predict what the most common learning tool in organisations will be in the year 2009. To make things interesting, each mode of learning is given a stock code and can be traded like a proper stock exchange. When you register you 'receive' $5000 to buy stock.

As a 'quick and dirty' overview of the direction people see learning heading, this is quite fun. However, the definitions are too vague for the results to be taken too seriously. For example, I believe that the informal learning afforded by 'Social Networks' within the workplace are the most frequently leveraged tool. But if an organisation sets up an infrastructure that facilitates this informal learning, would that count as E-Learning or Social Networks?

Moreover, notice the wording of the predictor - 'the most common learning tool'. It's true that E-Learning (whatever that is) is on the increase, but how valuable is it really? Why aren't we predicting the 'most valuable learning tool' in the year 2009? Could it have something to do with the fact that Elliot Masie and presumably most of the 'traders' happen to be developers of 'E-Learning'?

Are bloggers more intelligent?

I wrote this entry on my personal blog back in July 2005. I'm bringing it over here to my learning blog because it was such an 'aha' moment for me.

Thursday, July 28, 2005
Are bloggers more intelligent?

I probably look in the mirror more often than the average person. Until recently however, I drew the line at what I considered the ultimate act of narcissism - having my own Blog. I last recorded my inner thoughts when I was 13 years old. I can still picture my diary/scrapbook crammed with photos of Bucks Fizz and Duran Duran's John Taylor lovingly cut out of Smash Hits. So why now, all these years later would I a)want to write down my thoughts and b)publish them online for the world and his wife to view?

One of the first recommendations from Shirley, our Instructional Design module moderator, was to record our reflections in a Blog. Despite being dubious about the instructional value of the exercise, as a self-confessed tech enthusiast I checked it out and discovered I could use a Blog to publish photos and share them with family and friends across the globe. The format is user friendly and the whole experience is more personal than using one of the online photo sharing services that try to sell you a souvenir mug every time you click on a photo.

So having wasted a few hours creating my own and visiting other Blogs, I began the first module's reading - Learning Theory. And therein lay the answer!

The constructivist's theory of learning is based on the premise that we all have our own versions of reality and truth (bear with me) and that the most effective way to learn is to realise what that truth and reality is and build on it with new experiences. This internalisation of thought and reflection is improved if we record the journey.

'Journaling is an example of an instructional method that facilitates the process of internalizing dialogue (Vygotsky, 1962). Specifically, journaling is considered to be an instructional activity that reinforces the skill of reflecting what was simultaneously being discussed with others (Burnham, 1992; Reinersten and Wells, 1993; Beyerbach, 1992).' (Kanuka and Anderson, 1999. Radical Pedagogy)

Maintain a Blog then, is not an act of virtual vanity but rather a way to facilitate and improve our own understanding of the myriad new experiences, exchanges and information that we are exposed to each day.

So the answer to lifelong learning and knowledge is simple - start a Blog!

Something I prepared earlier

In my previous post, I mention my other blog. I started Jo Bloggs on the advise of a USQ moderator and quickly found that I enjoyed blogging both for personal and study purposes.

From now on this blog will be home to my reflections on learning.

Here are links to some of my early EdTech postings:

Are Bloggers more intelligent?

Peer review, does it motivate or discourage?

Connectivism and Communities of Practice