- What is your perspective on the notion of a ‘fluid’ epistemology as proposed by Dede–that is, that knowledge is collectively negotiated and ratified as opposed to being ‘given’?
Dede brought up a number of different views that I had not thought about in the past. For example, I had never heard of the word “epistemologically” before reading this article, and I had never really challenged the “Classical Perspective” of knowledge. The Web 2.0 definition of knowledge: “collective agreement about a description that may combine facts with other dimensions of human experience, such as opinions, values, and spiritual beliefs” is something that initially I would think to challenge. I think that I think this way because of some of the lectures I have heard in the past from professors and help-desk workers assisting me with finding “valid information”. As I continued reading the article, and came across the section that discussed how most present educators choose to ignore certain aspects of Web 2.0 technology for various reasons, my thinking started to shift a bit. Why should students be limited to only the resources and tools that one professor may have to share? Many professors that I know have expressed their opinions that yes, just as Dede states, “social networking sites are useless or dangerous”. Many believe that unless a perspective comes from a “disciplinary scholar” it is not worth reading or researching.
According to the Dede text, “Many students who excel academically do not fare well later in life; the challenges of work, citizenship, and daily life do not resemble the multiple-choice items on high-stakes tests.” I can relate to this quote because I know a person very well who does extremely well on tests and would be considered “book smart”; however, this person struggles with day to day tasks and sometimes lacks what some call common sense. Would these types of people be better off if they had professors who believed in the Web 2.0 definition of knowledge? I believe someone who does take advantage of Web 2.0 creativity by using resources such as wikis, podcasts, blogs, Twitter, Facebook, Flicker, RSS feeds, etc. will be more well-rounded overall- not just “book smart”.
2. How does connectivism relate to the epistemological shift described by Dede?
A significant trend in learning that the Connectivism text highlights is: “Informal learning is a significant aspect of our learning experience. Formal education no longer comprises the majority of our learning. Learning now occurs in a variety of ways”. As the video “Networked Student” shares, “Learning occurs as part of a social network of many diverse connections and ties this network is made possible by various tools of technology. The tools themselves are not as important as the connections made possible by them.” If you go out on that limb and are encouraged by educators to find that expert and ask them if they would be willing to share their expertise with you, you will make connections that you never thought were possible before in that traditional classroom relying on the “classical perspective” of knowledge.
Pingback: Group 3 – Personal Learning Networks II | Emerging Learning Technologies
….As the video “Networked Student” shares, “Learning occurs as part of a social network of many diverse connections and ties this network is made possible by various tools of technology. The tools themselves are not as important as the connections made possible by them.”
I think this is a great quote. The tools don’t really matter because the tools change all the time, and we can’t pretend to know what will develop next. Teaching our students to think critically about finding innovative ways to interact with new information matters so much more.
Hi Shelby, this statement “Informal learning is a significant aspect of our learning experience. Formal education no longer comprises the majority of our learning. Learning now occurs in a variety of ways” from Connectivism: A learning theory for the digital age (Siemens, 2004) also stood out to me.
It is impossible to learn everything during formal education because we don’t really know what specific knowledge is required on the job, if and when we get the job or a job. Hence informal learning from friends and colleagues becomes a huge part of our learning experience over the years. Fortunately for the internet we now can self-service for just in time knowledge that is verifiable.
Siemens states that “Connectivism also addresses the challenges that many corporations face in knowledge management activities. Knowledge that resides in a database needs to be connected with the right people in the right context in order to be classified as learning” – I can see a strong context for network learning in multinational corporations where I used to work for many years. “This cycle of knowledge development (personal to network to organization) allows learners to remain current in their field through the connections they have formed” but it requires some effort to keep the knowledge development / management going, which can be a downside unless the return on investment of time is good. I think my perception of connectivism is still parochial as I have not really attempted to get out into the open.