What happens when learning is connected? Learning accelerates. It deepens in meaning. And it reveals shared values. When I think of how learning has evolved, one thing has remained at the core of learning: a sense of community.
Imagine how connectivity has been accelerated through social media. Learners choose their affinity groups, and connect with people of like mindsets, or better yet, engage in vigourous discussion with those who have slightly different points of view. Somewhere in that liminal digital space, either a shift in mindset occurs, or a viewpoint is re-affirmed.
Our young people have taken to connected learning naturally. In many educational contexts, we think of connected digital learning as an add-on, or worse, a distraction. If all of our necessary learning took place inside one room, or one building, with one person as the audience, then we could justify some of our concerns. Unfortunately, the gap between connected learning outside of school and the mainly contained learning inside of school has widened, and we are missing an opportunity to learn from each other across educational contexts, through a variety of mentors and peers.
The challenge (better yet, “opportunity”) for educators is to determine how we can effectively and appropriately leverage social media for accelerating learning in a broader community, in a network of learners. This challenge extends to us to role model connected learning ourselves in order to authentically embed it into our own learning contexts.
To this end, Kootenay Leadership in Learning hopes to provide a networked venue for educators to discover the power of connectivity in a digital community. Join us in a collective learning journey in a supportive environment. Welcome to your community!
Kootenay Leadership in Learning 