Slides to accompany a keynote presentation on online learning and sustainable rural development at a conference in Gothenburg, 2011

1. The Ecology of Distributed Education Professor Frank Rennie Lews Castle College UHI www.slideshare.net/frankrennie

2. Complex Adaptive System Dispersed interaction Absence of a global controller Cross-cutting hierarchical organisation Continual adaptation Perpetual novelty Far-from-equilibrium dynamics

3. Complex Adaptive System

4. Complex Adaptive System

5. The internet at a moment of time en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Internet_map_1024.jpg

6. Stability Domains We often fall back into familiar areas of “stability”

7. Stability Domains The Managed Online Learning Environment is emerging as one form of a Stability Domain

8. Self Organisation

9. Self Organisation Similarities with the personalisation of learning

10. Complex System Cycles Growth Reorganisation Equilibrium Dissolution

11. Complex System Cycles Images from: commons.wikimedia.org and flickr.com/photos/mpolla/282496506/

12. So, what’s new?How do we learn? We see We listen We do We discuss

13. Learning Communities Third Places

14. Learning Communities

15. Learning Communities Trust Reliability Compatibility Context

16. Learning Communities

17. Feedback Loops Constant fine-tuning and learning by taking decisions Supportive Diagnostic

18. Opportunities for further study Build on stability domains Layer the nodes of resources

19. Personalised Learning Fit the course to the student, not the student to the course

20. Elgg Personal Learning Environment

21. How far is too far?

22. Levels of Course Networking 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Delivered at one site Fully networked Seven levels of networking: 1) Common Core Frameworks and Local Options agreed Common Assessments and Assessment Strategy Agreed Common Core Teaching Materials shared and developed Learning and Teaching within an Academic Partner blended using ICT and face to face Common delivery schedule agreed Cross teaching of selected/ all modules Learning and Teaching materials wholly online/ distance, with local facilitator support UHI Network Learning Audit and Planning Guide, 2005

23. Rural Sustainability Reduced travel costs and travel time Less environmental impact Local economic multiplier New social networks & diversity New intellectual & economic skills Higher quality of life perceptions Retention/attraction of skilled citizens

24. Graduation with a university degree

25. Trends and Troubles picasaweb.google.com/.../kkfWtBaacW1158L_Q4-rgQ

26. Trends Digital Networked Open http://nogoodreason.typepad.co.uk/no_good_reason/2010/11/the-lamb-formula-good-enough.html

27. Troubles “Pick-and-mix” superficiality of “courses” Tensions between Open and Closed resources Tensions between Teaching and Learning People problems – Old Habits Die Hard New Technology versus Old Etiquette Copyright, Amazon, and Lateral Thinking Questions on the “half-life” of knowledge

28. Lessons Learned Increasing user (learner) control Clear learning guidelines are required Need to encourage inter-activity The need to apply contextual relevance Education for what…? Whose standards? The importance of an educational facilitator actually increases.

29. Key Concepts for online learning (amazon.co.uk)

30. View this presentation again at www.slideshare.net/frankrennie