Teaching & Learning in a Networked Age

   Quest 2010
   Richmond Hill, Ontario

   By Dr. Alec Couros
   University of Regina
#yrdsbquest
The Blur
“Web 2.0 tools exist that might allow academics to reflect and
     reimagine what they do as scholars. Such tools might
  positively affect -- even transform - research, teaching, and
   service responsibilities - only if scholars choose to build
 serious academic lives online, presenting semi-public selves
 and becoming invested in and connected to the work of their
 peers and students.” (Greenhow, Robella, & Hughes, 2009)




                                             http://edr.sagepub.com/cgi/content/full/38/4/246
Visitors vs. Residents
context

 inspirations

the road ahead
context
Informal Learning


                  •   “Informal learning is a
                      significant aspect of our
                      learning experience.
                      Formal education no
                      longer comprises the
                      majority of our learning.”

                  •

George Siemens

                             http://www.elearnspace.org/Articles/connectivism.htm
Access
Free/Open Content
  “describes any kind of creative work in a
  format that explicitly allows copying and
 modifying of its information by anyone, not
exclusively by a closed organization, firm, or
           individual.” (Wikipedia)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/9119028@N05/591163479/
Participatory
                               Media




http://www.flickr.com/photos/rosauraochoa/3256859352/sizes/z/in/photostream/
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/07/24/obama-in-berlin-video-of_n_114771.html
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/07/24/obama-in-berlin-video-of_n_114771.html
media stats (2009)

•   90 trillion emails sent annually from 1.4 billion email
    users

•   234 million websites

•   1.73 billion Internet users

•   126 millions blogs

•   350 million Facebook users

•   4 billion images on Flickr

•   2.5 billion photos uploaded every month on Facebook
                             Stats as of Jan 22/10 via Royal Pingdom
http://youtube-global.blogspot.com/2010/11/great-scott-over-35-hours-of-video.html
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/07/24/obama-in-berlin-video-of_n_114771.html
danah boyd

pay attention to ...

•Properties: persistence,
replicability, searchability,
scalability, (de)locatability.

•Dynamics: invisible audiences,
collapsed contexts, blurring of
public & private spaces           @zephoria
Networks




http://www.flowtown.com/blog/the-2010-social-networking-map
Network Literacies



                     •   “Understanding how
                         networks work is one of
                         the most important
                         literacies of the 21st
                         century.” (2010)



Howard Rheingold
networks

•   redefine communities,
    friends, citizenship,
    identity, presence, privacy,
    publics, geography.
•   enable learning,
    communication, sharing,
    collaboration, community.
•   networks form around
    shared interests &
    objects.
Howard Rheingold

                   http://www.anduro.com/calgary-mayor-race.html
http://www.anduro.com/calgary-mayor-race.html
Personal Learning Network
connections
practice
Challenges of Participatory Culture


                “How do we ensure that every
                child has access to skills and
                experiences need to become
                a full participant in the social,
                cultural, economic, and
                political future of our society?”


Henry Jenkins
Example #1: Transparent Walls




                         @royanlee
Example #2: Advocacy of Sharing




                        @thecleversheep
Example #3: Shared Global Experiences




 @langwitches   @hdurnin   @glassbeed
Example #4: Making It Relevant




                        @danikabarker
Example #5: Meaningful Connections




                            @courosa
Example #6: Rethinking Classroom Time




                             @karlfisch
Example #7: PD Anytime, Anywhere
there are hundreds of examples



   but this is NOT the norm
http://twitter.com/#!/dougpete/ontario-educators
the road ahead
21st Century Learning


•   “What happens to
    traditional concepts of
    classrooms and
    teaching when we can
    now learn anything,
    anywhere, anytime?”


                              Will Richardson
Embrace Our Reality
Connect with Others
Create a Culture of Sharing




                              http://www.flickr.com/photos/dolmansaxlil/4802611949/
Let Go Of Control




http://www.flickr.com/photos/admitchell08/2574455073
Private   Public

Closed    Open
“We need to move beyond the
 idea that education is something
     that is provided for us, and
toward the idea that an education
    is something that we create
              ourselves.”
            (Downes, 2010)
Donʼt limit a child to your own
 learning, for he was born in
    another time. ~Tagore



      http://couros.ca
    couros@gmail.com
         @courosa

Teaching & Learning in a Networked Age