Group items tagged

Article does a great job of explaining where connectivism came from and how it will continue to advance forward just as society if doing currently. We will continue to learn and mold our understandings based off of the connections we are making through a collaborative network.

This article provides a balanced view of the arguments concerning the role of connectivism in the field of education. The authors have done a nice job of differentiating the types of theories and their roles in practice. Perhaps the strongest features of the entire article is the discussion on connectivism as it applies to the use of technology. I appreciated their description of the theory as a connecting piece between some of the more established learning theories and the new technological landscape that characterizes our learning environment. Excellent article - thanks for sharing!

This article by Duke, Harper and Johnston is a detailed analysis of connectivism as a learning theory. Not only is technology discussed as how it's applied to this theory, but there is also discussion of learning theories and instructional theories in general. It is also a valuable read because it explains how this theory can or should not be applied to all students or content.

This source gives a good description as connectivity and connectivity as a learning theory, and it also discusses the argument that connectivity is not a learning theory. It ends by talking about connectivity and its integration with technology and online learning.

This article from Kaplan University explains the importance of connectivism in a digital age. They reference George Siemens and Stephen Downes and their research behind connectivism as a learning theory. They examine connectivism as a learning theory, and explain how the learner is at the center and designs their own path, essentially making their own learning.

This article discusses Connectivism and the debate over whether it should be considered as a learning or instructional theory or as a pedagogical view. The role of Connectivism in the use of technology in education is also discussed.

I really liked this article mainly because they clearly explained the difference between learning theories vs. instructional theories. I think that was useful in their conclusion that connectivism really is more of a tool to be used in the learning process rather than a complete learning theory.

This article discusses the validity of Connectivism as a learning theory. It gives the very straight-forward definition as "social learning that is networked." The discussion of the importance of the Connectivism theory in today's ever increasing technical classroom is quite engaging. It has also forced educators to look at what is being done in digital education and rethink, debate, and philosophize over how each part fits.

In this article, Duke, Harper, and Johnston discuss whether connectivism is a learning theory or an instructional theory. They begin by discussing the differences between learning theories and instructional theories. A learning theory should explain how learning occurs, while an instructional theory should explain how best to achieve the learning goals. The authors summarize connectivism as "social learning that is networked" (2013, p. 6). What a person knows is not as important as the connections the person makes that will allow further know,edge and growth. Everyone feeds into the systems of knowledge and receives greater knowledge as a result. This knowledge can be held by people, societies, or machines. Basically, everyone learns through personal learning networks. These learning networks allow people to learn through collaboration rather than by having to experience everything for themselves. Being able to tap into a large amount of knowledge allows people to understand patterns they might now otherwise see. While there are several arguments against connectivism as a learning theory, the authors argue that connectivism can be useful as an "instructional guide or theory" (2013, p. 9) to develop behaviorism, cognitivism, or constructivism for "application to a globalized and networked world." The authors conclude that connectivism is useful in the learning process or curriculum planning, but that it is not a "standalone learning theory" (2013, p. 10).

This talks about how connectivism takes elements from behaviorism, cognitivism, and constructivism. It discusses connectivism as a learning theory and how the use of technology ties into it.

This article puts a focus on the debate if connectivism is "a learning theory or instructional theory or merely a pedagogical view." Instructional theory has major elements that are discussed in this article and connectivism is analyzed to see if it in fact, is a learning theory. The author recognizes that the debate will last a long time but the fact that connectivism is valuable in the educational setting will prevail. Technology is a major factor of its success. This article convinced me of the importance of allowing my students more access to technology for educational success.

The author of this article defines learning theories vs instructional theories, connectivism, connectivism as a learning theory, and connectivism and the use of technology. Connectivism was created as a learning theory for the digital age. Siemens and Downes came up with this theory because social learning can happen through networks. In today's world technology and advancements are changing rapidly, which in turn is providing new information quickly. Educators have had to embrace this new option of networks for knowledge use in the classroom. Connectivism can be used as a tool in the learning process for instruction or curriculum.

We are at a crucial point in history. By being educators, we must constantly be discussing and managing our definition of an educator's job. We must constantly be working through our philosophy base as new tools and ideas come to life.

This paper outlines connectivism and analyzes whether it should be considered a learning theory, instructional theory, or pedagogical view. I found this article interesting as it has a good discussion the differences between learning theories and instructional theories. The paper is critical of Connectivism as a learning theory, which I think is important as you consider how to use its principles in the classroom.

This article discusses a theory developed for the digital age by Siemens and Downes called connectivism. The theory has issued a debate over whether it is a learning theory, instructional theory, or a pedagogical view. In this article, the authors discuss learning in the digital age and how the theory of connectivism fits within the world today. There is a focus on connectivism being social learning that is networked.

This article discusses whether Connectivism is a learning theory or an instructional theory or a pedagogical view. A learning theory is not whether something is true or not but if it is useful for explaining behavior. An instructional theory must list procedures to enable learning by focusing on the overall structure of the learning material and how to achieve the most successful learning experience. Connectivism is social learning that is networked. It could be a learning theory as it states how a student learns through a network. Connectivism can be categorized as a tool to be used in the learning process and not a standalone learning theory.

This discusses the three primary tasks involved in developing a successful personal learning network. It is not a "how-to" for developing a personal learning network, but rather investigates the key elements that must be in place.

I read this article awhile back and found it informative. The authors provide insight into how and why we build learning networks. The illustrations throughout the article are helpful as they summarize the narrative sections that describe the PLN model.

This article talks about the similarities and differences of professional networks and personal learning networks. It mentions that both networks have learning as the main goal in mind, and that sometimes professional networks have formed into personal learning networks because it is more detailed and defined that that individual and what they are interested in learning.

Understanding personal learning networks: Their structure, content and the networking skills needed to optimally use them. Authors Kamakshi Rajagopal, Desirée Joosten-ten Brinke, Dr. Jan Van Bruggen and Dr. Peter B. Sloep research how networking is a skill in supporting growth and learning. The result is a model of personal professional networking. Included in the article is the introduction, methodology, the learner as orchestrator of her personal learning network, the personal learning network model and discussion and conclusion - supporting personal networking and future research. The article begins with a definition of professional networking, "the act of making connections with other professionals, with or without the intention of making long-term ties with them." Throughout the article, the authors reference weak versus strong connections, but the definition of weak is not, not strong, rather, weak ties are sources for new information, knowledge and ideas. The personal learning network model is attitude - intention, activity and skill - building, maintaining, activating. The authors conclude with a suggestion that "further development of technology to support professionals better in identifying relevant others and in developing relations online as and when necessary."

This source seeks to identified the finite features that make a successful PLN. It highlights factors that influence the individual's ability to build, maintain, and activate the personalized networks. The nine factors include: organization of the contact, network of a contact, reputation, benevolence, like-mindedness, real potential for collaboration, real potential for learning, and trends in work environment. Several diagrams are offered to illustrate how the success of a personal learning network for the individual is governed by the attitude of the individual towards the network and the skills displayed or put into practice on a daily basis. The text also stresses the potential of PLNs as they encounter existing and news social networking technologies that make the connection process easier and allow for greater fluidity in build professional development through the network.

This article discusses personal learning networks (PLN). How they are structured, what content you need to add and what type of skills you need in order for them to be beneficial to you. The main questions answered is how beneficial they really are? Can you benefit from a PLN? EDTECH543 Personal Learning Network

A detailed article on PLN's, including the PLN model with descriptions of the three stages of Buiding, Maintaining, and Activating, with factors affecting decisions during each stage.

This article discusses the benefits of personal learning networks to help professionals learn and grow. The authors used a literature study, interviews, and survey to help determine the effectiveness of personal learning networks.

Article discussing structure and content of PLNs and the networking skills needed to use them.

The authors in this article first delve into the structure and purpose of networking for professionals, but then segues into how using those skills can be used in creating and utilizing a PLN. A visual to show how the PLN model looks also helps to explain the purpose and value in participating in a PLN. While the article is slightly outdated as it speaks to how technology can work best with a PLN, the basic structure and values of a PLN is well explained.

This source is focused on PLNs. It defines them as relationships and connections that we make with other professionals. It talks about the advantages of creating networks with other professionals, and that those connections can be both intentionally or unintentionally built. It also discusses ways that professionals can create and maintain their own PLNs.

This article looks deep into personal learning networks. It looks at learner as an orchestrator of PLN. It also looks into factors related to building, maintaining, and being active in personal learning networks.

The author explains the benefits of PLNs to help educators get new skills and improve they ones that they already have. He also discusses how the structures of PLN are and how you can get benefits from PLNs. The illustrations of this article help to understand the stages of the networking process and an example of a personal professional networking model.

This article presents in an interesting model for teachers to create personal learning networks. The portion about the "learner as orchestrator of a personal learning network" was particularly enlightening. While at times the article verges into "how-to" territory, the underlying theory discussed provides strong context and explanation of the mechanics involved.

This article defines a personal professional network as "an egocentric, personally and intentionally created network of people set up by an individual specifically in the context of her professional activities," and discusses how a PLN supports an individual's growth and learning. The authors examine the strengths and benefits of PLNs and analyze how PLNs are built, created, and maintained. Studies were conducted that resulted in the finding that there are three stages of the networking process with nine factors that influence personal professional networking, concluding in the creation of a visual model of the PLN.

I found out that both strong and weak connections make up a person's learning and that each are important for different reasons. Strong ties help you create knowledge and encourage active collaboration between you and someone else (or more than one someone.) Weak ties Give us access to new information that we wouldn't have without them. In this unit, I learned that knowledge in the future relies not as much on what we know ourselves as being able to connect with people who become receptacles of knowledge. We tap into them as needed, making it unnecessary for us to be an expert in everything. Weak ties allow us access to these sources when the need arises. I also liked this quote, because it explained a bit about how to build these PLNs. "Grabher and Ibert (2008) proposed a three-layered approach, consisting of a communality layer (strong ties), a sociality layer (weak ties) and a connectivity layer (very weak ties)."

@Buffy Nallion I found value referencing the Personal Learning Model. http://firstmonday.org/ojs/index.php/fm/article/viewFile/3559/3131/43945

This article explores research on professional networking resulting from a literature study, interviews, and a survey. It defines and shares the benefits of a PLN. It explores a model of personal learning networks where the learner is the builder of the network. Several factors for selecting connections are addressed including interests, influences, and attitudes of the learner. Three levels of connections are described including communality, sociality, and connectivity - moving from strong to weak connections. The article lists supporting technologies for PLNs.

This article uses a networking model to examine how professionals manage connections and which factors push them to connect for the purpose of learning. Existing PLN technological solutions tend to focus on enhancing communication, but it is unclear if the technology affects the attitude of professionals and their intentions for network to learn.

This article discusses professional learning networks, which is different than personal learning networks but similar in so many ways. Professional learning networks are targeted to support the individual's growth just like a personal learning network. This article presents a model of a professional network for creating a personal learning network.

The article captured my attention by opening with " professionals need to perform flexible and independently in ever-changing environments." This makes me think of preparing students to be college and career ready! The earlier we can engage and immerse students and ourselves in PLN the more ready we will be for the ever changing future! Thanks for sharing!

I guess I shared this link in a previous course, but it is a good one! Tony Bates discusses designing, learning from and defines communities of practice in the digital age. EDTECH543, Communities of Practice.

I appreciate the substance of this article as it goes beyond simply defining communities of practices and discusses the theoretical framework for developing effective CoPs. The seven tips offered for designers of CoPs provides structure and guidance for those interested in implementing this practice. I also found great value in the text's analysis of communities of practice in a technology rich generation. The digital age is dominating culture and as people seek to re-evaluate programs, organization, and life they tend to think they need to dump the old and start from scratch. This article, however, points out that communities of practice will be a powerful tool in the digital age by "it is probably a mistake to think of them as a replacement for traditional forms of education." Great perspective!(

A Community of Practice is essentially a group of people who share a common interest and learn how to polish and perfect that passion by regularly interacting with one another. Communities of Practice apply various theories of learning as the group members interact and glean from one another. Researchers argue that a Community of Practice differs from other types of learning communities in that the group members share a common interest, they engage in activities around that common interest, and all group member are practitioners of that interest. As a result, the learning that occurs in a Community of Practice comes from the sum of all group members.

This article focused on what traits a successful community of practice has and how they are taking shape in the digital world. Of particular interest in this article is the role that MOOCs are beginning to play in digital learning and also how the design of a community of practice can impact how long it stays useful and relevant to its users.

In this article, author Tony Bates refers to MOOCs as communities of practice, and then makes a distinction between "instructionist" MOOCs and "connectivist" MOOCs, the latter being designed to function as communities of practice. This has prompted me to look for more information on the distinction, as I am only familiar with instructionist MOOCs. In addition, I find the article of interest because of the subsequent and continuing scholarly conversation that ensued in the comments.

Very interesting article. I like how Bates explains the theory behind communities of practice and then provides the definition. It helps provide context for CoPs. I also found the "Designing effective communities of practice" section to be very helpful. It outlines what a good CoP should look like and encourages the diversity that can be within a community. Thanks for sharing!

This article from Tony Bates provides another great overview of CoPs. One of my favorite parts of this article is the section on designing effective communities of practice. Bates provides a list of key design principles (adapted from Wenger) for creating an effective CoP.

I love how this article recognizes that 1 plus 1 is not 2. That the sum total of knowledge exceeds what was put in.

This blog post discusses what communities of practice are, the learning theories behind CoPs, designing effective CoPs, and learning through CoPs in the digital age. It goes into depth about the seven key design principles for creating effective and self-sustaining CoPs. It also discusses the importance of Massive Open Online Courses.

In this post, Tony Bates discusses communities of practice including what they are and their characteristics. He also discusses ways to create and sustain effective communities of practice. Finally, Mr. Bates discusses how we can learn through communities of practice specifically through the use of MOOCs.

This article by Tony Bates gives examples of CoPs in companies like Xerox and how they work together within the company to create projects. It also provides a visual from Wenger assists companies with integrating a CoP within the workspace.

This post disusses what a community of practice is and the theories behind them. It also addresses the design of a community of practice and the three criteria involved, domain, community, and practice. Finally it discusses MOOC's.

This article gives some background and insight to the different parts of a Community of Practice. What I found to be most relevant about this article is the fact that it is based around digital learning. There is an image included in the article that displays the different websites that can be used as a tool for a CoP. This image is helpful in visualizing all of the ways to meet and communicate with peers in the digital realm.

This article looks at corporations that are encouraging CoPs like Google & Apple. Xerox was able to save $100 million by collecting tips that repair men were sharing over breakfast and sharing them on a larger level. CoPs can enhance organizational effectiveness and profitability by increasing knowledge sharing.

He is writing a textbook, Teaching in a Digital Age, and this is his discussion about communities of practice. It explains what communities of practice are, how they work, and how they can be successfully used. He argues that they are not a replacement for other forms of education but does mention that they can be great tools.

This article is a chapter for a book, Teaching in a Digital Age. It gives a good summary of the principles behind communities of practice. While the author does not fpbelieve that CoPs should replace other forms of learning, he sees value in them.

The author, Tony Bates, reviews what makes a community of practice by clarifying the main components of an effective one. My favorite part of the resource is the graphic organizing the tools and activities associated with a community, which also integrates the technology available. The article focuses on the idea that communities of practice is a method of informal learning and discusses how to use online learning to its highest potential.

To me the most interesting part of this resource is the comments. Very interesting arguments being made by various players especially Downes and Harasim. I often learn more from comments sections than from the main paper.

I found the phrase "shared experience over time, and a commitment to shared understanding" to be very powerful. It is the underlying foundation of a community of practice. Each member has something to contribute to the overall goal of understanding the same material.

An article that claims the success of communities of practice comes down to two things: "shared experience over time and a commitment to shared understanding." It further explains that not only are the experiences key, but it is crucial that those experiences have variety and diversity.

I appreciate this piece because then intent is to build a concrete definition for communities of practice for an encyclopedia. It explores the sociological implications of the term and offers rich language that can be used to adequately define this particular type of community. According to the author there are two primary conditions in order for a collection of people to be considered a community of practice: commitment to the same shared understanding and a shared experience over time. These communities act as a tool to familiarize participant's with the world using the lenses of the group's interests.

Concise definition and description of Communities of Practice. Focus is on relation to speech communities.

This article gives a straightforward explanation of communities of practice. The author discusses the role of linguistics in this approach, explains its value, and how it can be successful.

This article talks explains the idea of community of practice and how one might compare their community to others. The ability to establish the purpose of the community of practice in which you are participating will allow for differentiation amongst other communities of practice. Although it wasn't a major focus of the paper it was one of the things that I took from this article that hasn't really been brought up in others.

This article was written for the Encyclopedia of Langauge and Linguistics. The article discusses how communities of practice are "collections of people who engage on an ongoing basis in some common endeavor". They are based not on shared characteristics or co-presence, but rather on shared practices. The author also points out that there are two crucial conditions, "shared experience over time, and a commitment to shared understanding". The article then discusses communities of practice in the sense of linguistics.

This article defines and explains the unique qualities of communities of practice. It also provides examples of how communities of practice are much different than other groupings we may identify.

The author lists the needs of sharing experience over time and the commitment to share understanding to make the community of practice work. Collaboration between all parts of the CoP. The article describes how a Community of Practice does not only have to be educational. Examples like book clubs, bowling teams or a church congregation are used by the author in the article.

Communities of practice is described by Penelope Eckert. Communities of practice develops ways of doing things, views, values, power relations, and ways of talking. Two main parts of the meaning include shared experienced over time and a commitment to shared understanding.

This article summarizes the concept of Communities of Practice (CoPs) and examines this concept as the basis of a social theory of learning. CoPs are defined as "a collection of people who engage on an ongoing basis in some common endeavor." The primary virtue of a CoP lies in shared practice among members, which is a totally different idea then social groups based on gender, class, or physical location such as neighborhood or workplace. While this article focused particularly on the linguistic/speech field, the general theory behind the development of and discussion of benefits of CoPs was applicable to all domains.

This article gave a lot of information on Communities of Practice. I liked how they discussed the two crucial conditions of CoPs. The first is that they are a shared experience over time. As the group develops over time, there is a great level of consistency. It provides more opportunities for joint sense-making and deepening participants' knowledge. The second condition is that they are a commitment to shared understanding. Participants in the CoP practice collaborating by placing themselves in a group with respect the world around them. There is a commitment to mutual engagement, shared knowledge, and a sense of predictability.

Megan and Amy, I like the idea of commitment presented by this article. It's one thing to belong to a COP, but another to be committed to it. We can't just "join" a COP without actively participating in it and contributing to it. I think that's an important thing to remember.

I also like the idea that at it's heart a COP is about mutual sense-making. The article mentions the idea of that being conflictual or consensual which I think is important to remember. A COP doesn't have to be all roses and unicorns to be effective.

This was a very interesting article to read by Penelope Eckert. The focus of this article takes on language and linguistics in CoPs, and Eckert claims that a "community of practice is thus a rich locus for the study of situated language use, of language change, and of the very process of conventionalization that underlies both." At its core, the claim being made is that language and linguistics is always evolving in CoPs and this helps with "identity construction" within a CoP.

This was an interesting read, though perhaps not particularly relevant to our class. It discusses communities of practice, what they are, where the theory came from, but it goes on beyond that to connect linguistics into it. I never would have considered that link if I had not read this.

This brief encyclopedia entry about communities of practice gives a succinct summary of the theory and discusses how CoPs affect, and perhaps are affected by, language.

This brief encyclopedia entry about communities of practice gives a succinct summary of the theory and discusses how CoPs affect, and perhaps are affected by, language.

Penelope Eckert explains that "a community of practice is a collection of people who engage on an ongoing basis in some common endeavor." CoP was developed by developed by Jean Lave and Etienne Wenger and is based on the social learning theory. The author discusses the two conditions that are necessary to have a successful community of practice and provides scholarly research on the linguistic factors of CoP.

This article discusses the origins of Communities of Practice and then expands on the concepts by using examples that adhere to Anthropology and Linguistics.

This article explains what a community of practice is. It gives two aspects that are necessary for a community of practice which are "shared experience over time, and a commitment to shared understanding." The article also contrasts communities of practice with groups of speakers. It also explains that a child's linguistics are much more related to a child's communities of practice as opposed to their parents' social class.

I like the explanation of the difference between a full-blown theory and a developmental theory and whether connectivism is a theory or not at this point. I also appreciated the connection to earlier learning theories that this article termed pre-connectivist. With all of the different theories most educators have studied and incorporate into their teaching practices, it is helpful to see how some of them relate to one another.

Connectivism may not be an actual learning theory, according to the authors of this article. It may, they conceed, be a developmental theory that might one day become an actual theory. However, its full list of contexts has not yet been identified so its title as a learning theory could be premature.

This article argues that connectivism is not a theory because it does not introduce any new ideas. It is a great resource for reviewing other learning theories. In the article is states that Verhangen sees connectivism as a level of pedology and curriculum rather than theory. I like this quote from Downs 2007 "Knowledge is the set of connections formed by action and experience."

The author discusses about connectivism as a theory and how it affects learning in a digital era. Connectivism is a new theory that may not have a ton of research compared to other learning theories, but as the technology world continues to evolve, the theory of connectivism evolves too.

Kop and Hill give an overview of connectivism and discuss it as a learning theory. They also discuss the implications in education the increasing influence of the internet has. Kop and Hill look at the connection between connectivism and formal education. They come to the conclusion that, while they foresee radical shifts in education, they do not view connectivism as warranting its own place in learning theory structure.

In this journal article, Connectivism is referred to as helping develop new pedagogies and not a learning theory on it's own. The role of a tutor is diminishing as learners move from a learning environment controlled by an institution, to an environment where they direct their own learning.

I like this article for the overview of connectivism. The overview gives a good idea about what connectivism is. The article goes on to analyze older learning theories and how they need to be addressed in regards to the digital age. It explains how connectivism can build on older theories to better address current digital learning.

Connectivism: is a framework for understanding learning. Siemens (2004) states, "A community is the clustering of similar areas of interest that allows for interaction, sharing, dialoguing, and thinking together." Knowledge is always distributed and shared across learning networks. Information is gathered from everyone and then relating information back to everybody as well as receiving feedback from others.

This source really compares different theories about connectivism. It is discussed whether or not it is a learning theory or not, and what different people think in terms of connectivity. It also discusses some basics about connectivity, and how it means that information is just stored in different places and learners can move between networks to access different information.

This article discusses what learning theories meet the needs of today's learners and how connectivism is built on older theories to connect newer theories. (I didn't check the resources page until after I posted this - I'm hoping I can still use it because I spent a good 20-30 minutes on it!)

This article is a good critical evaluation of connectivisms usefulness in the modern classroom. Ultimately, the authors state that while new theories are emerging in response to technology, connectivism still plays an important role. This is due to the connective nature of technology and the internet.

This article sets out to distinguish Connectivism as either learning theory or developmental (learning) theory. The similarities and differences between the two are briefly discussed before relating how connectivism fits within the frameworks. One interesting aspect of this article is the importance placed on higher-order thinking skills and applications, which seems to be a growing demand in our current education and business markets.

It gives great insights on how connectivism is a learning theory. Also, I find the explanation for how connectivism fulfills the three main tasks for developmental theories.

Thanks for sharing this Alanna! This was a thorough article explaining the past and future of Connectivism. I liked how it puts it all into perspective and we can envision what is in store in the future regarding Connectivism.

Connectivism is a learning theory for the digital age. What does that mean for existing learning theories. This articles questions if previous learning theories still meet the needs of today's learners, and the needs of learners of the future. This articles analyzes connectivism to determine if it has anything new to offer as a learning theory.

I truly appreciated this quote..."New learning environments are informing present and future trends from which both educators and students stand to benefit. Moreover, the way in which global networks and communities of interest are currently being formed through emerging technologies is encouraging young people, in particular, to develop new, creative, and different forms of communication and knowledge creation outside formal education." I also appreciated how this article examined, and almost made the reader feel, the discourse that often arises when new theories emerge. As an educator, I have learned that balance is key! It truly isnt one method or theory over another! Rather an intersection of theories is where powerful learning can take place. Connectivism is certainly a 21st century theory which I believe is built to capitalize how how connected today's learner are through the Internet and social media! Connectivism, to me, feels that a theoretical vehicle to deliver many different theories and strategies.

This is a great introduction to constructivism. Please take the time to watch the video in the introduction. The article explains the link between today's knowledge and yesterdays information while stressing the fact that knowledge and information is ever changing. Constructivism allows the investigator to to take control of learning and bypass the slow or reluctant process of updating information as it changes. I really liked this article, it sparked some ideas for my personal finance class I am rewriting curriculum for. (my book for this class is a 1998 edition with no funds for updated material)

This article provides a very detailed introduction and definition of Connectivism as well as its components: Chaos Theory, Importance of Networks, Complexity and Self-Organization.

This wiki created by the Department of Educational Psychology and Instructional Technology at the University of Georgia describes the theory of connectivism in great detail and relates it to recent technological advances. Connectivism is defined and the related components of chaos theory, importance of networks and interplay of complexity and self-organization are described. The wiki includes a great cartoon slide show called "Connectivism through '67" that helps build understanding of this concept. It also includes a chart comparing various other learning theories to connectivism.

"Clarissa Davis, Earl Edmunds, Vivian Kelly-Bateman Department of Educational Psychology and Instructional Technology, University of Georgia" The article set the stage for the need for new learning theory now that 21st century technologies are in full force. The authors briefly discuss the "half-life of knowledge," again, setting up the need for new theory. After defining connectivism, the article provides a handy comparison between it and behaviorism, cognitivism, and constructivism.

"Clarissa Davis, Earl Edmunds, Vivian Kelly-Bateman Department of Educational Psychology and Instructional Technology, University of Georgia" The article set the stage for the need for new learning theory now that 21st century technologies are in full force. The authors briefly discuss the "half-life of knowledge," again, setting up the need for new theory. After defining connectivism, the article provides a handy comparison between it and behaviorism, cognitivism, and constructivism.

This article provides a general overview of the theory of connectivism. It cites the work of George Siemens in describing the three components of connectivism: chaos theory, importance of networks, and the interplay of complexity and self-organization. As with other resources, there is criticism of the ability of connectivism to stand alone as a learning theory. However, a useful resource provided by this article is a table that compares the differences of behaviorism, cognitivism, constructivism, and connectivism.

This blog is by the University of Georgia, College of Educational Psychology and Instructional Technology on Emerging Perspectives on Learning, Teaching, and Technology. This blog post gives a great foundation of the components and principles of connectivism.

A website from the University of Georgia Dept of Ed Psych and Instructional Technology. Discusses the components of Connectivism, Chaos, Importance of Networks and Complexity and Self Organization. The quote from Siemens about,  "decision making being based on rapidly altering foundations," is well used and helped me to visualize a little more. There is a well worked description with Connectivism related to car restoration which I liked and an accessible table to compare and contrast Connectivism to the other major learning theories.

This source starts by discussing some of the components of constructivism and some of the different theories that go along with it. This is a good source because even though it contains some of the same information as other sources, it gives real examples to explain the theory of connectivism. It also gives a few different arguments against connectivism as a learning theory.

This resource discusses connectivism as a learning theory. It explains connectivisms' origins and how it is essential in staying current in our digital age. This resource includes an example of the benefits of connectivism. In addition, it provides a chart that compares connectivism as a learning theory to behaviorism, cognitivism, and constructivism.

This source discusses connectivism as a learning theory. It talks about how the theory came to be and compares it to other learning theories. It also mentions that some view it as a pedagogical view instead of a learning theory.

This source summarizes the main ideas in connectivism succinctly and clearly. The authors connect the discussion of connectivism to other learning theories. The chart showing How each theory functions is useful.

While this isn't an article, and appears to look more like a wiki entry, it does offer some good information on connectivism. One thing I liked in particular is the visual breakdown of the three current learning theories alongside connectivism. Anyone unfamiliar with behaviorism, cognitivism, and constructivism can get a quick snapshot of the key components in an east to understand chart. A column for connectivism has also been added to show how it compares to the others as a learning theory. Constructivism emphasizes the social nature of learning, but connectivism takes it to the next level by stressing the need for broad networks for a learner to connect to in order to build deeper understandings and more resources.

This article discusses various learning theories and what happens when you throw technology into the mix. They do not feel that previous learning theories should be dismissed but need to be viewed in a different light to meet the demands of the 21st Century. There is a thorough definition of connectivism and all of it's components. I appreciated the visual chart comparing the different learning theories to connectivism and how critics of connectivism viewpoints are explained.

An outline of the theory of connectivism that provides a comparison to other learning theories. The outline gives us a definition of the theory, major principles, and criticisms of the theory.

UGA's DEPT of Edu psychology and Instructional tech provides a comprehensive report on connectivism. The report includes definitions, comparisons to other theories and criticism to connectivism.

This is a wiki created by the Department of Educational Psychology and Instructional Technology at theUniversity of Georgia. It explains everything from the origins of connectivism to practical application of the theory. A chart on the page compares connectivism to the other major theories of learning.

I like this description of connectivism.

A website created by students in the EdPsych department at University of Georgia that explains the components of connectivism as an educational theory.

I really like the way this article breaks down connectivism into its parts as well as providing the table that breaks down the primary learning theories so you can compare information side by side.

Bell, F. (2010). Connectivism: Its place in theory-informed research and innovation in technology-enabled learning. The International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning, 12(3), 98-118. Unlike the other articles I've discussed regarding Connectivism Frances starts by detailing the world Internet market. Which is an interesting starting point because in order for Connectivism to be a qualifying learning theory for everyone, the actual "connection" part must be prevalent. This is the first article that draws attention to the potential digital divide that could keep some countries and regions from the potential benefits of Connectivism. From his subtle inclusion of what can be read as the digital divide, he details the history of sharing on the Internet, and the general practice of sharing the Internet in itself has created. I also like that Frances describes Connectivism as a learning theory not looking to take over past practices but collaborate with them. This was an important note compared to the other articles I read that were determined to sell Connectivism as the all or nothing approach towards the future of web 2.0 in learning either for or against. Finally Frances discusses Connectivism role in research and those looking for a more fundamental understanding of research done on Connectivism and regarding Connectivism. The author tackles both topics with great research backing up all scenarios and discussions.

Is connectivism a real learning theory? This article explores the theory through different aspects of the digital era and how other learning theories (i.e. behaviorism, constructivism) are observed through various scenarios involving technology.

This is a very interesting article. I like reading more about connectivism because for some reason I find it difficult to understand. It questions whether connectivism should be considered a learning theory.

This article provides some great background on the theory of connectivism: its beginnings, major influencers, and basic principles. The article goes on to question whether connectivism alone is enough to answer all of the questions regarding how best to reach students in the technology-abled classroom. The article provides 5 scenarios to tackle the question, and offers some thought-provoking findings.

Like many other educational articles, this writer questions whether connectivism deserves a place as a learning theory in its own right. Bell discusses the growing use of the internet as a classroom and how connectivism applies. He also discusses connectivism as a phenomenon versus a learning theory.

Connectivism: Frances Bell explores theories in technology-enabled learning. Bell states, in 5 different scenarios, that it is proven that with our global society we should keep researching how to improve connections and learn from the past. Not all countries or people are equal when it comes to technology.

This 2011 journal article discusses how researchers can bring more rigor to research into Connectivism to counter the claims of some analysts that insist the concept lacks true academic support. Their final results indicate that Connectivism alone can not be a theory for education, but instead needs to work in congruence with other theories. A wide variety of reasons from personal preference to funding will influence which theories we use. As technology expands, so does research.

This article examines connectivism and its role as a learning theory in the digital age. It explains the principles of connectivism and provides scenarios that connectivism could help in an educational setting.

There is significant debate as to whether or not connectivism is a stand alone learning theory. While the data does not fully support connectivism as separate and distinct learning theory, there is considerable support for it a a learning phenomenon. The author of the article emphasizes the connected world in which we live has evolved, and therefore, has influenced the manner in which people learn.

From the development of the internet to present day, using technology for informational purposes and learning development continues to grow and become more common. Connectivism supports the theories that learning occurs as a more intrapersonal experience and occurs while the learning creates information and deeper understandings. This resources presents the development of technology as a cause for a new view of learning and education.

This is a resource on communities of practice and their positive impact on organizational development and group work. It highlights the work of Jean Lave and Etienne Wenger. It breaks down the 3 elements that differentiate a community of practice from other groups/communities and how knowledge is generated in a community. Situated learning is the model of learning that is explained as taking place in these communities of practice.

This article gives a short history of Communities of Practice and goes on to explain what they are. It is easy to read and understand as It explains what CoP are and what they are not.

Detailed article that describes the communities of practice philosophy that Jean Lave and Etienne Wenger developed the in the late 80's that proposes learning comes from the social interactions in our daily lives. The article further explains how the interactions with various groups causes the learning, whether it is as a core member or a bystander.

I really liked this article because as an educator it spoke to what I believe in. Learning does not only take place in the educational setting of a school, but it also takes place outside of that environment. Learning is social, it's physical, it's interactive, it's communicating. There are so many different ways to learn and therefore people never stop learning. It states that communities of practice are all around us and most of the time we are involved in many of those groups at the same time.

Lave and Wenger discuss communities of practice covering many topics such as the characteristics and the relationships. EDTECH543 Communities of Practice

This article discusses Jean Lave and Etienne Wenger, who proposed that "learning involved a process of engagement in a 'community of practice'." They discuss the idea of learning as being a social experience rather than an individual one, and that people are typically involved in a number of communities of practice. The characteristics of communities of practice are described, as well as situated learning.

This article clearly articulates what communities of practice are, examples of each (which I find the most interesting as it makes a very clear connection to what we know), and three main components. The three distinguishable ideas show how communities of practice are different than random groups. I like their ideas of these groups occurring over time around things thst matter to people. #EDTECH543

This source discusses communities of practice and how they can be either formal or informal. Members of a community of practice are in an organized group centered around a shared idea. Communities of practice allow connectivity because learners make connections with each other as resources to acquire knowledge when needed.

I learned about different definitions or explanations of communities of practice and how the learning happens by means of communities of practice is connected to situated learning. I also learned about different characteristics of communities of practice and how these characteristics are interconnected. I learned in detail about how the concept of communities of practice is aligned with the concept of situated learning. I enjoyed reading the examples and learning how communities of practices change over time.

In CoPs, connections are being made. Everyone is working together to get everything that they need. I think that the main focus of this descibres the aspects of collaboration and why it is so important with CoPs. CoPs is related to situated learning and that is something new that I learned.

"Communities of practice are formed by people who engage in a process of collective learning" A COP is joining in mutual activities.

3 crucial elements that make a COP: Domain, Community, and Practice. A domain is a common interest among members. A community means that members engage in activities and discussions and share information to help one another. Members practice by sharing tools and resources.is something that individuals do.

Excellent article that explains the characteristics of CoPs and how CoPs can be used in many aspects of life (both personally and professionally). This is the first article I have found that references "situational learning" as part of CoPs. The idea that learning is a social process and that we learn more from collaboration than we do independently seems to support the use and development of CoPs. Lave and Wegner illustrate that theory in the article by using examples from real-life situations.

This article really talks about the details of CoPs without going into the how-tos that many others do. I appreciate how foundational it starts- even pointing out that learning was initially thought of as an individual activity and how that has evolved. Situated learning is discussed as it is beneficial for learners to not just learn by hearing or doing, but by learning to talk about what they are doing.

Ariana, I loved how this article provided such great information and details.I also appreciate knowing the background of where foundations start. Thanks for the share!

This article gives a very detailed explanation of communities of practice. The author traces the term to its origins to Lave and Wenger. Definitions of the characteristics of communities of practice are defined. Both Lave and Wenger claim that learning requires communities of practice which create authenticity beyond models to be applied to real situations

This article discusses the pedagogy and theory that is the foundation of connectivism. Discussed in detail is how connectivism impacts education in a 21sr century learning environment.

Interesting article by I. Bessenyie if for no other reason than it was originally written in Hungarian and translated. But it does show that the idea of connectivism is making waves in educational communities around the globe and not just in the United States. This article also tackles some of the more specific elements of connectivism as related to Web 2.0 & E-learning.

This article is a discussion of how network participation is making shared learning possible and the role of the traditional educational institutions.

Thanks for including this article...I got confused for a second seeing the foreign language. Since connectivism seems to espouse the belief that students lead the learning, and should all be learning different things, would it mean the end of the traditional education system as we see it? Do you think connectivism sees any future for mainstream education?

I posted a comment a few minutes ago, went away from the page, and when I came back my comment was gone. I haven't found diigo to be too comfortable to use yet. My main question was...connectivism preaches that students should be learning different things and leading their own learning experience. Does connectivism leave any room for a traditional education system?

Hey Scott. that's a great question and a certain dilemma when it comes to implementation, For me, the real revaluation was in how I personally am a total connective learner. I access information as needed from multitudes of resources. it has changed what I am willing to embrace or not. From a teacher's perspective, implementing it is a totally different animal & considers much more of a balanced, blended approach. You have to ask the question, at what point is a student self-actualized enough to own their connectivness? it is safe to say that students are connective learners regardless of whether we are involved in that or not. I would love to find a way to harness their personal relevance in the classroom.

This article focuses on elearning 2.0. Talks about how learning has evolved from long ago to today and how we used to learn from our elders and now we learn from "informally"

This article discusses socialization and the accessing of information in the information age. The article claims, "A vast amount of spontaneous knowledge exchange is taking place on the interactive World Wide Web. It is on the basis of this that the theories of eLearning 2.0 and connectivism declare that network participation and access to information and to software that interprets and contextualizes information makes a completely new, cooperative, self-organising form of learning possible."

Deborah, I love the idea of students guiding their own learning. It seems to be a great way to get them involved and motivated instead of just listeners in the classroom they are part of the learning network. Thanks for sharing!

While this site leans towards the how-to aspect of a PLN, I found it illuminating simply for the fact that the students described in this article create a PLN for each project.  It emphasizes the fact that a PLN is personal and not the same for everybody.  PLNs are personal, can be permanent or temporary, and exist for the sake of the person to learn.  

The website title really grabbed my attention and I wanted to find out what it meant. This was very interesting because it discussed netiquette and cyber-bullying as well. It helped to relate real-world with online by explaining how with a virtual locker it would change with what courses the students are taking. This really broke down what PLNs are and how they work. It was one of the better articles I have read. Thank you!

I'm still a little hesitant to assign the term Personal Learning Network to an assembly of RSS feeds as describe din this piece. A great part of it, but only part of it, I think. That feels a little too "one-way" to develop the interactivity that seems to be so indicative of the PLN. An interesting idea that came from this for me was that each time a student started a new project (cyberbullying, understanding the Constitution, cancer treatment research, etc.) they would develop a new PLN. This underscored the idea that a PLN is not stationary, but, rather, a dynamic network that will continue to evolve as long as one is striving to learn. It almost becomes a technological reflection of oneself.

Written by the Cool Cat Teacher, this article states that using PLNs allow her student to connect to informational sources and become self-directed lifelong learners. It moves students into the driver's seat and helps them sort through the plethora of information.

In this post, an educator likens student's personal learning network to virtual lockers where they store what they learn and produce academically and otherwise.

This article explains how students (teens) are using PLNs to organize and share their school work and projects. It also discusses the pros and cons of PLNs.

This is an interesting take on how a PLE can work in a school environment. Students can use their PLN as a collection system for information when they are doing their projects.

I appreciate the fact that they presented both sides to the story here. They discuss the advantages of PLNs but also raise questions on issues educators may be facing with them at this current time. As an educator, I like when others bring up concerns because then it allows me to brainstorm ways to circumvent the issues. It also assures me that I'm not the only educators facing issues implementing PLNs perfectly within my classroom. The authentic touch this article displays is refreshing to me. Don't get me wrong, I really love PLNs, but at the moment, there are kinks that need to be worked out to be fully effective in an elementary classroom setting.

I like how this article focuses on student use of PLNs. I tend to focus on their use for teacher PD, but they are certainly something we should be teaching our students! I also like how the article describes some flaws of PLNs, this will help people think of ways to make PLNs even stronger.

Interesting is that the focus is on RSS feeds and it feels very academic while middle school students are an upcoming demographic on twitter. Their use of twitter is of course social, but I wonder about using twitter as more immediate way to share information.

This article defines Personal Learning Network and shares how their structures have changed over time through the authors personal experience.

Teaching Village - Great teacher resources for PLN and other teacher information. This has all kinds of good information and teacher resources.

I seem to have picked the same articles as everyone else!

Jessica, very nice resource on PLN's through the Teaching Village site. I like how they define the PLN during the decades. Investigating the nav tabs it seems that it is based for a primary school environment.

Like many others, I had no clue what PLN was until this class! This is a very simple example of a PLN defining a PLN! I also liked how they described PLNs through the last 3 decades.

This article represents the authors attempt to retell her journey of creating a PLN. She begins by describing her PLN in the 80's which consisted of people getting together to discuss books they had read. She then moves on to discuss the 90's and the inclusion of the internet and email into her PLN. Finally it concludes with a discussion of the current century and how PLN's have been affected by social media and the resulting implications.

This blog discusses what a PLN is, and how it has evolved over the years. It clearly shows that as technology became more accessible across the world, it allowed PLN's to grow as well.

This explains what a PLN is and how it has changed over the years as technology has advanced. It also talks about what a current PLN looks like, and how things like Twitter and other networking tools are used.

This article provides helpful information on the topic of communities of practice. I was also interested in seeing how CoP are used outside of education. I question whether CoP that develop with "cultivation" are as effective as those that are self-organizing.

This is a great resource for communities of practice. It breaks down the characteristics of a community of practice between the domain, the community, and the practice. This resource also provides a table of examples of what makes a good CoP. It is very helpful in understanding where CoPs are commonly used and how they can be beneficial. Very helpful resource when first learning about CoPs.

This resource is a basic overview of the concept of communities of practice. It discusses the background from which it was created, and gave some specific examples of COPs in the real world. The best portion dealt with how COPs are used in other areas aside from education. There are also some excellent links.

This page look at the definition of a community of practice and includes there critera that are essential: the domain, the community, and the practice.

As others have also suggested, this article gives a good overview of CoPs applicable to real world integration. For example, I tend to focus on the realm of current day educational CoPs at a school or district level. This article goes beyond that by providing examples of other forms of CoPs. One that struck my interest was the "tribe learning to survive" example. This definitely gives a broader perspective on the reach of CoPs, in that, they can be traced back to the primordial beginnings of human interaction.

This article, by Etienne and Beverly Wenger-Trayner in 2015, gives a wonderful introduction of what a community of practice is and why researchers and practitioners find them to be a valuable way of communicating and learning. You get a good perspective of what communities of practice looks like, where the concept comes from, and where the concept is being applied. Myths about communities of practice and suggested readings are also included.

What are CoPs? This article breaks down the terminology for Communities of Practice and explains what they are (and aren't). One common theme that appears throughout the article are the ideas of intention and implementation. CoPs are not just interest groups for casual entertainment. They are formed with intent and with the purpose of implementing ideas. Social media has removed the boundaries of who can form/join CoPs, and the sources of information are virtually endless.

This overview from 2015 is written by one of the anthropologists who coined this term when studying apprenticeships. It describes the 3 crucial characteristics: domain, community, and practice; its origin; its uses in a variety of settings; and refutes various myths about COP. A pdf is available.

This is a great overview of COPs. The author defines COP's and gives the three major characteristics: domain, community, & practice (and goes on to clearly define each of these). He explains the origins of COP's, describes them and gives examples of COP's today, addresses common myths of COP's and provides an influx of resources. A great site with a lot of valuable info!

This article outlines what communities of practice are and what they look like. It also describes how these communities are used in a variety of fields.

Wenger-Trayner give an overview of what constitutes a community of practice (CoP). It differentiate between a community and a CoP. Three features of CoP are given: domain, community, and practice. It is more than common interest; it involves interaction among practitioner who want to learn from each other. The article is helpful to understanding how to develop a PLN.

Often times grasping a new concept is difficult without examples to show what what a particular concept might look like. This article has a sub-head that reads: "What do communities of practice look like?" There are boxes with questions like "requests for information," "seeking experience," and "reusing assets." If you click on the plus/ minus sign on the boxes, you get taken to a short example.

In this fairly in-depth article, Etienne and Beverly Wenger- Trainer, focus on many different aspects of Communities of Practice. Some of the key elements they name regarding CoPs are: they are intentional, they can improve performance among members, the members have a shared domain of interest, the members have a commitment to the group, and the members build relationships that enable the to learn from each other. The 3 main element of a CoP are the domain, the community, and the practice.

Great share @MrsLieberman356! It's quite in-dept but chalk-ful of excellent information on CoPs and their objectives.

Thanks Joanna! When reading about CoPs myself, I love how they say that they're intentional. Through reading this article as well as others, I really see why that's an important piece to it!

According to this article, three characteristics are crucial in order for a community to be considered a "community of practice." A community of practice is not merely a club, it has an identity defined by a shared domain of interest. In pursuing their interest in their domain, members engage in joint activities and discussions, help each other, and share information. They build relationships that enable them to learn from each other. A community of practice is not merely a community of interest-people who like certain kinds of movies, for instance. Members of a community of practice are practitioners. They develop a shared collection of resources: experiences, stories, tools, ways of addressing recurring problems -- a shared practice. http://wenger-trayner.com/introduction-to-communities-of-practice/

A brief overview and introduction of the concept and uses of communities of practice. This article shares theories and what it should look like instead of the "How" it should be done. They share the background of the concept and how it fits into the teaching environment.

This article gives a brief overview of the concept of communities of practice. Communities of Practice are groups that share a passion for what they do and share how they can do it better. The domain is a network of connections between people. The community is the activities and discussions share among the group. The practice is sharing the tips and tricks of how things work.

This delivers an overview of CoP's and discusses what a CoP would look like. It discusses the background and how it would fit in the learning environment.

This site breaks down what distinguishes Communities of Practice from communities.

This resource illustrates a CoP first, and then it uses this example to explain the components of CoPs: domain, community, and practice. It further provides examples fo what CoPs look like.

A great introduction into communities of practice. These communities require three things: commitment to the mission/goal, a community, and a shared role (or practice).

This website was created to explain CoP by the developers of the practice. The website explains what CoP is and what it looks like. The websites explains where CoP came from and how it can be applied in the workplace in different environments. The authors also diffuse any myths about the CoP so that others can understand what it is.

This article goes in depth on the three requirements for a CoP. It also goes through several examples of what a CoP looks like in various activities.

This article does an amazing job of addressing many of the concerns I've felt when learning and working online. It introduces Personality Theory and Self Determination Theory and how they relate to connectivism. Lastly this article addresses autonomy and lurking issues during the online learning experience. I enjoyed reading this article and appreciated how it addressed the potential downside to connectivism.

This article discusses connectivism and MOOCs. Also discusses theories of self-determination and personality.

This article is a discussion of the authors' experiences and best practice recommendations for implementing connectivist principles in massive open online course (MOOC) environments. The four key principles of connectivism are explored in the context of online courses emphasizing the potential for networking and collaboration.

Here the author argues that Personal Learning Environments (PLEs) are not an application but an approach to learning. They require a radical shift in how we use technology, but they supply a holistic environment where students learn to take responsibility for their own education.

This article presents the features and reasoning for personal learning environments in e-learning. It discusses reasons for its importance in e-learning and lifelong learning. The ways that "learning" is changing with new technologies and resources are considered. The social aspect of personal learning environments is also described, with an emphasis on the tools that are used to facilitate the connections.

The author discusses the potential of learning environments in eLearning and how these LEs can bring together more authentic contexts for learning. The paper also reviews the different purposes and uses of Personal Learning Environments. Through PLE, individuals are responsible for many aspects of their own learning within the most useful contexts. Blogging was also covered as a way to incorporate informal learning. Attwell considers the challenges associated with continued LEs after a course is over, and points out the overarching questions regarding the responsibility for institutions or teachers to continue to support this ongoing learning.

Attwell, G. (2007). Personal Learning Environments-the future of eLearning?. eLearning Papers, 2(1), 1-8. In Graham Attwell's article he offers some insight and ideas towards why personal learning Environments may be essential to learning in the future. . He details the technology behind the buzz surrounding personal learning environments and examples of how we can use them going forward. What I enjoyed about the article was the notion that everyone's learning environment, style, context, and situation are different and PLE's enable the learner to pace themselves and grow on their own terms. While detailing lifelong learning the author grabs the theory of self-driven education being helped by personal learning environments. Graham does a good job of not following into a common misconception that technology directly correlates to better learning, but rather approaches the aspect of what technology could do for learning as well as what personal learning environments could do for learning as well. From his own personal PLE list of software to explaining the next steps in adopting personal learning environments on a wider scale Graham makes sense of a complicated theory.

I really like this article because of the role of the teacher being discussed in great detail. I think that in Connectivism I was confused about the role of the teacher especially when it came to filtering information. I feel like now I have a better understanding of how the teacher acting as a filter in the initial stages of the lesson can lead to students being autonomous and filtering sources later on.

This article describes three types of connected learning communities. These include professional learning communities (PLCs), personal learning networks (PLNs), and communities of practice (CoPs). All three are used in schools across the world now and serve different but very similar purposes.

This article defines professional learning communities, personal learning networks, and communities of practice. The learning theories supporting each are described, as well as the impact technology has had on each. While the article focuses on how each can effect professional development for practicing teachers, the ideas within could be generalized to almost any profession.

Summary: This article identifies a three pronged approach to teacher professional development: PLC, PLN and CoP. These three types of learning communities are explored by connecting each type of learning community to a learning theory or theories and / or how the use of technology also improves learning communities. Support is provided by citing studies and literature most relevant to community learning in the digital age.

This work addresses the importance of technology throughout personal learning communities, personal learning networks and communities of practice and describes its importance to connected learning. Technology is an amplifier and enabler of connected learning as it addresses the challenge of time by allowing 24/7 interactions. Technology has allowed the exponential growth of PLN's as it enables finding, synthesizing and evaluating information. Technology also increases the potential for learning across communities which can then be translated to practice helping improve education.

This was a great article to see the different ways in which any professionals can gain and share knowledge with one another. I enjoyed reading how each is connected to learning theories. It is interesting that the common theme is how they rely or depend on technology. I can attest to the importance of technology for the learning communities and networks that I am involved in. Technology makes these types of professional development possible to some people who, without technology, would not be able to partake. Most of the time technology is a wonderful thing. It truly makes you wonder what we did without it :)

I agree that technology has helped PLN and PLC's to grow. Technology allows us to collaborate with people all over the work rather than people who just work in our building.

This article summarizes key differences and similarities among different connected learning communities utilized by educators including, PLCs, PLNs, and CoPs. Within the article, each learning community is described in terms of its organizational structure, purpose, and effectiveness. This research based article discusses the learning theories that are applied within each of the learning communities to support their descriptions and findings.

PLN's occur in many ways. With the growth of technology they are becoming much more popular. Many of them are engaging through blogs and other forms of social media. With these becoming more and more popular connections are constantly being made. Creating PLNs and bringing back resources and other information to our PLNs is extremely popular. Personal learning networks are happening because of connections being made with others.

This article looks into the theories that support the theory or idea of personal learning networks. It touches the effectiveness of teacher professional development in terms of PLNs. It discusses technology in terms of PLNs and also the challenges and dilemmas of PLNs.