When you build a house, the most important elements are those that you can’t see: the foundation, the wiring, the plumbing. We may be wowed by the quartz countertops and the hardwood flooring, but the real quality is hidden underneath.

The same, I have discovered, applies to learning networks. George Veletsianos places great emphasis on the design of learning environments and organizational structures. Like the structural elements of a home, “While these issues are significant, they are oftentimes hidden” (Digital Learning Environments, 2016, p. 255).

While this initial research and design sets the stage for success of a learning network, they are not straightforward tasks. Dron and Anderson allude to this, “Network learning is qualitatively different from group-based interaction because it introduces elements of both uncertainty and opportunity” (Teaching Crowds, 2014, p. 134). When designing a home, uncertainty is the last thing you want, but in a learning network uncertainly is what creates an environment of active learning. The design must facilitate and nurture a network without overwhelming and stifling it.

But how do you go about doing that? Dron and Anderson offer a hint in their blueprint for a virtual learning structure (p.155).

Their diagram creates a circle out of ten key elements of a learning network:

Pace,

Content,

Place,

Disclosure,

Delegation,

Time,

Medium,

Technology,

Relationship,

Method.

For them, these are the variables in the design of a learning network. But what is the best ratio of each? How do they all fit together? I think trying to answer these two questions is a good place to start one’s journey to creating a solid foundation for a learning network design. The virtual quartz countertops and hardwood floors can come later.

Anderson, T., & Dron, J. (2014). Teaching Crowds: Learning and Social Media. https://doi.org/10.15215/aupress/9781927356807.01

Veletsianos, G. (2016). Digital learning environments. In N. Rushby & D. Surry (Eds), Handbook of Learning Technologies. http://www.veletsianos.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/digital_learninig_environments.pdf