One thing that popped out to me in this article was on the importance of maintaining a Personal Learning Network. So much work by teachers now is to inspire students to be life long learners. I wonder if our focus should shift a bit towards encouraging them to be connected to different learning networks across their lifetime?

This article is about how learning management systems can be set up to encourage the development of Personal Learning Environments and connectivist learning. Currently many LMS are not developing students who are reaching their potential in creativity and autonomous learning. The large limiting factor in this include lack of student or even instructor knowledge of tools within an LMS. This is creating students who are dependent on the resources available within their LMS rather than capable of finding their own resources to guide their learning. When designing an online course it is crucial that students have the opportunity to discuss their learning and to share resources among each other.

This article is about how different social networking tools can be used to support learning activities. Of particular focus in the article was which tools could be used to foster an attitude of lifelong learning. The article also explains the major principles of connectivism and how the role of a learner is continuously changing in a connectivist environment.

This was a short source but it detailed how teachers can easily create a PLN using the Independent School Educators Network. From this resource they have access to professional development opportunities ranging from Google apps, iPads, Digital Citizenship, and others.

This Wired article was about how Education 3.0 can be most effectively leveraged if educators have a good understanding on how the brain learns. Keeping in mind what learners care about, giving them the ability to place their learning in context, and allowing students to identify patterns of knowledge (think making connections in neural pathways) all can expand upon the the experience of learners in a course.

This source details the history of MOOCs and how they are beginning to make changes in higher education. It details some of the amazing possibilities of this relatively new educational option, but also many of the challenges that it faces.

Two patterns have emerged in E-Learning - connection with people and connection with resources. The article includes descriptions on how self directed learning, the need for intrinsic motivation, and critical literacies all present challenges to a connectivist learning theory. When designing and teaching a course built around connected learning rather than a more traditional route special attention needs to be given to build in opportunities for students to interact with one another.

his article points out how the rapid increase of technology in our lives is changing how we need to educate. A few areas it points to in supporting this argument is the trend that knowledge is often not following a linear path, how the half life of knowledge is becoming shorter and shorter and how the capacity to learn more outweighs the amount of knowledge currently known. Connectivism becomes important when facing these challenges because it allows us to have access to a much broader range of knowledge than we would otherwise. Often times in our world today the collective knowledge of many individuals is more valuable than the sole knowledge of a single expert.

This article on MOOCs brought some interesting things to the forefront. When these courses were new they were touted as having the potential to change the world. In the years since though their hype has gone down. Most people participating have already earned college degrees. On encouraging pattern however is that teachers are often participating in the courses. This could potentially bring big positive changes to teacher professional development.

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.

This article is about Mozilla Open Badges. These badges are encoded with data about how they were earned and offer a secure way to recognize the achievements of individuals. This is a free system to use and anyone can create and grant their own custom badges. From a school standpoint this becomes interesting to me since it gives students and community stakeholders an opportunity to show that an individual has mastered skills that are taught outside of school.

From Google: The Google Cultural Institute brings together millions of artifacts from multiple partners, with the stories that bring them to life, in a virtual museum. This site allows your students to explore different art museums, primary sources, and world wonders. An awesome source to let students explore and see what they find.