Learning networks

Learning perhaps isn’t a question of process, but of networks. This conceptualization of learning places the individual, rather than the institution, at the centre of efforts to improve corporate education models. In this perspective, learning is seen as a consequence of an individual’s interactions with a multitude of social systems. Peter Drucker has stressed that that management education involves communicating knowledge rather than aptitudes; the learning agenda for knowledge workers differs from that of industrial workers both in its scope and its duration. Individual careers can now be expected to span several jobs, industries and decades, an economic reality that tests the relevancy of formal education. If the pertinence of management education today can be measured in its ability to accompany a manager throughout his career, the value of information technology is in enhancing this value proposition.

An individual learns not only from an institution, but from interactions with social networks of work, trust, and passion. Social networks can be thought of as chaordic systems involving complex and dynamic connections between individuals and their teams, companies and markets. Learning is a consequence of these interactions and is governed by determinism (we learn in relationship to explicit and implicit goals), periodicity (we don’t learn at the same pace), dependency on initial conditions (our  culture) and non-linearity (we learn from our instructors, peers, clients, etc.). Learning technologies can be used as to deepen and broaden the quality of interactions between learners and their environments.

Several sets of concentric circles of learning can be drawn around an individual in a learner-centred environment. The first involves his or her prior experience, and how experience influences their capacity and motivation to learn. The second involves formal education a 1 to N relationship between the learner and his or her instructor, coach, or facilitator.  A third circle can be drawn around the individual and the class, team, or group that shares similar objectives and similar conditions. A fourth circle is composed of the learner’s social network, which is composed of individuals in networks based on trust, passion or simply getting work done. The value of learning technologies depends upon their ability to elucidate the patterns of interaction that determine the nature of each learning circle.

The first circle, an individual’s prior experience, influences his or her predispositions for learning. Experience is influenced both by prior events, existing knowledge and competencies and the resulting “culture”.[1] Learning technologies involving evaluations, mindmaps and narration can be used here to capture measures of existing skills or competencies involving a specific subject. Surveys and simulations can be used to understand learning styles and dispositions. Self administered courses can be taken as prerequisites to more formal learning sequences.

The second circle, formal education, involves structured learning experiences around a particular course or discipline. Learning technologies can be used here to present the scope and depth of the subject matter, as well as to post on-line learning resources. On-line libraries, document stores, and simulations can be implemented to complete and to extend face to face experience. Surveys and tests can be used to measure learning, benchmark the evolution of targeted skills and competencies with other students and norms.  Finally, questionnaires can be posted to gather feedback on the relevance of course content and delivery.

The third learning circle is drawn up of learners sharing similar learning conditions. They can be formally enrolled in the same physical class or programme, or share similar conditions in different schools, companies or communities. E-mail, discussion forums, and collaborative writing can be used as narrative management techniques. Questionnaires, chat, and video can be used to benchmark experience, and to leverage local resources, passion and talent across programs and communities. Web sites and portals can be constructed to promote discussion and gather feedback on learning methods and objectives.

The fourth circle of learning can be modelled as a mirror of the social networks that individuals use to play, to work, and ultimately to learn. The patterns of interaction here are largely self-determined depending on factors of influence, trust and passion. These networks, rather than providing a mirror of similar profiles, are drawn together because of the diversity of motivations and experience. Learning technologies can be used here to bring to light learning paths, social networks, and shared stories. Chat, voice over IP, and blogs can be used to highlight patterns of interest, interaction, and vision. This is the realm of systems of knowledge management and communities of practice.

This network approach to the modelling learning differs significantly from that of more process centric approaches. To begin with, this approach draws the attention of higher educational institutions away from formal courses and programs and towards learning experiences between individuals and their environments. Students are not defined in relationship to any one course or degree, but in relation to careers and communities. Improving learning involves focuses value propositions on the quality of interactions between the learner and his environment rather than the transactions involved in formal activities. Finally, learning metrics are defined around the learner rather than the institution.

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[1] Marie-Joëlle Browaeys; Walter Baets (pp. 332 - 339), Cultural complexity: a new epistemological perspective, The Learning Organization: An International Journal, Volume 10 Number 6 2003

Comments

[Matthew Eaves]

Lee, I've read this with interest, and your thoughts on e-learning. How are you finding the blogging experience?