Finding evidence for the Rhizome metaphor...

The web is full of information.  However, some is trash and some is treasure. It is vital that educators are able to discern the differences in legitimate resources and sources that may not be accurate and accountable.  They also need to teach their students to think for themselves so they can do their own "assimilating and disseminating." 

For giggles, I decided to look up the definitions to "assimilate" and "disseminate."  If you read them carefully, can you see the Rhizome metaphor in this or am I thinking too much?? lol

assimilate [əˈsɪmɪˌleɪt]vb

1. (tr) to learn (information, a procedure, etc.) and understand it thoroughly

2. (Life Sciences & Allied Applications / Physiology) (tr) to absorb (food) and incorporate it into the body tissues

3. (intr) to become absorbed, incorporated, or learned and understood

4. (usually foll by into or with) to bring or come into harmony; adjust or become adjusted the new immigrants assimilated easily

5. (usually foll by to or with) to become or cause to become similar

6. (Linguistics / Phonetics & Phonology) (usually foll by to) Phonetics to change (a consonant) or (of a consonant) to be changed into another under the influence of one adjacent to it (n) often assimilates to (ŋ) before (k), as in ``include''

dis·sem·i·nate  (d-sm-nt)

v. dis·sem·i·nat·ed, dis·sem·i·nat·ing, dis·sem·i·nates

v.tr.

1. To scatter widely, as in sowing seed.

2. To spread abroad; promulgate: disseminate information.

v.intr.

To become diffused; spread.

---

[Latin dissminre, dissmint- : dis-, dis- + sminre, to sow (from smen, smin-, seed; see s- in Indo-European roots).]

A Brainstorm...

I had a brainstorm yesterday.  For those who may not know, amongst my other talents here at ASU as a Writing Specialist, I also have a background as a librarian.   There is a quote that has stuck with me.  I don't remember it verbatim, but the gist is something to the effect of,  "The role of the Librarian is assimilating information and disseminating it to others."  I was also taught that it is okay not to know everything, you just need to know where to find the answer.

It struck me that these statements could also be applied to the connectivism theory and creating our own personal learning network. 

Food for thought and comments:  As a member or "node" on the network, are we responsible for the accuracy of the knowledge that we share with others?  Also, how do we discern the accuracy of our sources??

Reflections on Connectivism

 
This is my response to reading the article:

Connectivism:
A Learning Theory for the Digital Age

George Siemens

http://www.itdl.org/Journal/Jan_05/article01.htm


Before the digital age, pretty much any knowledge that we obtained was done in the traditional classroom setting.  The teacher stood in front of a class of students and lectured for half an hour or more.   We had boring textbooks to read.  Subjects like history, usually gave us only the dry facts.   The only output of our knowledge was taking tests or writing compositions.  What we learned in those twelve years of school, our college years, etc. were expected to get us sufficiently though the rest of our life.  If we wanted to learn anything outside of the realm of the classroom, we were pretty much limited to looking in library reference books: encyclopedias, dictionaries, etc. 


With the advent of technological sources, our world has opened wide-up!  We are finding the information in an online format...web sites, journals, communicating with experts online, etc.  This is all done pretty much instantaneously.  Now instead of just reading one page about the Revolutionary War, we can go online and find all sorts of "behind the scenes" information available in all sorts of formats.


For me personally, I am pushing the Connectivism Theory for educational use, because it makes the students more aware of what all the Internet can provide for them now and later on in life.  They need to know that learning a subject doesn't stop the day you finish a class or the day you graduate.  Students should be aware of the resources they have at their fingertips to keep expanding their knowledge.  We need to teach the students how to be life-long learners.

For example: I am not able to retain everything I've ever read or learned in the classroom or had the time to learn things I want to know or need to know.  But, as long as I KNOW WHERE TO FIND IT....if someone in my network is able to help me out...it is a resource of learning or refreshing my knowledge, then I can use that info to reach out to others.

The ASU QEP Experience

I am currently employed by Albany State University in the Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) department as a Writing Specialist.  This basically entails running a QEP Writing Lab (tutoring students in writing essays, research papers, etc.)  I also assist the QEP Coordinators in assisting professors who are being trained to use Web 2.0 technologies in the classroom.  We heavily believe in and encourage the use of Connectivism and Rhizomatic theories of education in the classroom.

This blog will document my experiences in this position.