Connected Learning

If you were to ask me what educational philosophy helps me most as a teacher, I would say: Connected Learning. To understand what that is all about, here is a fantastic graphic from the folks at The Digital Media and Learning (DML), and I've broken the jumbo-sized version down into sections below to make it easier to see each part. I hope that my classes can give you an opportunity to explore connected learning in the ways that most appeal to you:

Here it is piece by piece:

Connected Learning. Equitable, Social, and Participatory. Connected learning is a model of learning that holds out the possibility of reimagining the experience of education in the information age. It draws on the power of today's technology to fuse young people's interests, friendships, and academic achievement through experiences laced with hands-on production, shared purpose, and open networks.

Peer Culture. Connected learning thrives in a socially meaningful and knowledge-rich ecology of ongoing participation, self-expression, and recognition. In their everyday exchanges with peers and friends, young people fluidly contribute, share, and give feedback. Powered with possibilities made available by today's social media, this peer culture can produce learning that's engaging and powerful.

Openly Networked. Connected learning environments link learning in school, home, and community, because learners achieve best when their learning is reinforced and supported in multiple settings. Online platforms can make learning resources abundant, accessible, and visible across all learner settings.

Academic. Connected learning recognizes the importance of academic success for intellectual growth and as an avenue towards economic and political opportunity. When academic studies and institutions draw from and connect to young people's peer culture, communities, and interest-driven pursuits, learners flourish and realize their true potential.

Active Relevant Real-World Effective Hands-On
Networked Innovative Personal Transformative

Shared Purpose. Today's social media and web-based communities provide unprecedented opportunities for caring adults, teachers, parents, learners, and their peers to share interests and contribute to a common purpose. The potential of cross-generational learning and connection unfolds when centered on common goals.

Interests. Interests foster the drive to gain knowledge and expertise. Research has repeatedly shown that when the topic is personally interesting and relevant, learners achieve much higher-order learning outcomes. Connected learning views interests and passions that are developed in a social context as essential elements.

Production-Centered. Connected learning prizes the learning that comes from actively producing, creating, experimenting, and designing, because it promotes skills and dispositions for lifelong learning, and for making meaningful contributions to today's rapidly changing work and social conditions.

Collaborate Share Empowered Supported Space

Knowledge Achieve Recognition

Cross-Generational Expertise Diverse Mobilize 

Credit: Connected Learning Research Network and Digital Media & Learning Research Hub
This Connected Learning Infographic is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License. You may Share and Adapt it, but you must give appropriate credit, provide a link to the license, and indicate if changes were made.