Sims Learning Connections

This is both a Part-3 continuation of Fortress, Gated Community, and Free-range Learning and a belated return to PKM and PLE, now think use cases where I wrote “more to come another day.” It is also part-1 of at least two specific to ‘Making Connections for Learning’.

I did begin my own mindmapping attempt at a comprehensive list of PLE use cases; however, since starting that I became aware of the JISC CETIS PLE Report that includes this section on PLE Patterns and Sevices and within that a small subsection for three PLE Scenarios. I am now using some time to further digest that material before continuing my own efforts in this area.

That said, while it is fresh in my mind from the writing of the last few days, I’ll put some more down now regarding the PLE use case for connecting with people (creating a learning network) and joining communities for the benefit of personal learning. I.E., how does an informal learner attract or find individuals; and find or create communities to achieve a particular learning objective or goal? This connects most directly with the Context Patterns and Team Patterns within the above report.

A preliminary list of possible goals for connecting with others:

1. Seeking co-journeyers for idea-sharing, group practice, moral support, and/or motivation. A metaphorical, if not literal, study-group.
2. Seeking collaborators to not only learn from but to also created a shared work product; for example, a conference presentation or white paper
3. Seeking critics for constructive feedback, whom may or may not be co-journeyers
4. Seeking subject matter experts and thought leaders to learn from (teachers or tutors). These are not co-journeyers per se as they already know the learning objective. ‘Sage on the Stage’ archetype.
5. Seeking learning coach (tutor), either for short or long-term. ‘Guide on the side’ archetype.
6. Seeking (largely or entirely passive) readers and listeners for mirroring and/or ego validation and otherwise motivation to continue the learning exploration

Some questions to ask yourself that will further guide choice of tools and methods:

1. How codified is the existing body of knowledge related to the learning objective? For example, the difference between management (well codified) and “Web 2.0″ (emergent)
2. To achieve access to diverse and cutting-edge thinking am I willing to incur the additional distraction and inefficiency of occasional wasted efforts in my learning? How important is presumptive quality? (credit to Terry Anderson’s Learning in Networks for refining my thinking here)
3. How public can I be, or am I willing to be, with my learning? Are there potential downsides to learning in public? For example, perhaps the learning objective relates to knowledge or skill that by nature of my employment I would be expected to already have mastered — in this case, a more private approach might be the prudent course.
4. Are there potential intellectual property concerns related to either what needs to be discussed or what new knowledge might emerge?
5. How much do I want to be within a community learning environment? Is interaction with others paramount, or more of a bonus, or viewed as a potentially necessary evil to accomplish the objective?
6. To achieve the learning objective, will I be pursuing formal learning in addition to informal learning?
7. How might my existing network be leveraged to accomplish the objective?
8. Do I have a financial budget for this learning objective? Am I willing to spend money to accelerate or ensure my learning?
9. What is the time-frame? Is there an upcoming compelling event that defines a particular learning milestone? For example, a start-date for a consulting engagement where a new or refined skill will be put to use.

Options include:

1. Joining an existing professional society or community of practice within which to pursue the learning objective
2. Joining an existing learning community (e.g. what was LearningFlow and is now becoming Two Brains) Note to self: find other options in this category.
3. Leveraging existing online discussion group(s)
4. Informally attracting others; for example, via your own blog or other writing
5. Searching out others that fit profile sought (e.g. subject matter expert) and building a relationship (connection) with them. Inside the Fortress company this might be via some form of expert locator. Outside the firewall this can be via social network tools such as LinkedIn.
6. Creating own community; either for short-term or long-term. Note to self: dig more into use case of a quickly formed and temporary community used to jointly achieve a particular learning objective and then disband.
7. Seeking a referral from an existing node in your network
8. Attending the appropriate conferences with intention of targeted networking
9. Others? (what have I missed)

Closing thought: Within the “Web 2.0″ world, our current tools and methods to accomplish the above are promising, although still inadequate. See Tony Karrer’s Blogs, Community and Discussion Tracking – What’s Really Needed where he describes some of what is currently available and possible (for example, for number #4 and 6 immediately above), along with concluding similarly.