To me a Learner is like an unsorted pile of rocks. Like a pile of rocks it comes to class with chunks of knowledge already gathered. Some of the "rocks" were obtained as a part of formal learning and others as informal learning. People gather knowledge from a variety of places, however in this fast paced world it seems that places like the internet are becoming major influences on our knowledge. "Informal learning is a significant part of our learning", however sometimes it can lead to wrong conclusions and misconceptions. Teachers are the sorters of the rocks, keeping what is good, and tossing what is incorrect. Like a learner, the bag of rocks has empty spaces that are continually being filled. The learner is part of a "social element", which is constantly evolving. As the environment around the learner changes, so does the learner, just as a pile of rocks changes with it's surrounding environment.
Siemens, G. (2005, January). Connectivism: A Learning Theory for the Digital Age. International Journal of Instructional Technology and Distance Learning
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YMcTHndpzYg&feature=PlayList&p=3E43054A8703F57A&index=0
I love your photo and your analogy. The photo looks like a classroom of building blocks. I think you can never find an end to learning when you use the useful materials around you. I never thought of using a rock, but rocks carry important elements and we need to stack and sort those useful materials in order to learn.
ReplyDeleteLove the analogy!! I agree with Hissen. Education is never ending and empowering!!!
ReplyDeleteInformal learning is a huge part of our knowledge base. There are so many things that kids do not learn in a formal classroom. We have to be able to decide what we can do to tie in the information we know with what they know. That connection is the most important part, making it relevant to life.
ReplyDeleteMegan,
ReplyDeleteI especially like your comment, "The learner is part of a 'social element', which is constantly evolving." That follows Siemens idea of tectonic shifts and also allows for the learner's piles of rocks to be rearranged by both the world at large and by the "bumping" up against other rocks during realignment of thoughts.
Dr. Burgos