A learner is like a runner in a relay race. Each relay runner receives a baton from the runner before them. The first runner accumulates a certain amount of knowledge and passes it on to the next in line. Each consecutive runner, as they are running their portion of the race, takes the previous runner's knowledge and adds to it, either from outside sources or from their own experience and makes connections. According to Siemens article, "Learning is focused on connecting specialized information sets, and the connections that enable us to learn more are more important than our current state of knowing." In "The Impact of Social Media on Learning", Siemens states that "Our learning today is one of forming networks with each other. Our tools enable that effortlessly and in a way that's very human to us." He also says, "When we have the dialogue, we ourselves grow in our knowledge. We grow in our understanding of our own ideas." I chose the idea of a runner in a relay race because each successive runner carries more information than the one before them. In "The Network is Learning" Siemens states that "The way we are connected to other individuals is largely responsible for our ability to continue to stay current." This relates to the relay runner analogy because each runner is connected to the one before them. Each successive runner is more knowledge and more current than the ones before them. "In a knowledge economy, the flow of information is the equivalent of the oil pipe in an industrial economy. Creating, preserving, and utilizing information flow should be a key organizational activity." (Siemens, 2005.)
Stephanie,
ReplyDeleteYou have grasped the essentail elements of Siemen's concept of learning. Another concept that he often mentions is the necessity of keeping in touch with people who have different perspectives on things than we have. He posits that the exchange of ideas between people who think differently results in learning for all.
Dr. Burgos