Tag: connectivism

For two years now I’ve read all my previous postings on a day, every day. Early next week I will start my third round through the archives. Today it is also two years since I started using Obsidian.md for my notes. All my little lists as E sometimes likes to joke about them (while increasingly making her own also in Obsidian btw). This morning I was reading a blogpost from a few years ago, and immediately two things stood out as concepts. They were just mentioned passingly in the blogpost, but this time they seemed more meaningful than their place in the original text suggested. Off I went down a little rabbithole, writing both notions up and connecting them to the current things that make them stand out to me now, and incorporating other references.

I find it rather amazing and awesome that I can return to my plain blogposts of old and have a new conversation with myself that way.

It also points to the importance of finding better bridges and connections between my personal notes and my blog in both directions. A more fluent going back and forth, while respecting the different spaces they form. For writing to my blog from my notes I have things well arranged now I think, but the other way and linking between them, less so. Something to think about.

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After the great and fun Unconference in honour of Elmine’s birthday last Friday and Saturday, bringing me new insights and ideas, this week too will be stuffed with learning.

Today and tomorrow I will participate in Dave Snowden’s Cognitive Edge course on complexity, embracing uncertainty, business narratives, and sense making through human networked information filtering. I have been looking forward to this a lot. Ever since 2003 I have been using bits and pieces of Dave Snowden’s work in my take on knowledge work, learning and innovation, after hearing him speak at a KM conference. But it would be useful to hear a more complete story from Dave Snowden and see how his thinking as evolved, as well as what kind of tool set he has build around it.

Next week will see the start of George Siemens and Stephen Downes‘s on-line course on Connectivism. Both George Siemens and Stephen Downes have been part of my on-line neighbourhood for a long time, and their views on learning resonate with me very much. Connectivism makes up a big part of how I have constructed my basic information gathering and sense making process through social filtering. Now they are doing an on-line course, as part of the curriculum of the University of Manitoba. It seems already more than 1600 people from around the globe have signed up for it. Check the course blog and course wiki for more info. This course will run almost until December, and promises to be very exciting. Both Elmine and I will be taking part, and it will be fun to see our different routes and takes on this as the course develops over the coming 12 weeks.

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(Cross posted from Elmine and my newly opened Bookblog.)

I have been following George Siemens through his blog in the past years. Last fall his book Knowing Knowledge was published and I was asked by a Dutch association for e-learning, to review the book, shortly before it went to the presses. This review has been published in Dutch as well as English, so you can have a read over there. In the book he explains what he calls Connectivism as a learning strategy.

Suffice to say here that what Siemens identifies as the list of skills one needs to deal with the massive abundance of information and knowledge fits completely with my own thinking on dealing with information overload and the shifting nature of knowledge work. A worthwile book. And while you’re at it, have a look a these videoclips as well.

Summing up Connectivism: Knowledge now means to be connected, learning now is connecting and building networks.
The book can also be downloaded for free. The illustrations are available through Flickr. But I find that owning it helps, as the format invites consulting it often, browsing and jumping back and forth. Not so easily done on screen. Discussion is invited on the Knowing Knowledge website.
Also there is currently an on-line conference underway with daily interesting presentations. Sheets and recordings are available as well, as well as discussion.