so say you mean you're at school getting ready to teach a class and you
get another memo about
well who knows what the memos about
probably another meeting agenda or training seminar they'd want you to attend
i will you like little or something illuminating an innovative and maybe even like changing
you'll be away from work which means you'll have a lot to catch up on
this memos about learning networks
remember liverpool in two thousand six from the local authority arranged on cd schools into
ten different learning communities
great idea
but it's in predetermined groups and make us talk to each other
but not about what we had for lunch or how the team last again note
the focus was to be learning only which is fair suppose it is work after
all but as far to connect to the people in your group when all you
know about them is they're pedagogical philosophy
so they formed a committee to figure out how to let teachers talk to each
other with senior management and people with fans you titles the once established participants could
go ahead and create programs out loud teachers to talk
mark o'brien along with some of his colleagues interviewed the learning network coordinators
and sensor based head gestures were supposed to circulate the question is to everyone else
they wanted to see what we thought about the very network know what the network
meant to us o'brien read and sort and categorise responses
making for broad observations about or attitudes first
turns out a bunch of educators really believe these learning networks or just part of
the government's plan to get reelected
second
lots of respondents thought improving student achievement was the motivation behind an implementation
third we're not likely gonna use the learning that work for short term stuff but
most was to think it will be good for a long term professional about
for a had masters it seems are more sceptical the most they just know that
despite the presence of big steering committee
they're the ones all have to sell it in the schools even if they are
real clear on the learning networks purpose
o'brien and his colleagues learn from this experience that ownership and independent self-determination are important
element so learning network you suggest that if we have or do this again our
learning network should have clearly defined purpose and embody the noble values of trust openness
and integrity
no social media has a whole lot of stuff not about learning
but a bunch of university types callers got a whole of it started using foot
is one hundred forty characters to do serious stuff
in twenty ten
george fella stanno screen a bunch of academics to find out how the use twitter
for their own professional learning
in order to be creep where the this colour have to be a phd employed
by higher education institutions with an active public putter profiling at least two thousand followers
the kind of twitter user that could shed light on exactly how social networks could
be used as learning that works several researchers can through sort and categorize the last
one hundred weights from each of the forty five scholars this study
you found that we generally served seven functions
sharing things with each other accessing learning opportunities getting or giving advice personal and professional
branding activities
networking with others bridging other social media platforms those channels even acknowledge the contributions of
trivial tweaked to making connections with others
sharing personal details publicly ads dimensionality to the online persona when the learning network is
controlled by the individual
it has great capacity for change and specialisation
so well stammers found out what network lenition doing on twitter
rory c
found out why network learners find that so valuable
in twenty thirteen c had a brainstorming session with thirty four academics with self directed
learning that works she was interested in the networks social relationships yet participants describe the
other people in the networks do they were how close they were what you learn
from them and however they connect you found that almost half are described as both
colleagues and friends
c sort of organised and categorize the tweaks an identified seven factors contributing to professional
learning they like sharing
there there's the aspect about the social aspects of learning
define valuable information and resources in the network they get feedback on their ideas and
they learn things from the each other and they feel a sense of crossed and
support and the connections
a good and intelligent people see says that learning that works rely on the intrinsic
rewards of given take what's different with social media as we can include people both
near and far socially closer distance in the self managed learning network that's integrated into
our daily practise management is now taking a grassroots bottom-up approach to creating learning networks
they're basing this new approach on two thousand eleven research by irene handy it's
she analyzed interviews of several people with experience facilitating professional wearing that worked the learning
that works will be independent and self directed and the facilitator will work with me
to make initial connections with people and content that will help me meet those needs
the learning that works will be integrated into daily practise and the facilitator will help
me make time in my day to participate
the learning networks will use my choice of communication technology to connect and collaborate with
people both inside and outside the organisation the facilitator will even work with me to
develop affective communication skills and social media and find opportunities for face-to-face meetings
this new approach the memo says is an effort to nurture climate of learning throughout
the organisation
i think i'm gonna like this