This document discusses the principles of rhizomatic learning and their application to teaching. It explores how a rhizomatic approach encourages diverse connections between people, ideas, and resources without centralized organization or predefined outcomes. While some learners found value in following self-directed paths, others felt alienated by a lack of structure or experienced subgroups forming. There is a discussion around whether learners need boundaries or can create their own curriculum through peer interaction in open online spaces.

1. Jenny Mackness and Frances Bell
Teaching and Learning in
the Rhizome:
challenges and
possibilities

2. Rhizomatic Learning: The
Community is the Curriculum
(Rhizo14)
‘What happens when we approach a learning
experience and we don’t know what we are
going to learn?
Where each student can learn something a
little bit different – together?’

3. Principles of
the Rhizome
Connection
“A rhizome ceaselessly
establishes connections
between semiotic chains
..” p7
Heterogeneity
“There is no ideal speaker
listener [ ] there is [no]
homogeneous linguistic
community.” p7
Relevance to Teaching
and Learning
Encourage ceaseless connection and diversity in
people, ideas and resources. The system has no
beginning or end, and can be entered at any point.

4. Principles of
the Rhizome
Relevance to Teaching
and Learning
Multiplicity
“There is no unity to
serve as a pivot in the
object or to divide in
the subject.” p8
A-signifying Rupture
“A rhizome may be
broken [ ] but it will
start up again on one
of its old lines, or on
new lines.” p9
Design is a-centred
and anti-hierarchical. It
allows for breakaway
groups or individuals
to reorganise in
locations of their own
choice.

5. Cartography
“.. [a] map that is always [
] modifiable and has
multiple entryways and
exits and its own lines of
flight” p21
Decalcomania
“The tracing has [ ]
translated the map into an
image, it has already
transformed the rhizome
into roots and radicles.”
p6
Principles of
the Rhizome
Relevance to Teaching
and Learning
Learners create and
follow self-selected,
individual pathways
and embrace
uncertainty without
attempts to predict
learning outcomes.

6. Dazzling Rhizo14
And on P2PU, G+,
Facebook Group, Twitter ,
Diigo, Storify …
by David Clow CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

7. Looking beneath the surface
Revealed in anonymous survey –
different experiences - views that didn’t
appear in open course survey
• “disjointed networks of pre-
established subgroups.”
• the community as having a “dark
edge.”
Observable conflict about theory v
practice
As Tanya Lau observed – there was a
possibility of alienation alongside all the
engagement
by David Clow CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

8. Locating Learning in the Rhizome
DISCUSSION
Learning requires boundaries
Learners cannot be trusted to select and follow their
own learning paths
Learners can create their own curriculum through
peer interaction
Learners and teachers know how to balance freedom
and responsibility in social learning spaces

9. Resources
Rhizo14 home page
Cormier, D. (2014). Rhizomatic Learning: The Community is the Curriculum P2PU
Philosophy that inspired Rhizomatic Learning – a very long read
Deleuze, G., & Guattari, F. (1987). A Thousand Plateaus. (p. 1–629). Minneapolis:
University of Minnesota Press.
Participant’s research article on MOOCs including Rhizo14.
Lau, Y. (2014).
Engagement or alienation? Reflections on MOOC design, facilitator role, and context.
Journal of Global Literacies, Technologies, and Emerging Pedagogies, 2 (3), p.236–240.
Our first research article on Rhizo14
Mackness, J. & Bell, F. (2015).Rhizo14: A Rhizomatic Learning cMOOC in Sunlight and in
Shade. Open Praxis 7 (1), p.25-38
Images from Mariana Funes’ blog post http://mdvfunes.com/2015/05/27/principles-of-the-
rhizome-just-a-graphic/
Lightning tour of Principles of Rhizome
Skip to end part of Rhizomatic thinking in this MOOC section where Wikipedia summary
is linked to Keith Hamon’s writing.

10. Thank You 
Jenny Mackness
Independent Education
Consultant and
Researcher
jenny.mackness@btopenworld.com
jennymackness.wordpress.com
Frances Bell
Itinerant Scholar
frabell@gmail.com
francesbell.wordpress.com