Connectivism – Link to Workplace Relevance

One lesson with immediate relevance for me is chapter 17, ‘Connectivism’, Weller (2020) suggests connectivism is a set of principles rather than a pedagogy and “Key to the connectivist approach is the belief that knowledge is distributed in a network, and learning is a chaotic process (p.116)”.  I work with many subject matter experts across various fields, and many of our solutions come from an intersectionality of disciplines and practices. Individual team members must communicate within multiple networks to locate, request and learn the necessary and relevant information to make recommendations and bring forward solutions. In the ‘between the chapters’ with Tannis Morgan, she draws attention to where connectivism relies heavily on generous participation and how it appears to ignore the problematic nature of who and which individuals are connecting and contributing to online networks and who are not. 

Blogs – Links to conflicts in the Workplace

The lesson that conflicts with current practices at my work is the chapter on blogs, Weller (2020) gives examples of how blogs can amplify learning and be an avenue where thoughts can be expanded; in short, he credits blogs for many great opportunities for learning and theory within ed tech. Working in a data-driven company, the emphasis is on case studies, evidence, and policies. These artifacts come in several ways; however, rarely blogs. More recently, there has been a focus on lived experience and bringing in qualitative data to tell a richer story. I would love to see blogs brought into the research stage of policy development with the intentionality of highlighting the voices of diverse groups to provide a range of perspectives rather than those who heavily support western ideologies.

Weller, M. (2020). 25 Years of Ed Tech. Athabasca University Press. https://doi.org/10.15215/aupress/9781771993050.01