The document discusses the concept of a pedagogy of abundance compared to traditional scarcity-based models. A pedagogy of abundance would be based on assumptions that content is free, abundant, varied and easily shared in a social, connected environment. It explores approaches like resource-based learning, problem-based learning, constructivism, and communities of practice as possible models and concludes that either existing theories need recasting for new technologies or a new theory is required to capture changes in behavior.
12. What would a pedagogy of abundance look like? http://www.flickr.com/photos/42903611@N00/387761039/
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Editor's Notes
I want to explore whether there is anything in this idea, so it’s not really a presentation of a well thought out theory, more a sharing of a half-baked idea.
My starting point is to use changes in economic models as a metaphor or comparison for changes in pedagogy
Don’t get too hung up on the economic angle
Let’s start with basic economics – it is mostly based around a model of scarcity, of limited resources. Be it food, energy, goods, expertise, knowledge – 5 minute university – supply and demand is all you need to know. The more scarce something is and the higher the demand the more it costs. We build models to control this equation
I often use changes in the music industry but with the metaphors are dangerous caveat. So in the music industry talent is scarce, and it’s also hard to find. SO you employ A&R people to find it, then you record it, and manufacture products based on demand. You then need a physical network to distribute this – access used to be scare – if you wanted a record you had to wait, your local shop may not have it etc
But a different model applies when it becomes abundant. Talent is still scarce, but locating it is easy, distributing it is free, the content can be reproduced at zero cost. All the previous model which was based on scarcity breaks down
There are two responses – those that accept the new abundance and try to work with it and those that try to recreate the scarcity model Long tail – eg amazon, netflix, etc Freemium – eg flickr Services – eg open source Offer digita version for free but pay for physical object – some publishers Run it by ads – everyone Contentv is free but pay for some real experience – eg gigs Relation with business
Scarcity responses want to reestablish the previous model in the digital age – so strict DRM that prevents you sharing or copying, strong legal enforcement, even subscription models to conent
If we now think about education – it too was based on a scarcity model.
We can think of many existing practices as embodying these principles of scarcity
Look at some contenders RBL conceptualises learning as a process which foregrounds the importance of the resources available to learners and in so doing presupposes that the interaction between the learner(s) and the resources (which may include human resources) is the main structuring device of the learning situation
Characteristics of PBL are:Learning is driven by challenging, open-ended problems.Students work in small collaborative groups.Teachers take on the role as "facilitators" of learning
“ Social constructivist scholars view learning as an active process where learners should learn to discover principles, concepts and facts for themselves, hence the importance of encouraging guesswork and intuitive thinking in learners (Brown et al.1989; Ackerman 1996). In fact, for the social constructivist, reality is not something that we can discover because it does not pre-exist prior to our social invention of it. Kukla (2000) argues that reality is constructed by our own activities and that people, together as members of a society, invent the properties of the world. ”
describes a group of people who share an interest, a craft, and/or a profession. It is in the process of sharing information and experiences in that group that the members learn from each other, and have an opportunity to develop themselves personally and professionally See also situated learning, cognitive apprenticeship
Learning and knowledge rests in diversity of opinions. Learning is a process of connecting specialized nodes or information sources. Learning may reside in non-human appliances. Capacity to know more is more critical than what is currently known Nurturing and maintaining connections is needed to facilitate continual learning. Ability to see connections between fields, ideas, and concepts is a core skill. Currency (accurate, up-to-date knowledge) is the intent of all connectivist learning activities. Decision-making is itself a learning process. Choosing what to learn and the meaning of incoming information is seen through the lens of a shifting reality. While there is a right answer now, it may be wrong tomorrow due to alterations in the information climate affecting the decision