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October 15, 2008
Today we welcome Alec Couros into our course and our week 6 discussion of chaos and complexity. Two Elluminate discussions (both sessions can be accessed via this link): 11 am CST: See time zone conversions7 pm CST: See time zone conversions. Alec Couros will be presenting during both times, followed by informal conversation.
Connected Without Modem?
Is feedback a form of coercion? Muru writes, "I have seen some behaviourism taking place in the feedback or lack of feedback given, I perceive some kind of light coercion going on, not in a direct way. It is in a vicarious way, I ignore your behavior and acknowledge the behaviour that I consider right for you to imitate. Let me explain myself, I feel kind of forced to post in a certain way in order to receive feedback, no one has sent an email or left a comment here saying something like 'your posts lack focus' or 'your map is not linked' or something of the sort."
Maru,
Maru's blog as e-Learner. Insights and ideas,
October 15, 2008 [Link] [Tags: none]
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Complexity, Chaos, and Emergence
Last week was a travel week, causing some delays in putting forward a short article on this week's theme. I have now posted an article on complexity, chaos, and emergence. While chaos and complexity have their origin in physical sciences (making overly ambitions comparisons suspect), we can gain insight that serves as a foundation for connectivism and for learning in general. I offer a few thoughts on how chaos and complexity relate to education.
George Siemens,
,
October 14, 2008 [Link] [Tags: none]
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CCK08: I've Had an Ephiphany About Emergent Learning
Wendy succinctly expresses the intent of this week's discussion: "People tell me that uncertainty comes with age. I have to admit I see less black and white in the world these days and a whole lot more gray. I continually marvel at the human need to simplify extremely complex ideas. We are always looking for that one cause to explain an issue or problem (e.g. cancer, economic collapse, student failure in school, poverty). The reality is that all of these problems are the result of complex systems."
We are now in our final week of building the foundation of connectivism. I'll provide a short video tomorrow to tie pieces together. For now, however, it's worth noting that the same error we've made with traditional sciences - the assumption that the universe is a clock rather than a system or ecology - has been made in learning. While most educators wouldn't make the explicit statement that learning is mechanistic, our education system broadcasts that view.
Wendy,
,
October 14, 2008 [Link] [Tags: none]
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CCK08 WEEK FIVE: GROUPS VS NETWORKS VS COMMUNITIES
Dave Pollard takes exception with my explanation of connectives and collectives: "Can groups be dangerous? Of course. Groupthink has ruined many once-great companies. Cults are one of the scourges of civilization. Mobs, of organized criminals, religious zealots or drunken college students, can cause havoc and heartache and ruin lives.
But groups of people with a shared purpose and shared set of values and principles have also, as Margaret Mead has said, achieved important changes that would not have been possible any other way. They are what we call communities.
Networks are useful for the reasons explained in Granovetter's "Strength of Weak Ties". They are 'farm teams' for the communities that you do your most important work with, the 'trade routes' between communities. They are often delightful, stimulating, and helpful when you need something in a hurry. But to me, networks are too loose, too fragmented to be communities or to accomplish any of the important things that communities can do."
Dave Pollard,
,
October 14, 2008 [Link] [Tags: none]
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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
How do I drive this thing? October 15, 2008
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Copyright 2008 Connectivism & Connective Knowledge
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