Visual digital narratives on connectivism

[eRoman]

Hi!

I've just discovered, this time via Techcrunch, another application
that can be useful to create, in a very easy way, digital narratives,
collectively or individually. You can check it out at http://www.picwing.com/.
Also, I have created an open-to-any user album (CCK08) for this
course, so if you want to add your pictures (screenshots, creative
work, diagrams, etc.), you just have to send an email with your
picture to cc...@picwing.com. The album is automatically updated and
can be seen at http://www.pageflakes.com/connectivitas. The code for
embedding the widget is:

--<object height="375" width="500"><param name="movie" value="http://
www.picwing.com/flash/e.swf"><param name="flashvars"
value="a=cck08"><param name="AllowScriptAccess" value="always"><param
name="scale" value="noborder"><embed src="http://www.picwing.com/flash/
e.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" flashvars="a=cck08"
height="375" width="500" AllowScriptAccess="always" scale="noborder"></
embded></object>--

I am looking forward to seeing your pictures there,

Esperanza
http://elearningxxi.blogspot.com/

[George Siemens]

Hi - as I've stated before - it's interesting to watch different groups unfolding in activities in advance of the course. Facebook, four language translations, timelines, photo albums, etc. demonstrate the value of openness as a means of repurposing information into our own context. The bigger question - and one I don't think we'll resolve in this course - is how people manage to cope with the overwhelming amount of information and multiple contexts.

The comments posted on this listserv will be highly practical as forming a research base after the course. On a related note, I am pursuing a book publication on connectivism through Athabasca University Press. If timelines work well, it should be available by spring '09. My main concern was to make the book available for free access/download (as I did with Knowing Knowledge). As many students and academics have requested the need for a resource on connectivism that is reviewed according to traditional peer-review process, AUP seemed like a good route to pursue in addressing dual needs of openness and validation. This course will hopefully serve to round out a few of the gaps in preparation for publication.

Stephen, Alec Couros, Leigh Blackall and I will be on EdTechTalk this Sunday at 8 PM EST to discuss tools and approaches with our course. Feel free to stop in and provide comments/suggestions: http://edtechtalk.com/

George


--
Blog/Site:
www.elearnspace.org
www.connectivism.ca
www.knowingknowledge.com

[eRoman]

Hi again,

I´ve just forgot google groups truncates email addresses. Here is the
email address to send your pictures is cck08 AT gmail DOT com.

Thanks, George, for the update on your upcoming publication. I am very
looking forward to it and to the edtechtalk tomorrow.

Have a great Saturday,

Esperanza
http://elearningxxi.blogspot.com/

On Aug 16, 9:54 am, eRoman <eroma...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Hi!
>
> I've just discovered, this time via Techcrunch, another application
> that can be useful to create, in a very easy way, digital narratives,

> collectively or individually. You can check it out athttp://www.picwing.com/.

> Also, I have created an open-to-any user album (CCK08) for this
> course, so if you want to add your pictures (screenshots, creative
> work, diagrams, etc.), you just have to send an email with your
> picture to cc...@picwing.com. The album is automatically updated and

> can be seen athttp://www.pageflakes.com/connectivitas. The code for
> embedding the widget is:
>
> --<object height="375" width="500"><param name="movie" value="http://www.picwing.com/flash/e.swf"><param name="flashvars"

[eRoman]

As we say in Spanish, a la tercera va la vencida: here is the correct
address for the album cck08 AT picwing DOT com

[Pierfranco]

On Aug 16, 7:28 pm, "George Siemens" <gsiem...@gmail.com> wrote:
> ... it's interesting to watch different groups unfolding in activities in advance of the course ...

Very interesting indeed. Also quite worrying: the course is not
started yet ... and I feel behind with my tasks :-)

All the best

Pierfranco

[Connectivism Google Group]

> The bigger question - and one I don't think we'll resolve in this course - is
> how people manage to cope with the overwhelming amount of information and
> multiple contexts.

My initial reaction to discussions going on in a number of forums was
- irritation.

Anyway - an idea what most fascinates me regarding connectivism is the
following picked up from George's article (http://www.elearnspace.org/
Articles/connectivism.htm) is: "The pipe is more important than the
content within the pipe."

I've gradually got used to the idea that learning has transformed into
picking up information, contacts, networks, thoughts, contexts,
concepts... from a number of sources. The certain randomness of
managing one's own learning caused by this - I see - is exactly
learning to manage, reshape and recreate the pipe - for maximizing how
to utilize this course in particular and for learning and living our
lives further in general. I've started to see learning and life to be
like a tag cloud. Different tags create different meanings at
different times and in different contexts. All tags boost learning. It
is a matter of self-confidence - working from one's own worldview - to
make this happen and work. Widening one's own world view - becoming
more conscious of the process of building of self - affects the pipe
and the pipe affects the process of widening ones own world view.

Thank you for all you sharing during the forthcoming course,
Irmeli, Finland

[Ton Zijlstra]

> The bigger question - and one I don't think we'll resolve in this course - is
> how people manage to cope with the overwhelming amount of information and
> multiple contexts.

Adding to Irmeli's description.
I find that usually questions of coping with information abundance are questions about 'keeping up with everything'
That fits what we learned in school: more information leads to better decisions etc, turn information into plan or theory, then execute. The information strategies we learned are however based on information being scarce. If it is abundant and you stick to your scarcity-based strategies you get swamped, and experience info-overload. If everybody has the same information access as you, you don't have time to build your linear plans to get ahead of the others (if that's what you want). You will need to be able to respond in the moment, based on your previously formulated goals/wishes and recognize the opportunities as they happen.

I find I have over time adapted my information strategies for gathering, filtering and processing. If info is abundant, you can assume it will be there when you need it. Hence I no longer fear 'missing' stuff. If it is important it will pop up again, it will be there tomorrow, I will find it if I look.
I have become more sensitive to patterns (stuff popping up in multiple places, in multiple communities I am part of, in multiple contexts etc.).
I rely on my social network for information filtering (I follow 300-400 people I know on-line, what they write, share, think.) When I see the news I usually find it tells me nothing new. I heard it through my contacts hours or sometimes days before.
I have articulated better what I like, want, need so that when something arises that fits with that I can seize it. It is like jumping from one piece of ice to the next to get in and out of streams that move in the right direction for me.
I have learned to look at what I do, not at what I did not do. Information abundance creates so many options, you need to choose and stick to that choice long enough. I could perhaps have started 12, 20 or even 40 businesses based on the opportunities and information available. But I can only choose one course of action. Where it used to be your environment, context, information, etc would give you only one or two options for action.

Abundance needs different skills, strategies and tools than scarcity.
I needed to learn to make sure there is enough diversity, dissent, breadth and depth in my social network for it work as an information filter. I needed to learn how to avoid echo-chambers.
I needed to learn that context is often the most important information
I needed to learn to measure my actions in a meaningful way, the stuff that I did do, not the stuff I could have done.
I needed to learn to switch faster between contexts. And at the same time create enough space of focus to do stuff, and not just switch all the time (like people checking their e-mail 60 times an hour).
I needed to embrace uncertainty, and see linear problemsolving as something that has its own niche of application (like Newtonian physics has its own niche. compared to relativity theory.)  I needed to learn complexity theory.
I needed to learn to focus on big pictures (patterns) and minor details (my personal single actions) at the same time.
I needed to learn to be connected and empathic on a global scale, and be deeply rooted in my local community at the same time
I needed to learn to formulate my core values, strong beliefs, deep wishes and dreams, as a basis for choosing actions in the moment

That's how I cope. It does not feel like coping though (which to me carries the notion of just getting by). It feels like flowing.

best,

Ton
-------------------------------------------
Interdependent Thoughts
Ton Zijlstra

t...@tonzijlstra.eu
+31-6-34489360

http://zylstra.org/blog
-------------------------------------------

--