Stephen's Web

Connectivism and LaaN

Mohamed Amine Chatti sketches a proposal of 'Learning as a Network' (LaaN). But I disagree with three of these outright and agree with one only provisionally:
"The LaaN view is built upon four premises: - Knowledge and learning are two sides of the same coin. - Knowledge and learning are fundamentally social in nature. - Knowledge is in the network, or even more knowledge is the network. - Learning is a matter of knowledge networking within knowledge ecologies." I think knowledge and learning are different: learning si the reshaping of our network, while knowledge is what it 'feels' like to be shaped a certain way (you can't not recognize...). Neither knowledge nor learning are fundamentally social; they require networks, not societies. Learning isn't 'networking' - it is subjecting oneself to a series of experiences (sometimes within a network) in order to grow new connections. Mohamed Amine Chatti, Weblog, September 11, 2008. [Link] [Tags: Connectivism, Networks, Experience] [Previous][Next]

Comments

Re: Connectivism and LaaN

Anymouse, September 12, 2008

Thanks Stephen for your comments. I would argue against some of the points you raised.
- Actually I didn't claim that learning and knowledge are the same. What I said is that they are two sides of the same coin. We cannot talk about learning if we disregard knowledge and the other way around. Don't forget that one quote by yourself was "The future of learning is written in the future of knowledge". I would also like to add two more quotes stressing the same opinion. The first one by George who states "Learning is a peer to knowledge. To learn is to come to know. To know is to have learned and continuously improved". The second one by Verna Allee who writes "Learning is the foundation of knowledge". My point here is that learning is closely related to knowledge. Learning and knowledge are not the two ends of a continuum but again "the two sides of the same coin".
- You said "Neither knowledge nor learning are fundamentally social; they require networks, not societies." I believe that each learning and knowledge-centred activity has a social element associated with it and networks cannot be created and enriched without a social context.
- I'm a bit confused now when you say "Learning isn't 'networking'". The whole connectivism idea presents learning as a connection/network-forming process and now you say the opposite. I'm wondering if you have another view of connectivism different from the one that this course is trying to address.

Mohamed Amine Chatti
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