Evolution - Emerging Developments

Developments in the Internet are driving changes in Net Pedagogy.  According to Tapscott (n.d.):

"The Internet of tomorrow will be as dramatic a change from the Internet of today as today's Internet is from the unconnected, proprietary computing networks of yesterday.  The Net continues to soar in reach, power and functionality.  It is … the mechanism by which individuals and organizations… communicate facts, express insight and opinion, and collaborate to develop new knowledge… the Net is about anywhere and anytime.  The Net is a force of social change ...  When an institution such as the Massachusetts Institute of Technology says it will post its entire curriculum on the Net – including such items as lecture notes and course reading lists – it is attempting to shape the nature of pedagogy and learning everywhere". 

New Internet technologies, such as FURL, Flikr, MySpace, YouTube, Wikis, Blogs, PodCastings, RSS Feeds, and Immersive Environments are creating new networked social environments, opening new possibilities.  If one accepts Siemens (2004) statement that "Learning needs and theories that describe learning principles and processes, should be reflective of underlying social environments" (p.1), then one must accept that new social environments, driven by emerging Internet based technologies, are reshaping and creating a new emerging Net Pedagogy.

A number of additional developments are collectively changing the current landscape for Internet based teaching and learning.  These include the development of Web 2.0 and a shift via social networking technologies in the nature of the Internet architecture, online learners, and Net based learning itself (Downes, 2005; Downes, 2006;  Dalsgaard, 2006; Karrer, 2006; O'Reilly, 2005; Gilroy & Ives, 2006); developments in the personal learning environment (PLE) (Wikipedia, n.d.; ); new information on how the brain learns (O'Reilly, in press); and renewed focus on the affective and context in learning (Picard, Papert, Bender, Blumberg, Breazeal, Cavallo, et al, 2004;  de Figueiredo, 2005).

The result is new infrastructures for learning and emerging theories on learning such as Connectivism (Siemens, 2004; Siemens, 2006; Verhagen, 2006 ) and The Network Theory of Learning (Downes, 2006) that have capacity to shift Net Pedagogy in new directions. Learners are changing how they communicate, create, produce, share, and learn.  The capacity for students to create content as opposed to absorbing content, has accelerated exponentially. 

There is an emerging capacity to shift away from the established Learning Management Systems (such as WebCT, Moodle, and Desire2Learn) that many institutions have adopted as the model through which to deliver online courses, towards a more learner networked and learner centered architecture of networked personal learning environments.  Will the latter replace the former, or will the future bring integration of both? The future unfolds one day at a time.

Many of the aforementioned developments hold keys to the future of Net Pedagogy.  Perhaps all do.  Foggy?  Yes.  Emerging?  Absolutely.

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de Figueiredo, A. D. (2005).  Learning contexts: A blueprint for research.  Retrieved September 23, 2006 from http://www.ub.es/multimedia/iem/down/c11/Learning_Contexts.pdf

Downes, S. (2005).  E-learning 2.0.  Retrieved October 29, 2006 from http://www.elearnmag.org/subpage.cfm?section=articles&article=29-1

Downes, S. (2006).  Learning networks and connective knowledge.  Retrieved October 11, 2006 from http://it.coe.uga.edu/itforum/paper92/paper92.html

Dalsgaard, C. (2006).  Social software:  E-learning beyond learning management systems.  Retrieved September 21, 2006 from http://www.eurodl.org/materials/contrib/2006/Christian_Dalsgaard.htm

Gilroy, K. & Ives, B. (2006). Intranet 2.0: Collaboration, self-publishing and tools mash-up new driving forces. Retrieved November 5, 2006 from http://www.masternewmedia.org/news/2006/06/13/intranet_20_collaboration_selfpublishing_and.htm

Karrer, T. (2006).  What is eLearning 2.0.  Retrieved October 29, 2006 from http://elearningtech.blogspot.com/2006/02/what-is-elearning-20.html

O'Reilly, R. (in press).  Modeling integration and dissociation in brain and cognitive development. Y. Munakata & M.H. Johnson (Eds) Processes of Change in Brain and Cognitive Development: Attention and Performance XXI., Oxford: Oxford University Press.  Retrieved October 23, 2006 from http://psych.colorado.edu/~oreilly/papers/OReillyIPap.pdf

O'Reilly, T. (2005).  What is Web 2.0: Design patterns and business models for the next generation of software.  Retrieved October 18, 2006 from http://www.oreillynet.com/lpt/a/6228

Picard, R.W., Papert, S., Bender, W., blumber, B., Breazeal, C., Cavallo, D. et al (2004).  Affective learning – a manifesto.  Retrieved September 23, 2006 from http://pubs.media.mit.edu/bttj/Paper26Pages253-269.pdf

Siemens, G. (2004).  Connectivism:  A learning theory for the digital age.  Retrieved October 18, 2006 from http://www.elearnspace.org/Articles/connectivism.htm

Siemens, G. (2006). Connectivisim: Learning theory or pastime for the self-amused? Retrieved November 16, 2006 from http://www.elearnspace.org/Articles/connectivism_self-amused.htm

Tapscott, D. (n.d.)  Rethinking strategy in a networked world.  Retrieved October 19, 2006 from http://newparadigm.com/media/StrategyandBusiness2.pdf

Verhagen, P. (2006). Connectivism: a new learning theory? Retrieved November 16, 2006 from http://elearning.surf.nl/e-learning/english/3793

Wikipedia, (n.d.).  History of personal learning environments.  Retrieved October 29, 2006 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_personal_learning_environments