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Link from back chat on PLNs. George Seimens' blog post on how he manages information with a request at the end for a comment about how you manage information.

George Siemens advances a theory of learning that takes into account trends in learning, the use of technology and networks, and the diminishing half-life of knowledge. It combines relevant elements of many learning theories, social structures, and technology to create a powerful theoretical construct for learning in the digital age.

Siemens' thoughts about the impact of open courses on learning and the Academy.

a critical question: what is the unique idea in connectivism?

Our knowledge, our intelligence, must be based on something emergent from the connective activity of many individual neurons, can't be based on the content of a neuron, has to be based on the pattern of connectivity of these neurons. We replicate that in connectivist teaching.

In a traditional course, the educator hacks the trails to complex information landscapes. The educator's bias influences what is included and excluded. What we're talking about here is the ability for each learner to create their own narrative of coherence.

To share & discuss education, learning and research in Connectivism, Technology, Web2.0, e-Learning, PLE, K-12, Higher and Open Education

Given that coherence and lucidity are key to understanding our world, how do educators teach in networks? For educators, control is being replaced with influence. Instead of controlling a classroom, a teacher now influences or shapes a network.

Link provided in back chat on PLNs - explains teacher's role of providing a narrative of cohesion on a particular topic.

Web 2.0 & Connectivist Learning will focus on utilizing new technologies to connect, collaborate, create, and share.  The primary focus will be on teacher professional learning and building a Personal Learning Network.  We will explore in depth how web 2.0 tools like blogs, wikis, podcasts, vodcasts, social bookmarking, social networking, microblogging, and others can be utilized both for personal professional growth and how these tools might be used in the classroom.

Blog by Lindsay Jordan

So what distinguishes a connectivist perspective from social constructivism? The difference is fairly subtle. As far as I can see, connectivism resonates with similar principles as social constructivism does, but acknowledges a greater degree of complexity in the nature of knowledge and learning, enabled by advances in technology.

The Networked Student was inspired by CCK08, a Connectivism course offered by George Siemens and Stephen Downes during fall 2008. It depicts an actual project completed by Wendy Drexler's high school students. The Networked Student concept map was inspired by Alec Couros' Networked Teacher.

As I begin a class on a learning theory referred to as Connectivism, I consider how greatly our collective abilities to access to information have transformed in recent years, while our teaching methods in the university environment have barely changed at all. I ponder how much more advanced our abilities are to locate and share information, while our educational methods in the university setting have barely progressed beyond the overhead projector.

Just like a WAN (Wide Area Network), our social network expands from the close circle of family and friend to people all around the world.

Learning networks and connective knowledge by Stephen Downes 2006