This document discusses personal learning networks and navigating online communities. It touches on several topics: - Social networks allow for sharing of information and feedback through interaction and conversation. - Navigation is important in diverse online networks to help users feel oriented and find interesting paths. - Community networks can function like individuals by emerging from user interactions and dynamic content. - Knowledge is complex and shaped by others, so having ownership in a network is important for thought. - Certain unknowns are better left unknown as they make life interesting and give humanity purpose.

1. Human Groups called Networks1
Snippets from my personal lurking environment, but sharing in my
personal learning network

2. Social networks of activity and interaction of information – communicating, sharing,
flowing. Technological networks respond and react to feedback
Conversation is a continual assessment and analysis of information in process,
a personal network being defined by social interaction.
Contributing and feedback help us find ways of doing things differently...

4. “We need to learn which online behaviors actually contribute to another’s journey, as well
as which are neutral and what is in fact a request. Sometimes our “gifts” may be asking a
lot of the other. It is not always obvious. Critical feedback, for example, is abhorred by
some, tolerated by others and warmly welcome by a few.
Having learned what makes for great contributions, we then need to build habits and
reliably add value to the discussions we follow. This includes comments, coaching,
creating content and connecting people.”2
“Teachers would enter into a dialogue ‘as a process of learning and knowing’ with
learners, rather than the dialogue being a ‘conversation’ that would remain at the level of
‘the individual’s lived experience’ ”3

5. Visual navigation is important

6. “Social maps
Problem: In a diverse network, it’s easy for users to feel lost or disoriented. How can the
network make sense
of itself to users?”4
PLENK example: concept maps
http://bit.ly/ctYkBN
http://www.pearltrees.com/#/N-u=1_138211&N-f=1_1481797&N-s=1_1481797&N-p=10401772&N-play=0
“Trails leading in many directions
Problem: A network can be a large place, and not all obvious paths lead to interesting
directions. How can the network help users navigate in a flexible manner?” 5
PLENK example: a tool that allows a flexible trail and options for conversations
http://viaplenk.wordpress.com/2010/09/30/webgang-on-trailmeme/

8. “"Psychologists have found that one's mind can only attend to a certain amount of
information at a time. According to Miller's 1956 study, that number is about 126 bits of
information per second.
That may seem like a large number (and a lot of information), but simple daily tasks take
quite a lot of information. Just having a conversation takes about 40 bits of information
per second; that's 1/3 of one's capacity"...
a sense of coherence...
"More specifically, the "salutogenic model" is concerned with the relationship between
health, stress and coping." (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salutogenesis)”” 6

9. So how to get away from this?

10. Linked intelligence in the future

11. “If a knowledge network can emerge within a somewhat bounded community commons,
informed by the activities of its users through their interactions with one another and their
dynamic content base, could not this community, in essence, function as a ‘person’ – a
point of exposure for intelligent data?” 7
“Learning (and I don’t mean definitions or background) and the making of connections of
knowledge is something that is steeped in complexity. At each point we are structured in
the work (written in a book, sung in a song, spoken in a web session) of others that
constantly tests our own connections and further complexifies our understanding. This is
the pattern of knowledge as i understand it.
It is organic, and messy, and subject to subtle manipulations (intended or otherwise) of
power. Having a place of ownership within that complexity, whether we call it ‘the
personal’ or not, is vital to emancipated thought.” 8

12. “I believe that being human means that certain things are better off ‘unknown’. These
‘unknowns’ make us think, make life interesting, and give humanity a purpose” 9

14. References – with thanks to:
1. Chesney J (2010) How will we build human groups called networks, PLENK discussion forum, available at:
http://ple.elg.ca/course/moodle/mod/forum/discuss.php?d=466
2. LeBlanc S (2010) PLN Competencies, Ponderances of Steve blog, available at:
http://sleve.wordpress.com/2010/10/25/pln-competencies/
3. Kop R (2010) Formal Learners have the best of both worlds, Observations about Learning, Knowledge and
Technology, available at: http://ritakop.blogspot.com/2010/10/formal-learners-have-best-of-both_15.html
4. Wilson S (2008)p15, Patterns of personal learning environments,Institute for Educational Cybernetics,
Educational Cybernetics: Journal Articles, available at:
http://digitalcommons.bolton.ac.uk/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1005&context=iec_journalspr
5. Wilson S (2008) p16, Patterns of personal learning environments,Institute for Educational Cybernetics,
Educational Cybernetics: Journal Articles, available at:
http://digitalcommons.bolton.ac.uk/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1005&context=iec_journalspr
6. Gustavsson L (2010) Flow, Mindfulness, Salutogenesis, PLENK discussion forum, available at:
http://ple.elg.ca/course/moodle/mod/forum/discuss.php?d=408
7. McGrath W (2010) Could Intelligent data inform at the community level?, Finding Gold in the Interstices – A
PLEa for EduCoherence blog, available at:
http://wmcgrath.edublogs.org/2010/10/01/could-intelligent-data-inform-at-the-community-level/
8. Cormier D (2010), Disaggregate people not power part two now with more manifesto, Dave's Educational blog,
available at:
http://davecormier.com/edblog/2010/10/10/disaggregate-people-not-power-part-two-now-with-more-manifesto/
9. Foliaki V (2010), Linked Data, PLENK discussion forum: available at:
http://ple.elg.ca/course/moodle/mod/forum/discuss.php?d=378#p2179

15. Images – with thanks to:
1. Ppdigital at Morguefile: http://www.morguefile.com/archive/display/48468
2. Alvimann at Morguefile: http://www.morguefile.com/archive/display/684533
3. Clarita at Morguefile: http://www.morguefile.com/archive/display/12740
4. Matt Mullenweg at Ma.tt: http://ma.tt/2010/11/on-distraction/
5. Badrobot at Morguefile: http://www.morguefile.com/archive/display/129616
6. Chelle at Morguefile: http://www.morguefile.com/archive/display/135428