Downed begins this chapter by discussing the history of learning theory. He concludes that no previous theory can accurately explain how we learn. He then compares the brain to a social media network to introduce his explanation of networked learning. An ecosystem approach to learning would be beneficial. Resources do not need to be centralized and learners should be contributors.

In this article, Siemens explains connectivism. He begins by explaining how networks are formed. The vocabulary is technical and suggests non-human networks. Factors that strengthen connections are motivation, emotions, exposure, patterning, logic, and experience. Learning is often synergistic as the network forms, but for learning to occur, a new connection must be encultured and connected to the entire network.

This article discusses several concerns with connectivism. One issue is the ability of learners to self-regulate. This is a higher order skill that many adults have not mastered, and some teachers are expecting it of primary age students. The author also indicates a debate among connectivism adherents about the value of "lurkers". Some see it as s valuable activity that introduces learners to the community gradually. Others see lurkers as leeches who are taking without giving in return.

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.

This article focuses on personal professional networking. This is essentially a PLN in the workplace. Three primary tasks build a foundation for future activities within the PLN, 1) building connections, 2) maintaining connections, 3) activating connections. There are nine factors that influence a personal professional network. See include: communality (or commonality) reputation, and real potential for collaboration or learning. Learning within a PLN must be cultivated and involve reflection. Participants must recognize the value of other contributors to their own learning in order for the network to be truly effective, because this will allow person to know who to contact in the future for a similar issue. Networking to create a PLN depends on the person be g able to make connections between their own skills and their contacts' potential contributions. In creating an PLN, the learner "orchestrates" the environment, "browsing, selecting, and choosing" relevant resources.

This paper discusses how Personal Learning Environments (PLEs) integrate formal and informal learning and help students self-regulate learning in "higher education contexts" through social media. Connectivism has given rise to the idea that "the community is the curriculum", so institutions should foster the creation of communities among their students to allow them a more personalized education. PLEs are the tools, services and communities that learners choose to use as they pursue knowledge. PLEs are an attempt to deliberately unify formal and informal learning, especially in e-learning situations. PLEs specifically address social media use and the creation of a cultivated online identity to enhance learning in the learner's chosen arena. In order to fully leverage PLEs via social media, students must use personal knowledge management (PKM) skills. S involves "creating, organizing and sharing digital content and information" and balancing contexts, among other skills. Students cano sumo mine their PLEs, but this requires knowledge management and self-regulation.

The concept of communities of practice has been used as both a theory to explain how learning occurs, and a "metaphor for how instruction should take place." From an anthropological view, knowledge is not completely contained within individuals, but is more often found in groups/communities. Knowledge can be "sticky" or "leaky". "Sticky" knowledge is difficult to disseminate, perhaps because it is highly technical, or because the target audience does not absorb it. "Leaky" knowledge is knowledge (like trade secrets) the disseminates despite efforts to keep it secret. Knowledge involves practice in context. One way we learn with situational learning is by peripheral, or tangential, participation. Learners should be allowed to "lurk" before participating, much as beginner social media users do. A knowledge building community and a community are practice are not the same thing. A knowledge-building community seeks to learn and build knowledge, while a community of practice wants to improve some type of work function. The learning may be the same, but the goals are different. Forced knowledge-building communities may never read the stage of community of practice depending on the level of connectedness and peripheral participation. Technology can facilitate communication and collaboration for CoPs.

Although many organizations create groups that include people of varying specialties to complete specific problems, people are organizing themselves into communities of practice, informal groups who share "expertise and passion" for a common interest. These communities are new to the business world because their spontaneous, informal nature makes them difficult to supervise. Managers cannot mandate communities of practice, they can only create a supportive environment. Members self select based on common interests and perceived advantage. The authors provide examples from Hill's Pet Nutrition and Hewlett-Packard. While communities should not be forced into creation, managers can cultivate them by identifying potential CoPs that will benefit the company's "strategic capabilities", provide infrastructure to them, and assess their value to the business through "nontraditional methods." Business managers need to realize the wealth of potential available to them through communities of practice.

Learning is social and takes place by participating in daily life. Learning takes place situationally in communities of practice. These communities of practice exist all around us: home, work, school, etc. As we pursue our goals within our groups, learning occurs. Members off s community of practice (CoP) are united by common activities and by what they learn through participating in those activities. A community of practice is defined by three factors, "what it is about," "how it functions," and "what capability it has produced." For a community of practice to be effective, it needs to "generate and appropriate a shared repertoire of ideas, commitments and memories." There also need to be resources like documents, tools, procedures, and a shared vocabulary. The the developers of this theory, Jean Lave and Etienne Wenger, focused on the kinds of "social engagement" that caused learning to take place. People join groups and initially learn from the periphery. Eventually, they become more proficient through their participation as they move toward the center of the group. The situation in which the learning occurs has a significant effect on the learning.

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).

I like this website I created for EdTech 506 because it organizes all of the lessons at teach at the beginning of the year. As I created the lesson plans and the website, I was able to plan how I would spiral instruction for the introductory lit concepts.

This looks like it could be a good tutorial for writing essays. There is also a ParagraphPunch.

This is drill and practice instructional software. If focuses on Grammar and Writing

This article cites the US Department of Education and explains what is true and what is myth when it comes to Internet filtering at schools.

I like the discussion of empowered use. Someday our students will be using the Internet without our filters and without someone policing their movements. Will they know how to maximize technology for learning and productivity? Will they know what to do when they encounter a site that makes them uncomfortable? Not if we don't empower them now.

How and why use social media in the classroom. I'm looking at this especially for Language Arts.

How and why to use various social media.