![\"\"](\"https:\/\/malat-webspace.royalroads.ca\/rru0107\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/131\/2019\/05\/Screenshot_20190514-093819_Hancom-Office-Editor-300x169.jpg\")
<\/p>\nWhen 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.<\/p>\n
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).<\/p>\n
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).\u00a0When 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.<\/p>\n
But how do you go about doing that?\u00a0Dron and Anderson offer a hint in their blueprint for a virtual learning structure (p.155).<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Their diagram creates a circle out of ten key elements of a learning network:<\/p>\n
Pace,<\/p>\n
Content,<\/p>\n
Place,<\/p>\n
Disclosure,<\/p>\n
Delegation,<\/p>\n
Time,<\/p>\n
Medium,<\/p>\n
Technology,<\/p>\n
Relationship,<\/p>\n
Method.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
Anderson, T., & Dron, J. (2014). Teaching Crowds: Learning and Social Media. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.15215\/aupress\/9781927356807.01<\/p>\n
Veletsianos, G. (2016). Digital learning environments. In N. Rushby & D. Surry (Eds), Handbook of Learning Technologies.\u00a0http:\/\/www.veletsianos.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/07\/digital_learninig_environments.pdf<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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 […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":137,"featured_media":215,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-212","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-lrnt521"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/malat-webspace.royalroads.ca\/rru0107\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/212","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/malat-webspace.royalroads.ca\/rru0107\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/malat-webspace.royalroads.ca\/rru0107\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/malat-webspace.royalroads.ca\/rru0107\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/137"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/malat-webspace.royalroads.ca\/rru0107\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=212"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/malat-webspace.royalroads.ca\/rru0107\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/212\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":221,"href":"https:\/\/malat-webspace.royalroads.ca\/rru0107\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/212\/revisions\/221"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/malat-webspace.royalroads.ca\/rru0107\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/215"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/malat-webspace.royalroads.ca\/rru0107\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=212"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/malat-webspace.royalroads.ca\/rru0107\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=212"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/malat-webspace.royalroads.ca\/rru0107\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=212"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}