Take a look at this excellent SlideShare presenation on The Mico-Sociology of Networks by David Armano.
After you are done ask yourself if this is going to change they way you teach learners, reach learners, and connect with learners. Take a look at The Great 8 Catalytic Questions and the SlideShare below.
The Great 8 Catalytic Questions
1. Your learners are creators of content not just consumers or your content. How does that change things for you?
2.
Your learners expect to share their ideas with others and have others
share their ideas with them. How are you creating opportunities for
your learners to share?
3. The social circle of your learners
is a path of teaching. Their circle is bigger than the classroom and
bigger than the school. It may include people from all points on the
globe. How are you accounting for this network? How can you leverage it
for greater teaching and learning?
4. If you have any sort of
digital footprint, it is very likely that your students have seen parts
of or your entire digital footprint. How are you preparing your self
for educational brand management? How will you interact with students online outside of the classroom?
5.
Connections are the "new currency" of the 21st Century. How are you
preparing your students to thoughtfully build, manage, and leverage
this "new currency?"
6. Your learners do not view the
educational establishment as the only means of teaching. Their network
is a means of teaching. There is a shift away from the classroom to the
Open Model of Education. How are you preparing yourself for this disruptive shift in education?
7.
You are a filter. Are you filtering information for your learners and
teaching them to do the same, or are you blocking information from your
learners and showing them you don't trust them or understand their
world?
8. Do you see now that you are more important than
ever? The network needs you. Your learners need you. What are you doing
to equip yourself to be there for them?
David is brilliant, and like him, many "outside" the field of education get this! I love the questions that you included and look forward to sharing them. Great conversations starters as well as reflective opportunity for teachers and education leaders.
I beleive that unless, teachers are understand this currency 1st hand by being connected themselves, it will be very difficult for them to model the urgency and power of this learning mindset for their students. What do you think?
Posted by: Angela Maiers | March 08, 2009 at 05:16 PM