Content-type: text/html Downes.ca ~ Stephen's Web ~ To weather a crisis, build a network of teams

Stephen Downes

Knowledge, Learning, Community

I've stated several times this week that we can't address the need for online learning by creating a bunch of high-volume courses. But what to do instead? We've addressed that over the years in this newsletter, but here is much the same message from McKinsey: create a network of teams. This is how we set up our connectivist MOOCs, and this is how learning online works in less formal communities outside academia. I wouldn't expect people to learn this all at once, but I would hope we've progressed toward this outcome by August and September.

The teacher's role, beyond instigating the network and steadily enhancing learner self-organization, is to be a good example. "You should continue setting the tone, modeling the actions you want to see, recognizing others who are taking risks and making real change, removing roadblocks for teams, and connecting people across the network. Finally, communicate widely, transparently, and authentically about your experience and the implications for others around you." You don't stand back, you're no 'guide by the side', but neither are you authoritarian; you're an example to emulate.

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Stephen Downes Stephen Downes, Casselman, Canada
stephen@downes.ca

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Last Updated: Dec 22, 2024 07:13 a.m.

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