Connectivism & Connective Knowledge

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October 6, 2008

Week 5: Connectives and Collectives: Distinctions Between Networks and Groups

Readings

Groups Vs Networks: The Class Struggle Continues - Stephen Downes

That Group Feeling - Stephen Downes

Downes Interview: Groups and Networks (here's the image from the video)

Group and Network (presentation, George Siemens)

Optional

Collectives, Networks and Groups in Social Software for E-Learning - Terry Anderson and John Dron

Activities:

Mon: Recorded presentations and readings will be posted to the email list

Wed: Two Elluminate discussions (both sessions can be accessed via this link): 11 am CST: See time zone conversions7 pm CST: See time zone conversions. '

Friday: Discussion via USTREAM 11 am CST: See time zone conversion

Assignments:

1. Continue regular weekly activities - blogging, developing your concept map, and follow the distributed conversation through various sites (pageflakes, delicious, Google Alerts). In your blog posts, consider the question: Have you begun to see the rudiments of a learning network forming? Has some of the conceptual uncertainty settled?

2. If you have not done so, set up an account with Google Reader and subscribe to a few of the blogs from fellow participants that you've found to be insightful or valuable in your learning.

Highlighted Resources

Wondering CCK08
Interesting post that looks at whether there is a connection between the level of prior learning and the quality of discourse in an online course. One aspect of connectivism is the mixing of novice and expert in the same environment. All very well (says Stephen), but this can become very irritating for the expert, and Wikipedia contributors have reported in the past. But Lani writes, "I'm wondering if that network isn't the richer for diversity-novice and expert. I'm currently involved in a new emerging community of practice in which novices and expert learn together-it's an exciting community whose leaders will emerge and I daresay, some of them will come from the initial novices." Lani, Possibilities Abound--, October 6, 2008 [Link] [Tags: none] [Comment]

CCK08 - Learning Formations
Viplav Baxi links to a series of posts on 'learning formations' written over the summer on the topic of groups and networks. One thesis that characterizes the posts is the idea that because networks do not have staying power, they never get beyond the 'forming' and 'storming' stages of group formation. Viplav Baxi, Weblog, October 6, 2008 [Link] [Tags: none] [Comment]

Groups and Networks: Short Presentation
I've put together a short presentation of networks (connectives) and groups (collectives). Short view: it's all about networks. The big questions is about deciding in what ways we wish the network to be structured (or optimized) in relation to the types of tasks we want to achieve. George Siemens, , October 5, 2008 [Link] [Tags: none] [Comment]

Concerns About, and Arguments Against, Connectivism
Thoughtful dialogue has been prominent around many aspects of CCK08. The topics have ranged widely, allowing participants to sample and indulge where ever their interests or concerns exist. The debate has ranged from highly theoretical (knowledge and language) to practical (implementation in a classroom). As a young theory, many aspects of connectivism have not been fully explored and defined. Many strong critiques have been provided, questioning aspects of the theory or calling for greater clarity. So, I've put together a wiki page to track some of the concerns with and arguments against connectivism. By the end of the course, we'll try and at least tackle each topic. George Siemens, , October 5, 2008 [Link] [Tags: none] [Comment]

Contributions

Here's what course members from around the world had to say. Want to join the conversation? Login and submit your feed. Then put this at the beginning of your post: CCK08

CCK08 - Learning formations October 6, 2008
Catching up, - again October 6, 2008
CCK08 Week 1 Paper - Version 2.0 (Final Draft) October 5, 2008
5. Csoportok és hálózatok October 5, 2008
CCK08: Students begin to enter the blogroom October 5, 2008
CCK08: History of Networked Learning Timeline October 5, 2008
CCK08: What is Connectivism? A position based on 4 weeks in CCK08, an open Connectivism Course October 5, 2008
Mutiny on the Good Ship Connectivism! October 5, 2008
Concerns about, and arguments against, connectivism October 5, 2008
CCK08: Week 4, or since when have we used networks for learning October 5, 2008

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