The Professional Networked Learning Collaborative has a large network surface area. Network surface area is a measurement of the extent and number of connections from the team members who are physically present with each other, and community partners, useful outsiders, specialists, consultants, professors, etc. who join the network as virtual team members for a time to help the work of the team.
Each member can potentially leverage not only their network, but also the network of others who are in their network. This principle is known as Metcalfe’s Law. The number of potential connections between nodes grows more quickly than the number of nodes. The total value of the network where each node can reach every other node in the network grows with the square of the number of nodes. In other words, when PNLC members connect their networks, it creates more value than the sum of networks independently.
The Professional Networked Learning Collaborative is not as agile as a single individual or even a small grade level or department Professional Learning Community. But it has a greater knowledge mass and greater knowledge mass is advantageous because in the words of Peter Drucker, “Mass enables the organization to put to work a great many more kinds of knowledge and skill that could possibly be combined in any one person or small group.”
More knowledge and skill brought to bear to increase student achievement is the power of knowledge mass.
The ability to leverage the surface area of the networked collaborative and the mass of its knowledge on to a specific topic or problem is the level of cognitive concentration. The number of minds applied to any given topic, question, or problem. The level of cognitive concentration is what allows the Professional Networked Learning Collaborative to be so effective in solving student learning issues, creativity, and problem solving. More minds working on a single problem generates higher levels of potential solutions.
Collaborative Focus = _____Problem or Question to be solved or answered______
Cognitive Concentration = (Network Surface Area x Mass of Knowledge)
The power of the Professional Networked Learning Collaborative is the power of collaborative focus. A power that can be described through a formula dividing a problem or question with cognitive concentration, the product of network surface area and mass of knowledge. This is the formula for the next evolution of collaboration and teams in education in the form of a Professional Networked Learning Collaborative.
Each member can potentially leverage not only their network, but also the network of others who are in their network. This principle is known as Metcalfe’s Law. The number of potential connections between nodes grows more quickly than the number of nodes. The total value of the network where each node can reach every other node in the network grows with the square of the number of nodes. In other words, when PNLC members connect their networks, it creates more value than the sum of networks independently.
Network Surface Area = (# Team Members x Member Networks2)
The greater the number of network members the greater the network surface area of the Professional Networked Learning Collaborative.
The Professional Networked Learning Collaborative is not as agile as a single individual or even a small grade level or department Professional Learning Community. But it has a greater knowledge mass and greater knowledge mass is advantageous because in the words of Peter Drucker, “Mass enables the organization to put to work a great many more kinds of knowledge and skill that could possibly be combined in any one person or small group.”
More knowledge and skill brought to bear to increase student achievement is the power of knowledge mass.
The ability to leverage the surface area of the networked collaborative and the mass of its knowledge on to a specific topic or problem is the level of cognitive concentration. The number of minds applied to any given topic, question, or problem. The level of cognitive concentration is what allows the Professional Networked Learning Collaborative to be so effective in solving student learning issues, creativity, and problem solving. More minds working on a single problem generates higher levels of potential solutions.
Collaborative Focus = _____Problem or Question to be solved or answered______
Cognitive Concentration = (Network Surface Area x Mass of Knowledge)
The power of the Professional Networked Learning Collaborative is the power of collaborative focus. A power that can be described through a formula dividing a problem or question with cognitive concentration, the product of network surface area and mass of knowledge. This is the formula for the next evolution of collaboration and teams in education in the form of a Professional Networked Learning Collaborative.
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