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Moving Forward Chapter 5 Affinity Online


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5

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Moving Forward

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Connections to Practice and Design

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Tal is a sixth grader who enjoys writing and drawing and playing games, particularly Minecraft. She is also a student at Quest to Learn in New York City, a unique public school codesigned by educators and game designers, including one of the authors of this book, Katie Salen. Tal learned about Minecraft at school and quickly became attached to it because it allows her to build and be creative within a multiplayer social online environment. In Minecraft, players mine and craft items, use blocks to build structures, and organize a wide range of activities that are both collaborative and competitive in nature. Tal started playing Minecraft at her cousin’s house and eventually helped start a Minecraft club at school. Given the school’s support for games-based learning, educators embraced the club and set up a server so the students could play together and access their online world from both home and school. Unlike the other learners whose stories form the basis of the research for this book, we learned about Tal through an environment specifically designed to support connected learning, Quest to Learn.

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Nov 26
Kara Bethea Kara Bethea (Nov 26 2020 4:08AM) : This paragraph reminded me of LRNG out of Chicago that allows students to be interest driven and are connected to mentors they need in the community and in their interests. They learn by earning badges online, anytime, anywhere.
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Nov 30
Kevin Hodgson Kevin Hodgson (Nov 30 2020 7:35PM) : Yes, I think the LRNG project is built on the ideas here, and there are connections to the authors, I believe
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Nov 27
Dr. Daniel Bassill Dr. Daniel Bassill (Nov 27 2021 5:27AM) : I've been building a library of Chicago tutor/mentor and learning orgs for 20 years. I keep learning of new resources. I had not heard of LRNG before.
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Nov 27
Ms. Sarah Stice Ms. Sarah Stice (Nov 27 2020 7:11AM) : A question or two more

This seems like such an interesting and well-thought-out idea. My only concern with this is in regard to how other schools might respond. For example, in my school, we have a policy that students cannot at all be on their computers for any other purpose than school-related activities. Even if they take their computers home, they are not supposed to use other resources or play games. If we are so quick at shutting down these types of exploration, are we missing out? How practical is it to incorporate more of these games and activities in a school that isn’t fully designed around connected learning?

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Nov 30
Kevin Hodgson Kevin Hodgson (Nov 30 2020 7:36PM) : That's a great insight and question -- school policies often get in the way of Connected Learning practices because activities are seen as "non-school" related, even if they are deep learning experiences
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Eternity is in love with the creations of time.

Nov 30
Terry Elliott

Eternity is in love with the creations of time.

Terry Elliott (Nov 30 2020 10:10PM) : Policies more

I hear you. Policies that are as draconian as these show us who generates the problem and who owns it. Policymakers generate, everybody else owns the consequences. The question is this: reform or revolutions. I hate these false dilemmas, so I would value other paths. I know you are looking for them.

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Nov 25
annie mcintyre annie mcintyre (Nov 25 2021 8:52AM) : I can see where you are coming from the same challenge is present in my school. It is very difficult to integrate connected learning if it isn't even given a chance due to preconceived notations about what is considered valid in the curriculum.
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Nov 27
Dr. Daniel Bassill Dr. Daniel Bassill (Nov 27 2021 5:29AM) : To give a youth a computer and access to the Internet then limit where they can go to learn seems very counter productive to me.
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Dec 2
Shea Ross Shea Ross (Dec 02 2020 1:43PM) : Its interesting to see that others have seen a decline because I have three younger siblings and they are always playing Minecraft. I have never personally played it but from what I have seen it looks engaging and exciting!
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Nov 24
Kevin Hodgson Kevin Hodgson (Nov 24 2021 8:02PM) : Since some of us started to annotate this chapter (some time back), I too have noticed a new interest in Minecraft with my students. Fascinating how some platforms come, go (not quite disappear but ...) and come around again.
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Dec 12
Ms. Hannah Rossiter Ms. Hannah Rossiter (Dec 12 2020 9:36AM) : Quest to Learn more

I truly love when experts within different fields come together to create something that doesn’t only benefit the students but also the community. Quest to Learn has given Tal more opportunities than most students. The best part is that they are focusing on her passions and not just the standards. I would personally love to learn how to create a learning environment like that within my classroom

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Nov 24
Kevin Hodgson Kevin Hodgson (Nov 24 2021 8:03PM) : Passion is the key. As a teacher, balancing both a school district's expectation and students' interest and creativity can be tricky (depending on where you work and who your boss is).
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Nov 22
Bryan Westman Bryan Westman (Nov 22 2021 3:35AM) : This game is a great example of something that can be done in a group or individually which adds to its appeal and learning opportunity.
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Nov 24
Kevin Hodgson Kevin Hodgson (Nov 24 2021 8:03PM) : Yes, I agree. It has a lot of possibilities. I suppose that's why it still has resonance for many people, including young people.
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Mar 16
Kevin Hodgson Kevin Hodgson (Mar 16 2019 6:51PM) : This is the first year I have noticed a sharp decline in Minecraft with my sixth graders. During our game design unit, I ask them to share their favorite games. MC has long been near the top. Now it has mostly vanished.
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Eternity is in love with the creations of time.

Mar 17
Terry Elliott

Eternity is in love with the creations of time.

Terry Elliott (Mar 17 2019 9:30PM) : Yes, ephemeral, that is nature of digital life. All life. more

Just like a video on Tiktok. Here. Gone. Even the platforms are often just ephemera.

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Mar 30
Karen LaBonte Karen LaBonte (Mar 30 2019 2:11AM) : What are they playing instead? Any consensus?
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Mar 30
Kevin Hodgson Kevin Hodgson (Mar 30 2019 9:56PM) : Fortnite, mostly. [Edited] more
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Nov 27
Megan Reetz Megan Reetz (Nov 27 2019 7:42AM) : Fortnite is still a favorite, but many of my students prefer to play cool math games or other silly strategy games. I know that these games are important, but it appears that the games these kids are playing are just mindless and don't require much skill
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Dec 2
Kevin Hodgson Kevin Hodgson (Dec 02 2019 7:52PM) : Maybe they become a launch pad for something deeper and more critical .. ideally, the playing of games leads to the making of games, and then the haring of games into larger networks (audience)
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Eternity is in love with the creations of time.

Nov 30
Terry Elliott

Eternity is in love with the creations of time.

Terry Elliott (Nov 30 2020 10:23PM) : VR and AR [Edited] more

Watched a recent episode of Adam Savage’s YT channel where he was extolling the latest iteration of Oculus Rift. I am wondering if we are beginning to see among more privileged families the use of VR in gaming. Ready, player one? or two?

Here’s the Savage YT: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJ0WE4JkROA&t=717s

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Nov 27
Megan Reetz Megan Reetz (Nov 27 2019 7:39AM) : It's funny that you should comment on the decline of Minecraft. When my students have free time, most of them choose to play cool math games or watch youtube videos. I have mentioned Minecraft and many of them said they occasionally play, but not often.
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Dec 2
Kevin Hodgson Kevin Hodgson (Dec 02 2019 7:53PM) : This school year, interestingly enough, I have seen a resurgence of interest in Minecraft with some of my students -- I think some new versions of MC with themes has caught their attention again.
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Dec 2
Mitchell Ary Mitchell Ary (Dec 02 2019 12:37PM) : rise in younger kids. more

I have seen a decline in older students. But at the same time I have seen a rise in interest in minecraft with younger students (Pre-K to 5th). I don’t see a lot of kids interested in middle school.

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Dec 2
Shea Ross Shea Ross (Dec 02 2020 1:45PM) : Why do you think there is this decline? Are students interested in another game? Is it age? I would be curious because my siblings of different ages all play it so It would be interesting to see why!
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Dec 2
Satie Walker Satie Walker (Dec 02 2019 12:59PM) : Fear around Minecraft more

I think a decline in Minecraft activity is seen both at home and at school mostly because at school, many teachers either lack the time or fear the unknown. I don’t know a single teacher in my building who uses Miinecraft for educational purposes in their classroom, I am assuming this is due to fear of the unknown. And at home, if parents are like me, I kick my kids out of the house for the first hour we’re home (weather permitting) and then we have homework, after school activities, and other things to tend to leaving no time for gaming. I don’t know much about Minecraft fading in popularity, mostly due to lack of experience with it, but I do know it has never been a big deal in my family life/teaching career so maybe this is why educators are seeing a decline in interest?

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Dec 2
Kevin Hodgson Kevin Hodgson (Dec 02 2019 7:55PM) : Maybe. I hope families are doing more to get their kids outside, playing in unstructured time. more

Personally, although I teach game design in my sixth grade ELA, I don’t use Minecraft because it is now bundled within Microsoft ecosystem. We don’t use Microsoft in our school.

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Dec 3
Dr. Daniel Bassill Dr. Daniel Bassill (Dec 03 2019 12:46AM) : Minecraft - Webheads learning group more

I’ve seen many comments about Minecraft. There’s a group of educators on-line called Webheads in Action who have been discussing Minecraft for a few years. Here’s a link to one of their sessions. http://evo2019proposals.pbworks.com/w/page/128808498/2019_EVO_Minecraft_MOOC

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Nov 29
Jenny Shrank Jenny Shrank (Nov 29 2021 2:07AM) : The design of the game lends itself to the development of 21st century skills. Minecraft could be a great tool to incorporate into everyday learning to promote these skills without having to spend time creating something new.
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Nov 14
Dr. Mark Karugarama Dr. Mark Karugarama (Nov 14 2021 6:21AM) : One of my key takeaways from this class so far is the importance of stories in the making, gaming, and design-thinking process. Most things do not happen in a vacuum. There is often a trigger. A story. An Inspiration. In this case, a game. [Edited]
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Nov 24
Kevin Hodgson Kevin Hodgson (Nov 24 2021 8:04PM) : I am with you on this. The central facet of storytelling for game design (which I do with my sixth graders) is what gives the video games a center, an anchor.
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Eternity is in love with the creations of time.

Nov 25
Terry Elliott

Eternity is in love with the creations of time.

Terry Elliott (Nov 25 2021 10:01PM) : Other resources more

If you haven’t already, you need to read Matthew Dicks’, Storyworthy. He has a different and very useable take on what is central: “the big moments are all about the little moments.”

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Nov 19
Levon Curtis Levon Curtis (Nov 19 2021 1:34AM) : I've noticed that recognition of some sort is a key function of driving student engagement. more

I’ve noticed that recognition of some sort is a key function of driving student engagement. Recognition, to me, is anything that validates that the student’s efforts are worthwhile as it relates to their community. If there is a low barrier to entry, then some sort of validation that the student can be successful early and often is esssential.

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Nov 24
Kevin Hodgson Kevin Hodgson (Nov 24 2021 8:05PM) : I find that giving student game designers a way to share their games with a wider audience is a powerful motivator.
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Nov 24
Joshua Shoeman Joshua Shoeman (Nov 24 2021 8:52AM) : This makes me wonder about the moderation and control of the server from a school perspective. If negative actions happen in the server such as name calling, will this have a consequence in the real world? Could it simply be removal from the group?
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Nov 24
Kevin Hodgson Kevin Hodgson (Nov 24 2021 8:05PM) : Great question. I don't know. That might be a decision determined by school, project, etc.
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Mar 16
Kevin Hodgson Kevin Hodgson (Mar 16 2019 6:53PM) : Which is important to state, since this particular school (is it charter? I'm not sure) is very different than most public schools, as it is focused and designed around game design/game theory. The entire school has game-design philosophical foundation.
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Mar 16
Kevin Hodgson Kevin Hodgson (Mar 16 2019 6:53PM) : link to Q2L: https://www.q2l.org/
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Mar 18
Dr. Daniel Bassill Dr. Daniel Bassill (Mar 18 2019 10:43AM) : As we've noted before, this research is highlighting the advantages affluent, privileged, kids have. more

Would be great to see group like Nerdfighters emerge with passion and goal of making learning opportunities like this available to more kids, especially those in lower income areas.

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Mar 19
Kevin Hodgson Kevin Hodgson (Mar 19 2019 7:31AM) : I agree. I am thinking of some of the annotation readings for the the Marginal Syllabus project and the Connected Learning projects funded by John Legend, and how there is a socio-economic element to those ventures, and I wonder if they dovetail here?
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Eternity is in love with the creations of time.

Mar 19
Terry Elliott

Eternity is in love with the creations of time.

Terry Elliott (Mar 19 2019 7:16PM) : Emergent more

I love the idea of emergence. In education we are subject to fits and frenzies where we take a great idea like Nerdfighters and paper it over an existing frame. We cover over the chance to help new, slightly different affinity groups to emerge. In fact, I would argue that all affinity groups are emergent groups. Anything that limits one, limits the other.

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Mar 30
Karen LaBonte Karen LaBonte (Mar 30 2019 2:13AM) : One could argue that Nerdfighters reflects a privileged audience-- at least, one that has regular internet access.
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Mar 30
Kevin Hodgson Kevin Hodgson (Mar 30 2019 9:57PM) : I think you are right, to some degree. Daniel brings hit up a lot, as he should -- who is privileged and who is not, and how does that open up or close off opportunities ...
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Mar 31
Dr. Daniel Bassill Dr. Daniel Bassill (Mar 31 2019 6:29AM) : Connecting rich, middle class and poor in strategic, on-going actions has been my goal more

I understand that the luck of birth gives some people privilege and advantages that others don’t have. Thus, my efforts have tried to draw these people into the lives of kids in poverty, via tutor/mentor programs, then educate them about challenges kids, families and schools in these areas face. Then motivate them to use their advantages to bring needed resources into high poverty areas. That’s not happening enough.

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Apr 2
Karen LaBonte Karen LaBonte (Apr 02 2019 3:24PM) : I appreciate your aims, Daniel.
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Nov 23
Natasha Floersch Natasha Floersch (Nov 23 2019 3:24AM) : agency, poverty, input [Edited] more

Technology, digital tools, and affinity networks offer a great opportunity to keep the tutors / mentors and the community members on equal footing. The community members know best what they need, but so many have a long, negative history of outsiders acting “on” them, not “with” them. These tools have a lot of promise for collaboration.

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Dec 2
Kevin Hodgson Kevin Hodgson (Dec 02 2019 7:56PM) : Moving from promise to action is key ...
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Dec 3
Dr. Daniel Bassill Dr. Daniel Bassill (Dec 03 2019 12:17AM) : Volunteers can help open doors more

I encourage you to view this concept map showing supports kids need as they move from preschool to work, over a 20+ year period. In lower left I show a role of volunteer tutors, mentors. Kids in high poverty areas don’t have same range of resources so organized programs that draw in volunteer from beyond poverty can help make more of what’s needed available. I’m not sure that many share my perspective.
https://cmapspublic.ihmc.us/servlet/SBReadResourceServlet?rid=1247940590625_680793758_145917&partName=actualhtmltext

In addition to being active in the school’s Minecraftclub and server, Tal was also part of the kinds of online affinity networks that we have studied for this book. She learned from open online resources for Minecraft, which include massive numbers of YouTube videos, forums, wikis, and other server communities. Based on ideas gleaned from these online resources, Tal was inspired to write scripts for her friends at school to perform and record as animated plays in Minecraft. One of her teachers, recognizing the creativity and learning potential of Tal’s scriptwriting, encouraged her to share the work in class, and she was interviewed about it for the online school newspaper. With the support of her peers, family, and teachers, Tal continued to pursue her writing interest and began writing every day, eventually enrolling in a summer program for writers so she could continue writing during her break. For Tal, online affinity networks were linked to a broader network of intergenerational, local, and institutional supports, resulting in powerful learning as well as expanding her educational opportunities.

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Nov 30
Mary Curfman Mary Curfman (Nov 30 2020 9:48AM) : school support [Edited] more

I still have a hard time believing that schools are supporting students and partnering with them in these ways. I think it is amazing! Tal’s school definitely has their priorities in the right places by giving their students this level of support. This does have me wonder about the school itself. Is it Public or tuition based?

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Nov 30
Kevin Hodgson Kevin Hodgson (Nov 30 2020 7:37PM) : Good question -- some schools may have more flexible policies and more flexible budgets (and maybe less focus on standardized testing) to allow for activities like this.
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Eternity is in love with the creations of time.

Nov 30
Terry Elliott

Eternity is in love with the creations of time.

Terry Elliott (Nov 30 2020 10:32PM) : Desire paths can be laid over mandatory paths. [Edited] more Tags: desire path

I taught 8-12 for ten years and one of the ideas I used in every class was to show learners how to apply something we did in class that day to their own “desire path” (https://99percentinvisible.org/article/least-resistance-desire-paths-can-lead-better-design/) I do this with super conventional teaching tools like the much despised research paper. I try to make the learner’s desire path form the core of the “road” they have to walk as they complete their projects. They choose the research question they want to answer as well as the format they want for answering it. Their desire path flies over the same set of tracks we oftentime regard as the only way. Not. This idea is not new to me, I have been practicing it in my own freshman comp classes. I have three students this semester who are choosing to answer their research questions via podcasting. That’s their desire path.

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Dec 2
Shea Ross Shea Ross (Dec 02 2020 2:07PM) : Online resources are great. It is just so important to monitor these students. To help them navigate these online resources.
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Dec 2
Mitchell Ary Mitchell Ary (Dec 02 2019 12:43PM) : youtube more

Mine interest is not particularly game based but it is application based. I learn so much from youtube. With my hobby of fly fishing I have been able to look up how to tie flies and research certain techniques. I have also research fly fishing forums for reports on certain rivers based on threads. In addition I share an affinity space with other fly fisherman in colorado on facebook groups. I also learn from this social network as well. If I had not done all of this I might not be as effective as I am today.

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Dec 2
Kevin Hodgson Kevin Hodgson (Dec 02 2019 7:57PM) : There is an amazing wealth of knowledge on YouTube, and niche spaces for interests to be nurtured and connected .. no doubt about that ....
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Nov 27
Ms. Sarah Stice Ms. Sarah Stice (Nov 27 2020 7:16AM) : Youtube more

Kevin, I absolutely agree with you that there is so much knowledge on YouTube. Many of my students will say that Youtube is their “favorite show” to watch. There are videos for a wide variety of interests, many how-tos, and many educational videos. My concern with Youtube stems from nannying some younger children over the summer. Some of the more famous Youtubers for kids (like Stephen Sharer) seem to only promote consumerism. They’ll have all these videos where they are literally just unboxing gifts and showing them off.

To me, that’s a very toxic side of Youtube that we need to make sure we monitor. Just like any other website or affinity network, moderating some of the content with younger students is a good idea. And, if they begin wanting to make and post their own videos, that should come with moderation as well. But, it would be very cool to see such a passion built within a student that they would want to make and share videos on their own as well.

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Dec 1
hannah t hannah t (Dec 01 2020 12:15PM) : Youtube content more

Hey Sarah,
Thanks for bringing up the side of Youtube with regards to promoting consumerism. I have spent some time on Youtube the past few days searching for content for my Genius Hour project and realized exactly what you are describing above. Even with some of the advertisements that appeared, I would want to make sure the content is appropriate. I agree wholeheartedly that it is cool to see such passion exhibited by students.

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Dec 2
Shea Ross Shea Ross (Dec 02 2020 1:52PM) : I appreciate your comment because it is all true. There are great sides of youtube but there are also negative and toxic sides. It is important to monitor students as well as assist them in learning how to understand the online world.
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Dec 3
Sarah Honeychurch Sarah Honeychurch (Dec 03 2019 12:53AM) : Youtube is great for skills acquisition more

I knit, and when I need to learn a new technique I find youtube so useful.

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Eternity is in love with the creations of time.

Dec 1
Terry Elliott

Eternity is in love with the creations of time.

Terry Elliott (Dec 01 2020 3:08AM) : Attitudes over aptitudes [Edited] more

YouTube is my go-to for DIY, but more than that it is my inspiration for having a proper learning attitude. Here is a great example of that, Salvage Workshop: https://youtu.be/cbJPUWTLEXI
In this episode, the mechanic continues on a long-standing renovation of an old dozer. He is learning how to use an oxy-acetylene torch to heat up frozen bolts and nuts to get them off. In text annotations throughout he returns to the idea over and over about how he wasn’t born knowing how to use tools. He had to learn and he shows how having the attitude that others can help you and teach you is profoundly helpful. And it is. I am always telling my students how the most important skill I can help them with is creating a network to help you. I tell them don’t ever go more than twenty minutes of failed understanding before you ask for help.

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Dec 2
Shea Ross Shea Ross (Dec 02 2020 1:48PM) : I agree with you! Youtube has helped me learn so many new skills. It is incredible how there is an endless amount of knowledge on there.
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Eternity is in love with the creations of time.

Nov 25
Terry Elliott

Eternity is in love with the creations of time.

Terry Elliott (Nov 25 2021 10:10PM) : Inert ideas more

Here is an excerpt from Alfred North Whitehead that is at the heart of education:

I appeal to you, as practical teachers. With good discipline, it
is always possible to pump into the minds of a class a certain quantity
of inert knowledge. You take a text-book and make them learn it. So
far, so good. The child then knows how to solve a quadratic equation.
But what is the point of teaching a child to solve a quadratic
equation? There is a traditional answer to this question. It runs thus:
The mind is an instrument, you first sharpen it, and then use it; the
acquisition of the power of solving a quadratic equation is part of the
process of sharpening the mind. Now there is just enough truth in this
answer to have made it live through the ages. But for all its halftruth, it embodies a radical error which bids fair to stifle the genius
of the modern world. I do not know who was first responsible for this
analogy of the mind to a dead instrument. For aught I know, it may have
been one of the seven wise men of Greece, or a committee of the whole
lot of them. Whoever was the originator, there can be no doubt of the
authority which it has acquired by the continuous approval bestowed
upon it by eminent persons. But whatever its weight of authority,
whatever the high approval which it can quote, I have no hesitation in
denouncing it as one of the most fatal, erroneous, and dangerous
conceptions ever introduced into the theory of education. The mind is
never passive; it is a perpetual activity, delicate, receptive,
responsive to stimulus. You cannot postpone its life until you have
sharpened it. Whatever interest attaches to your subject-matter must be
evoked here and now; whatever powers you are strengthening in the
pupil, must be exercised here and now; whatever possibilities of mental
life your teaching should impart, must be exhibited here and now. That
is the golden rule of education, and a very difficult rule to follow."

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Nov 29
Jenny Shrank Jenny Shrank (Nov 29 2021 2:13AM) : I think it is amazing that she was able to be so connected and use these open resources, but I am curious how she knew where to go? Sixth grade seems young to be able to be able to navigate these open resources with ease. It is impressive nonetheless! more

This shows the power of interest driven learning, that if students are interested, they will find ways to learn whether conventionally or not.

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Nov 28
Meh Sod Paw Meh Sod Paw (Nov 28 2021 2:33PM) : Support System more

I was amazed by the access and support Tal had and received from family, peers, and teachers. Although this kind of opportunity is not common in the type of environment I personally have encountered, I am glad to be informed about the existence of this type of learning. I want to show similar support in some ways to my students for a powerful learning experience.

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Mar 16
Kevin Hodgson Kevin Hodgson (Mar 16 2019 6:57PM) : This is what I, a teacher, want to see happening ... and then wonder how to scale it up even further ... I am appreciative of the writers making these connections/bridges, and for noticing when the bridges don't seem to happen, too.
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Mar 18
Dr. Daniel Bassill Dr. Daniel Bassill (Mar 18 2019 10:46AM) : We share the same goal. I feel that by building a library of innovative practices, we make them available to others, who might adopt them in different places. more

Building the library is not enough. We need to find ways to evangelize that these ideas are available, to people who work/volunteer in non-school youth programs, as well as to people who work within traditional schools.

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Eternity is in love with the creations of time.

Mar 28
Terry Elliott

Eternity is in love with the creations of time.

Terry Elliott (Mar 28 2019 11:02PM) : Use the library. more

We need to create/find/explore library use cases. Perhaps what other have already done with your library but also “skeleton use cases” where you outline potential ways the library might be used?

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Mar 31
Dr. Daniel Bassill Dr. Daniel Bassill (Mar 31 2019 6:32AM) : This has been a goal for work that could be done by students in university and/or high school project.
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Eternity is in love with the creations of time.

Mar 19
Terry Elliott

Eternity is in love with the creations of time.

Terry Elliott (Mar 19 2019 7:30PM) : En-courage. more
Let it all bloom, but especially let us be on the side. Let the formal support frameworks of our schools be permeable and helpful and not controlling.
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Mar 22
Dr. Daniel Bassill Dr. Daniel Bassill (Mar 22 2019 4:54AM) : I find you and Kevin in many of the annotated readings that I participate in. Need to attract others. more

I saw a post on Twitter saying that Hypothes.is had reach a certain number of posts. Overall, that’s good. However, in the many annotations where the three of us have connected, including on Vialogues, the participation is still low.

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Nov 27
Dr. Daniel Bassill Dr. Daniel Bassill (Nov 27 2021 5:40AM) : I came back to this annotation today after seeing a post by Kevin Hodgson on Twitter. I keep hoping more people working with youth in non-school programs will join in. I don't see it yet.
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Mar 26
wendy Taleo wendy Taleo (Mar 26 2019 4:39PM) : Let it blossom...https://youtu.be/s2L0XN4I1hw
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Mar 30
Kevin Hodgson Kevin Hodgson (Mar 30 2019 10:03PM) : Lotus Blossom -- Billy Strayhorn -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-dOBt9eg_Y
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Eternity is in love with the creations of time.

Mar 19
Terry Elliott

Eternity is in love with the creations of time.

Terry Elliott (Mar 19 2019 7:35PM) : Crux more

This is why I am so glad to see this research. It is in the emergent spaces, these affinity spaces that we can see what works out in particular practice—and what doesn’t. Even more important we can see what folks tried and how they tried them. Ethnographic studies are so important to studying these informal groups from the inside out and from the outside in.

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Mar 25
Ms Sheri Edwards Ms Sheri Edwards (Mar 25 2019 1:23AM) : Crux, About Encouragement more

Terry says it well here: we need more of this look inside the connected learning spaces that draw in many people, of all ages.

Some teachers are able to introduce these “emergent” spaces into their classroom [Like Kevin] to show that a bridge between curriculum and shared interests is possible.

But just sharing this research and making suggestions — at any school in my area, eyes would roll and heads would turn away. Neither teachers nor admin could see this type of learning breaking into “their” school day.

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Eternity is in love with the creations of time.

Mar 28
Terry Elliott

Eternity is in love with the creations of time.

Terry Elliott (Mar 28 2019 11:18PM) : Value added? more

This is a ‘sales job’ of the highest and best water. I learned in my years as a business owner that you cannot just put the food down where the goats can get to it. People ain’t goats. What you must do is find a product you can believe in and then sell the hell out of it. And buy that I mean that you ask folks to ‘buy in’. Yes, it has a cost, but it also has a value. Get them to see the value and they will pay the price. I usually don’t make direct analogies to business when I talk about learning, but in this case I think the comparison works. This having been said: the sell is a tough one. I have been trying to sell my colleagues on the value of digital learning tools as an augment to analog ones to a very mixed results.

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Mar 30
Kevin Hodgson Kevin Hodgson (Mar 30 2019 10:04PM) : "People Ain't Goats" -- Terry
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Mar 31
Ms Sheri Edwards Ms Sheri Edwards (Mar 31 2019 1:56AM) : value more

I’ve found that others don’t see the value— they see more work for them if they are only FB and email users. The only thing that worked to help them see the value is that our team meeting notes with links to each one’s contributions in Google Doc, shared with our academic coaches, demonstrated the “cloud” they could not grasp before. Still, the steps to online were slow for the adults who did not to take time to “figure out” even with training how online collaboration could benefit our teams.

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Mar 31
Dr. Daniel Bassill Dr. Daniel Bassill (Mar 31 2019 6:36AM) : That "sales" job is "step 2" in the four-part strategy I have been following since 1993. more

Look at Step 2 in this article. https://tutormentor.blogspot.com/2017/07/cost-analysis-to-employ-32k-high-risk.html

Since I’ve never had money for advertising I’ve tried to recruit “disciples” who would evangelize the message. You’ve done some of that really well. Kevin and Sheri, too. Need more taking this role. Many more.

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Nov 23
Natasha Floersch Natasha Floersch (Nov 23 2019 2:40AM) : Workload, encouragement, personalization more

I also feel for teachers who want to encourage students to join affinity networks but feel overwhelmed or just don’t know how! If you’ve got a student who’s very into Minecraft (or Fortnite, or whatever is popular now), another who likes fanfiction, and so on…First, how do you find out these interests, given students’ reluctance to share them, and then how do you help them find a network that is safe, nurturing, and challenging without being an expert in each area?

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Nov 30
Yannick EDAYE Yannick EDAYE (Nov 30 2019 6:13AM) : Yes Natacha, you last question is the most important. A teacher is first a specialist of his field. As a specialist, we need to be up to date and have a list of safe, useful and valuable communities our students can join.
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Dec 2
Kevin Hodgson Kevin Hodgson (Dec 02 2019 7:58PM) : This point of reaching beyond the classroom for expertise and knowledge (and the understanding that a teacher won't know everything but maybe knows where to point a student) is a key element of Connected Learning
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Dec 3
Dr. Daniel Bassill Dr. Daniel Bassill (Dec 03 2019 12:20AM) : Reaching beyond classroom more

This affirms my interest in non-school tutor/mentor programs. They offer one extra layer of opportunity for engaging youth in learning about the world, add extra mentors, and engage people with kids who might not be able to engage during the traditional school day.

Such programs don’t exist around many schools, thus, people need to be talking about ways to create them. And sustain them.

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Dec 3
Sarah Honeychurch Sarah Honeychurch (Dec 03 2019 12:55AM) : finding safe, nurturing networks more

I agree that this is key. Knowing where, not knowing how.

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Dec 5
ANNETTE AH YOUNG ANNETTE AH YOUNG (Dec 05 2021 5:01PM) : Connecting online with offline networks is also key more

This is an important connection that should be amplified. Tal was able to find support in her community which gave her even more empowerment to further her interests. She didn’t have to go far to seek it; she can start her own or utilize the available resources already in her area and/or state.

Local governments should be able to finance youth programs as well as adult programs to engage community members of opportunities that exist so they can join and would help lead to more opportunities and/or job prospects.

Like Tal, millions of young people around the world are passionate about Minecraft and connect through online affinity networks, bonding with peers, engaging in creative production, collaborating, organizing, and developing school- and career-relevant skills. Some of these youth are growing up in high-tech and wealthy families who understand the learning potential of digital games and enroll them in summer Minecraft camps or help them advance their skills at home. Very few of them, however, attend a school like Quest to Learn, which embraces games-based learning and encourages links between recreational in-home gameplay and school achievement. Tal’s story offers us a glimpse into a world where parents, educators, and our public learning institutions work more explicitly, intentionally, and actively to connect with young people’s new media interests and leverage the power of learning with online affinity networks. How can parents and educators best recognize and connect with the learning in online affinity networks? What are barriers that keep us from tapping this potential, and what are ways we can address these barriers?

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Dr. Daniel Bassill Dr. Daniel Bassill (Mar 18 2019 10:49AM) : Does this school also encourage involvement in arts, music, performance, or science, public service, etc. Or is it just focused on digital learning? more

Even what is perceived to be cutting edge, could be exclusionary.

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Mar 19
Kevin Hodgson Kevin Hodgson (Mar 19 2019 7:33AM) : I don't know the full curriculum .. one of the researchers -- Katie Salen -- of the book was one of the founders of the school (and ran it for some years).
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Nov 27
Megan Reetz Megan Reetz (Nov 27 2019 7:51AM) : I don't feel that there are many affinity networks as impactful as Minecraft. As Minecraft is not as popular as it once was, I am curious to know in what ways today's youth are pursuing online community in a productive and passion focused. more

I don’t feel that there are many affinity networks as impactful as Minecraft. As Minecraft is not as popular as it once was, I am curious to know in what ways today’s youth are pursuing online community in a productive and passion focused. Today’s youth have Tik Tok and whatever future apps that form from this, but are these apps being used in a productive way?

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Nov 30
Kevin Hodgson Kevin Hodgson (Nov 30 2020 7:39PM) : One thing that has been clear to me as teacher/parent/adult is that we don't always see what the "next thing" is for kids until it has gone mainstream, and then it is no longer the "next thing" - it's the "old thing" - kids are on to something new by then
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Dec 2
Shea Ross Shea Ross (Dec 02 2020 2:02PM) : I can't express enough how important it is to understand that not every student or school is going to be able to have those experiences.
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Dec 2
Mitchell Ary Mitchell Ary (Dec 02 2019 12:46PM) : passions more

I feel like we are to centered sometimes on the video game aspect. Some times these passions or niche interests don’t have to orient themselves around games. Sometimes I feel like it is just facilitating the passion that students have and helping them find these multi modal areas to help learn more about these passions. I totally see the practicality for game based interest as well.

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Dec 2
Kevin Hodgson Kevin Hodgson (Dec 02 2019 7:59PM) : This text we are annotating here is just one chapter of the larger book, with other examples in other chapters explored that have nothing to do with game culture. Just FYI
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Dec 2
Katie Latek Katie Latek (Dec 02 2019 12:47PM) : I appreciate that they are pointing out that these students are from wealthy families. To think if everyone could have access to these learning opportunities!
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Dec 2
Kevin Hodgson Kevin Hodgson (Dec 02 2019 7:59PM) : Equity and Access ... still a huge barrier ....
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Dec 3
Dr. Daniel Bassill Dr. Daniel Bassill (Dec 03 2019 12:23AM) : Expanding access more

I encourage you to browse articles at http://tutormentor.blogspot.com to see how I’ve tried to help mentor-rich non-school programs grow in high poverty areas of Chicago. This could be happening in every part of the country.

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Nov 28
Vivian Lo Vivian Lo (Nov 28 2021 6:38AM) : Other than the social-economic status of the family, I am surprised that the parents are very open-minded and supportive of game-based Learning.
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Dec 1
hannah t hannah t (Dec 01 2020 12:20PM) : Links between home and school more

I think it is important to create links between “recreational in-home gameplay and school achievement.” While I am unsure exactly what this looks like, it seems crucial to be able to link students’ interests with school related activities. It is shown that when this occurs students tend to be more engaged and motivated in their work. I wonder what are some ways that we can support the develop of these links while also educating on the items that need to be taught.

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Nov 28
Sarah Hulet Sarah Hulet (Nov 28 2021 5:12AM) : In-home gameplay and in school achievement [Edited] more

Throughout this book, this has been a recurring theme. As educators, we want to create these links between in-home gameplay and in-school learning. The key though is HOW we create these connections. In a school like Quest to Learn, these opportunities are more accessible due to the structure of the school. In a gen ed class, however, it’s important to make time for students to form connections between home and school, and this can be supported with online affinity spaces, genius hour, and PBLs.

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Nov 28
Nathaniel Chapman Nathaniel Chapman (Nov 28 2021 6:45AM) : Flipping Learning more

Another approach could be a more flipped learning day, where the homework is to watch/read/learn the basic concepts. Then, the next day, utilize those concepts in the classroom, through games or other affinity links, and allow the students (especially at younger ages) to play with them in a more free-form way. The major problem with this approach is that there is no testable (and thus easily statistically marketable) way to know achievement is happening. If we looked at learning as a life-course rather than individual years this might be offset. Still, play often creates more lasting memories, with often happier tags anchoring them in memory.

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Dec 3
Colt Kreeger Colt Kreeger (Dec 03 2019 1:43AM) : I've been noticing student's shifting media interests, hence "new media interests." It seems like there is a challenging balance to having such specific affinity groups, given inevitable changes in affinity. Maybe broader categories for affinity groups?
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Mar 24
Kevin Hodgson Kevin Hodgson (Mar 24 2019 2:26AM) : What do you think? As a parent or as a teacher or as a community member?
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Mar 25
Ms Sheri Edwards Ms Sheri Edwards (Mar 25 2019 3:40AM) : Barriers and Breakthroughs more

Because I believe in the power of connected learning and that all kids have a right to a modern learning environment [equity], my answer sees the barrier of top-down, test-driven status quo as one that is difficult to break without a refocus on what our purpose of education is. Individual teachers can innovate with modest support from admin, but that is not enough to make much of a dent in the pedagogy of teaching and learning across systems. How do we encourage people to listen and look forward, rather than hold back? How and where do we promote these possibilities in our communities so that the community, the parents, understand, support, and expect change?

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Mar 28
Kevin Hodgson Kevin Hodgson (Mar 28 2019 7:16PM) : And that barrier (top/down) is most acute in urban, struggling schools where administrator's jobs are determined not by the learning atmosphere of the school but by the test score data.
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Mar 31
Dr. Daniel Bassill Dr. Daniel Bassill (Mar 31 2019 6:40AM) : I think it's an oversold "fiction" that great teachers can overcome all other obstacles kids face. Maybe in some cases, but seldom in areas of concentrated poverty. more

I’ve seen many articles that talk about poverty and the lack of social capital in the communities where kids live, but few sophisticated, or continuous efforts, from schools, to change those conditions. The UCLA Center for Mental Health in Schools focuses on this to a certain extent.

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Mar 31
Sarah Honeychurch Sarah Honeychurch (Mar 31 2019 6:00PM) : (reply to Dan) more

Plus one to that comment

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Mar 30
Karen LaBonte Karen LaBonte (Mar 30 2019 2:15AM) : If educators have not experienced an online affinity network, they will not see the value in this.
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Mar 30
Kevin Hodgson Kevin Hodgson (Mar 30 2019 10:05PM) : This is a critical insight .. and the underpinning of CLMOOC from the very start -- invite teachers to play/make/create/connect together so that they might then bring some of that ethos to the classrooms. Has it worked?
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Mar 31
Ms Sheri Edwards Ms Sheri Edwards (Mar 31 2019 2:02AM) : Did it work? more

It worked for me and for my teacher friends with whom i connected, but as I mentioned before, my classroom was connected— others not— those scores must improve, as you said. We have quite a few changes in admin, so consistency in support is missing. We started with GAFE with a supportive, encouraging temporary administrator but then the next admin was a technophobe who still used paper and pen for everything. He was supportive of my classroom, but not for encouraging others to learn and participate. Such is the dilemma.

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Mar 31
Sarah Honeychurch Sarah Honeychurch (Mar 31 2019 6:06PM) : Heck, yeah more

It’s worked for me!

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Nov 30
Kari F Kari F (Nov 30 2020 7:51AM) : Truly prepared for life after high school more

As I picture this school and how it promotes genuine connections to new media and the power of learning in online affinity groups, I think about all the images and ideas I have about modern companies and their needs, and I can’t help but think that students who have the opportunity to attend schools like this well have such valuable and relevant experience, and find these workplaces much more natural and navigable than students who have spent most of their time in more traditional classrooms. I do think that we educators need to pay close attention to what types of skills students truly need as they move into their lives after high school and college, and make sure we are adapting our own learning environments to better prepare them.

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Dec 2
Mrs. Megan Breeden Mrs. Megan Breeden (Dec 02 2020 5:55AM) : As we have learned more about affinity groups this is a challenge I think about often. more

Teachers have a lot to balance, especially in this world with remote learning. I would love to have all of my students involved in an affinity group, but I worry about being able to identify all my students interests, connect them to a safe group, ensuring career and academic knowledge is gained, while still meeting the standards.

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Nov 29
Rebecca Saunders Rebecca Saunders (Nov 29 2021 2:15AM) : Leverage the knowledge of those who already participate. more

For as much as we discuss being a community of learners, many of these discussions are still framed in a transfer/acquisition model, where the instructors are the experts and are solely responsible for connecting students to the affinity network that “matches” their curriculum. This book sheds light on what young people are doing independent of the “deposits” instructors are making in their academic banks. The idea of being more intentional with the design of curriculum around affinity networks will only be as successful as educators are willing to relinquish some of the control and be open-minded to the untapped expertise within their own classrooms.

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Nov 30
Yannick EDAYE Yannick EDAYE (Nov 30 2019 5:24AM) : As the sentence before says, it is no easy to detect the interest of the children if we are not familiar with online networks. Parents and educators have to try some learning games or have the experience of the online community to guide their children or [Edited]
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Dec 2
Kevin Hodgson Kevin Hodgson (Dec 02 2019 8:01PM) : And there is no reason the network one joins has to be about gaming ... there are plenty of teacher networks where support is always given, shared and requested ... To be part of a such a network reminds us of how our students may feel ...
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Dec 2
Robin Suing Robin Suing (Dec 02 2020 1:14PM) : Age Barrier? more

I see the value of these online affinity networks, definitely. But, as I have brought up before, I am always concerned about the safety of interacting with “strangers” online, especially when people can remain so anonymous. I have a 6 year old son who LOVES Minecraft, how can I embrace his learning through this and still keep him safe? Also, is he too young to really embrace the online affinity networks, being that he is just learning about reading. I am decently tech savvy, but I don’t understand Minecraft in the least because I haven’t explored it much myself – how much do parents need to know about Minecraft or things like it in order to help their children learn this way? This is a concern for me as a full-time working mom also attending grad school, and a husband who regularly works overtime. So a barrier could be getting parents on board to support but not necessarily be required to facilitate.

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Nov 16
Lisa Hildred Lisa Hildred (Nov 16 2021 11:13AM) : Voice and Choice more

I wonder if a major barrier of including affinity networks in schools is lack of time due to standards? Could standards be rewritten to offer more opportunities for voice and choice?

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Nov 22
Kari Bangtson Kari Bangtson (Nov 22 2021 11:26PM) : Lisa I often think of the standards in scenarios like this as well. I appreciate your questions, and i do think standards can be re-written, or re-understood to honor voice and choice. more
I understand the philosophy and purpose behind standards, but when teachers feel the need to get through it instead of allow kids to be in the learning process a paradigm shift needs to take place, refocusing on student learning and not on =checking boxes.

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Nov 24
Kevin Hodgson Kevin Hodgson (Nov 24 2021 8:07PM) : To "get through" as opposed to "allow kids to be in the learning process" is a good way to frame this conflict that teachers often face.
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Nov 24
Kevin Hodgson Kevin Hodgson (Nov 24 2021 8:06PM) : Yes to both. It could happen. Does the writing of standards to reflect Connected Learning happen? Not often.

As part of a broader effort in researching and designing for connected learning, we have focused our investigation on the positive learning potential of online affinity networks in order to understand learning opportunities and challenges related to a changing digital landscape. Our focus was not on educational programs, policy, or parenting, but an important aim of our work has been to offer research and recommendations that can inform parents and educators who are seeking to support connected learning for all youth. We have celebrated the creativity, technical sophistication, civic engagement, and varied expertise that flourish in certain online affinity networks. At the same time, we are concerned about the lack of intergenerational connection in many of these online affinity networks, their disconnection from schools and career opportunity, and inequitable access to these learning opportunities. In this concluding chapter, we describe our design framework in relation to the findings from our case studies, and then we consider the opportunities and challenges in realizing the full potential of online affinity networks for connected learning. This chapter pivots from reporting empirical findings to explicating opportunities for action and the social change agenda of connected learning.

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Nov 23
Student Anitha Muthukumaran Student Anitha Muthukumaran (Nov 23 2020 5:59PM) : How can I encourage when I, as an educator is not familiar? more

I can totally relate to the lack of intergenerational connection especially with gaming platforms. I did not grow up playing video games. I grew up playing with friends outside my home everyday after school. So, how can I encourage or motivate my students when I am not comfortable on those gaming platforms. It does take a cultural shift to reach the current generation of students.

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Nov 29
Mary Curfman Mary Curfman (Nov 29 2020 8:18PM) : Who is responsible for educating teachers more

Anitha,
Is it possible that for teachers, the burden of being educated on these platforms so as to be an effective motivator and encourager actually falls on the school, school districts, states? Shouldn’t schools or districts be held accountable for some of this teaching of teachers?

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Dec 11
Ms. Hannah Rossiter Ms. Hannah Rossiter (Dec 11 2020 7:51PM) : Unfamiliar territory more

Anitha,
I cannot tell you how many times I have been in that same position. Currently, I feel that way with Among Us. My students love it and want me to play but I have no idea what I’m doing. Through talking to friends and the kids, I have come to the conclusion that times like tis are a perfect opportunity to ask our students what they can teach us. They are almost always are excited to be the teacher

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Nov 24
Kevin Hodgson Kevin Hodgson (Nov 24 2021 6:07AM) : Same here ...
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Nov 28
Meh Sod Paw Meh Sod Paw (Nov 28 2021 12:33AM) : 4 C's 21st Century Learning more

This chapter mentioned some of the 4 C’s of 21st Learning Skills such as creativity, bonding, and collaboration. These important skills could be formed through online affinity networks and where they could take an individual to. Although these skills are essential, I would like to add that it is also intimidating not fully understanding every aspect of online affinity.

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Dec 12
Janet Fecht Janet Fecht (Dec 12 2021 7:19PM) : Online affinity groups are new to me, but I am realizing the tremendous learning potential that comes with these groups. I believe that they are so beneficial to "quirky" kids who may not feel like they "fit in" anywhere else.
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Dec 1
Satie Walker Satie Walker (Dec 01 2019 11:05PM) : Helpful tool for teachers more

I found these case studies to be very helpful for me as an educator who doesn’t necessarily fear the unknown world of affinity networks, but needed support to present these to my administrator as helpful learning tools in the classroom. I think the digital age is frightening for those who don’t understand it, and especially for those who don’t try or know where to even start.

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Dec 2
Kevin Hodgson Kevin Hodgson (Dec 02 2019 6:02AM) : Administrative support -- or resistance -- is always a cause of worry and concern, and being able to explain and bring forth examples and case studies can be important. Good point.
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Dec 2
Dr. Daniel Bassill Dr. Daniel Bassill (Dec 02 2019 10:25AM) : Connecting on Twitter more

Kevin Hodgson and I have connected over the past six years via the Connected Learning group. It has an active presence on Twitter,using #clmooc hashtag.

Another group is New Teachers to Twitter, #NT2t, which hold one hour chats every Saturday morning. It’s purpose is just what the name says, to help new educators (and others) learn to use Twitter effectively.

Doing so opens your personal learning network to many ideas.

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Dec 12
Janet Fecht Janet Fecht (Dec 12 2021 7:23PM) : I agree, Satie. I think our administration needs to be educated about the benefits of these groups and how they can support our students' learning. I am an older teacher and you said it correctly when you said the digital age is frightening to some!
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Nov 24
annie mcintyre annie mcintyre (Nov 24 2021 6:42PM) : this is so critical to address these economical barriers. Equity within schools is still a major problem, to have fully connected students there needs to be practical and legitimate resources to bridge these gaps.
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Nov 30
hannah t hannah t (Nov 30 2020 10:25PM) : Certain online affinity networks more

While this text provides excellent resources on case studies that promote the positive aspects/outcomes of online affinity networks, it is known that some toxic groups exist (and most likely always will). When encouraging our students to explore these groups, I wonder if there is a way to help guide them towards groups that will help nurture their interest/development and provide support.

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Mar 26
wendy Taleo wendy Taleo (Mar 26 2019 3:10AM) : Intergenerational connection more

This has been an interesting aspect throughout this book. In many ways, I can read it and cut out the ‘youth’ aspect. However, courses like Network Narratives (#NetNarr) have been invaluable to show how connections can be made across age and experience levels.

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Mar 28
Kevin Hodgson Kevin Hodgson (Mar 28 2019 6:19AM) : It makes me wonder, too, of what we are missing -- of what networks exist and thrive but are below the radar screen (it seems like Ravelry is the example used in many articles and research pieces). How can you find what you don't see?
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Mar 30
Dr. Daniel Bassill Dr. Daniel Bassill (Mar 30 2019 5:42PM) : I'm humbled daily by what I find that I don't know. more

While I’ve been building a library for 20 years, it’s still just a less than 1% fraction of what’s happening all over the world to help people in poverty. That means more people need to be searching the Internet for “what seems to work” then share what they learn in CLMOOC type forums, and in web archives similar to mine (others do this much better than I do).

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Mar 24
Ms Sheri Edwards Ms Sheri Edwards (Mar 24 2019 2:43PM) : opportunities for action more

ok. perhaps this section will answer my question.

Learning as Connection Building

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Our research underscores a central insight of connected learning and sociocultural learning theory: Transformative and resilient forms of learning are embedded in a web of social relations, meaningful projects, and shared activities with which a learner feels a sense of affinity. Unlike the majority of learning research, our cases center on youth interests rather than educational institutions or school-related subjects. Thus collective action, social connectedness, and cultural relevance are central to the learning that we have seen in the online affinity networks we examined. Placing interests and affinity at the center of the investigation offers a different perspective on long-standing concerns about interest development and learning transfer. Our cases enable us to highlight how interest development is grounded in shared cultural identity and joint activity. In turn, this perspective enables us to consider how learning transfer can be reconceptualized as a process of cultural translation and connecting social networks rather than as a process located primarily in individual cognition and competency.

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Nov 26
Megan Reetz Megan Reetz (Nov 26 2019 6:02PM) : i've really appreciated how these case studies haven't been just about school focused passions. These case studies reinforce how important it is to create environments for humans to create and explore on their own without explicit instruction
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Nov 23
Student Anitha Muthukumaran Student Anitha Muthukumaran (Nov 23 2020 6:16PM) : It doesn't work for all students more

Hi Megan, I would agree with your statement totally if we don’t generalize the population that benefits from these networks to humans. I teach children with visual impairments and some of my students should be taught explicitly. Hence I think student passions should be prioritized in schools, but multiple means of engagement should be provided with students. This way, students have a choice on how they want to proceed with things that interest them.

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Nov 21
Bryan Westman Bryan Westman (Nov 21 2021 1:38PM) : I can see students both enjoying working on technology in a group or by themselves. The students I feel have learned the most are those who become the mentors who try and help other students create something. By being a mentor they raise their value.
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Nov 24
Kevin Hodgson Kevin Hodgson (Nov 24 2021 6:08AM) : I see this, too, as students learn and then help each other with workarounds and concepts ... powerful experiences.
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Dec 5
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Dec 12
Janet Fecht Janet Fecht (Dec 12 2021 7:27PM) : I think about my students who feel as if they don't "belong." I believe that bringing these affinity groups and related projects into the classroom will allow them to open up and share their passion with their peers. What a great way to learn!
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Mar 30
Sarah Honeychurch Sarah Honeychurch (Mar 30 2019 9:52AM) : Resiliance more

I’ve been thinking a lot about resilience recently, due to conversations about ourundergrad and postgrad students. I’d not thought about affinity spaces such as clmooc and ds106 as helping with this but, of course, they can. Thinking about learning processes, rather than products … I am just talking out loud here as I re-emerge from my coccoon

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Mar 30
Ms Sheri Edwards Ms Sheri Edwards (Mar 30 2019 1:10PM) : learning processes more

I am support for teachers in Jennifer Gonzalez’s Cult of Pedagogy JumpStart in Tech course — it’s focus in on the learning processes and pedagogy behind the tools, which is hard to grasp for newbies and some who use tools. I think you’ve made a great point about about ds106 and clmooc as play to learn the processes because we use so many tools to create for a purpose.

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Mar 30
Dr. Daniel Bassill Dr. Daniel Bassill (Mar 30 2019 5:44PM) : Have any of you followed the New Teachers to Twitter chat on Saturday mornings (#NT2T)? more

I think this group is consistent in trying to coach others into Twitter. It’s a model that could be duplicated.

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Mar 31
Sarah Honeychurch Sarah Honeychurch (Mar 31 2019 5:12AM) : #NT2T more

Thanks Dan – will look. Have been thinking about how to support those new to hashtag communities

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Mar 31
Sarah Honeychurch Sarah Honeychurch (Mar 31 2019 5:11AM) : Cult of Pedagogy more

I very much like Cult of Pedagogy – really nice, thoughtful resources :)

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Dec 5
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Mar 31
Kevin Hodgson Kevin Hodgson (Mar 31 2019 6:33AM) : How are you thinking of resilience in connection to Affinity Spaces? more

Me: the support system encourages folks to try something new, and to continue forward even when there are hurdles. The nature of sharing with others (either publicly or inside the space) means there is an audience, which can be motivation. And the sometimes unspoken nature of a novice suddenly becoming the expert provides a spark to keep on going even when you get stuck.

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Dec 1
Mitchell Ary Mitchell Ary (Dec 01 2019 10:50PM) : new stuff more

Heck ya! Having that support system established and teaching students where to go can help them pursue other interests they other wise might not pursue, because they don’t even know how or where to start. Even when they hit roadblocks they can use these spaces and tools learned to overcome whatever they are stuck on.

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Dec 2
Kevin Hodgson Kevin Hodgson (Dec 02 2019 6:03AM) : Knowing you don't know what you don't know is always a good starting point ... stay curious ...
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Dec 12
Janet Fecht Janet Fecht (Dec 12 2021 7:31PM) : I love that you brought up the learning process instead of the product. I believe this is where true learning happens...in the process. We can work on the final product later, but the process in getting there is where the most critical thinking happens!
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Nov 26
Amy Wahl Amy Wahl (Nov 26 2021 12:31PM) : Youth interests more

I appreciate this sentence because the cases studied are centered on youth interests.

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Nov 22
Sarah ali Sarah ali (Nov 22 2021 12:20PM) : I am very interested in this. I do notice that most research is about schools and educational institutions and not learners
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Nov 24
Kevin Hodgson Kevin Hodgson (Nov 24 2021 6:09AM) : There are other students out there about Connected Learning and students -- see more work by danah boyd and her deep dives into the lives of young people.
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Mar 26
wendy Taleo wendy Taleo (Mar 26 2019 3:13AM) : Cultural relevance more

While I occasionally get language barriers as an issue in online networks, generally it has not been an issue. Working in global groups like Virtually Connecting has taught me how to be more sensitive to cultural references and focus on the connectedness of the experience instead.

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Mar 28
Kevin Hodgson Kevin Hodgson (Mar 28 2019 6:23AM) : Agreed. And I think your point is that by participating in more diverse networks, we learn more of how to be more sensitive and open to different ways of interacting with the world. One leads to the other (although sometimes, it is the other way around)
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Mar 29
Karen LaBonte Karen LaBonte (Mar 29 2019 1:21PM) : Whose culture is a question I think we always need to ask. [Edited] more
Can we facilitate or encourage connectedness across localized versions of “youth culture”? And I also need to ask myself, what assumptions am I making here…? For one, that adults aren’t always aware of or knowledgable about youth culture.

Kevin, maybe Mindcraft simply became too adult-innundated to be of interest to your kids…?

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Mar 30
Kevin Hodgson Kevin Hodgson (Mar 30 2019 9:07AM) : A colleague asked me about the decline of Minecraft yesterday, and the rise of Fortnite. I suspect it is the social aspect of FN (and the battle element) but it is also that Minecraft kids are more reluctant to share they are still playing MC. more

Fortnite has cultural cache now that Minecraft does not.

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Mar 30
Sarah Honeychurch Sarah Honeychurch (Mar 30 2019 11:08AM) : Affinity culture (replying to Wendy's comment above) [Edited] more

But I think that the cultural identity being referred to here is the identity that folk have when they are part of an affinity network. That shared identity is what makes the networks hang together – it is precisely that culture that gives the connectedness.

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Mar 30
Ms Sheri Edwards Ms Sheri Edwards (Mar 30 2019 1:15PM) : "hang together" more

Hmmm. I think you’re right— a shared identity. So… thinking of schools, is there that “shared identity” among students, among staff and between students and staff? Relationships here are so important - but something also about the culture is just as much a part of what makes things- organizations—- work well and “hang together.”

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Mar 31
Sarah Honeychurch Sarah Honeychurch (Mar 31 2019 5:19AM) : Shared identity more

That’s the question, isn’t it? I’ve been thinking about what makes CLMOOC what it is. I have some tentative thoughts …

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Mar 31
Kevin Hodgson Kevin Hodgson (Mar 31 2019 6:30AM) : Does that culture emerge from the participants of the network or does it get seeded by the network creators at the start? (This is a key design question) more

I think it is seeded but then, there needs to be flexibility, to follow the interests of the participants. In other words, any Affinity Network/Space has to be designed to turn on a dime if enough of the people within it start finding something new. This was the whole Emergent Design that surfaced early in CLMOOC — building something with the expectation that you didn’t quite know what you were building, and being open to what you were seeing, not what you were expecting to see.

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Nov 27
Nathaniel Chapman Nathaniel Chapman (Nov 27 2021 4:51PM) : Prestige [Edited] more

Cultural relevance also can mean prestige in your local community, and I would hope the world at large. However, we often hold affinity links as lesser prestige or niche instances. Everyone wants to be a pop star, a football player, or Steve Jobs, because those are high prestige positions (including the work to get there), however, very few people want to be a teacher, or an auditor, or a plumber as these jobs do not carry the social capital that the others do. Perhaps we need to reframe prestige around the good you can do for others, not just for yourself. Perhaps the best point around social networks for affinity groups is that you gain the prestige within those networks, and need not have it as much in your real life. I would hope this would, at some point, bleed over and change how we approach niche jobs.

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Nov 26
LaNae Phillips LaNae Phillips (Nov 26 2019 12:28PM) : Interest development grounded in cultural identity [Edited] more

I think this is a wise approach to this research. In thinking about some of the interests I have today for example watching NASCAR and football to reading and sewing all stem back from growing up in an environment where people also had these interests. Going to the races has its own sub-culture in America and people that go understand this and conform to the expected social norms. It’s important to understand what shapes interests and cultural identities in order to study why people may gravitate to specific social networks.

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Dec 2
Kevin Hodgson Kevin Hodgson (Dec 02 2019 6:05AM) : That idea of "subcultures" is key because Affinity Networks have made those more obscure ones more visible than ever, and maybe opened the door for those who might not otherwise have known the door was even there. more

On the flip side, it has also opened the door to the negative aspects of Affinity Networks — the trolls and the nefarious who seek to undermine the same spaces that encourage and entice others. It’s good to approach this all with open eyes.

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Learning in the online affinity networks we studied begins with attraction to and affinity with a shared culture and identity. Some participants go on to gain a deeper understanding of subcultural practices and form relationships with people in the network, and they develop a sense of belonging, eventually sharing work online, taking on roles in a community, and developing reputation and status in the network. Shared purpose is structured around activities such as competition, creative production, and community organizing, providing a context for ongoing activity that further bonds participants. The sense of belonging and bonding can be a powerful driver of participation and learning as young people earn recognition from others who “get it” and share a similar culture and values. Learning—gaining knowledge, developing expertise, collaborating, and community organizing—is a natural by-product of this ongoing participation. As prior work in situated learning has argued, learning is part and parcel of participation in communities of practice (Lave and Wenger 1991; Wenger 1998). Unlike professional communities of practice and formal education, however, online affinity networks are “intentional” communities that center on shared interest, affinity, and collective action, rather than being driven by primarily instrumental or achievement-oriented goals.

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Dec 1
Robin Suing Robin Suing (Dec 01 2020 11:28PM) : Genius Hour Connection more

So this is also true for adults, speaking for myself. I read this and immediately thought about the Genius Hour project I just completed. I had been a “fly on the wall” in a photography class this past semester. I just wanted to learn from the professor and the other students, I didn’t intend to insert myself or display any of my work – essentially I just wanted to be a lurker. :) But after some time, getting to know the individuals in the class a little more and they got to know me a little more – there were times I felt like they cared about things I said or questions I asked – which started to make me feel like a valued member of the group. When I presented my first set of photography, they gave me great feedback as well as compliments, which encouraged me to participate even more. They “got me” and I “got them,” and it became such an enriching part of my week, to be attending that class – even though it was all voluntary and interest-driven.

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Nov 24
James Corbett James Corbett (Nov 24 2020 6:39PM) : Student demographics more

I agree that there are some students who can find their passion with affinity networks and those who would not. So I think this has to be a very select voluntary students who are going to get something out of this.

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Mar 17
Kevin Hodgson Kevin Hodgson (Mar 17 2019 4:31PM) : The word "some" is key here, I suspect. Not all. Some. I guess this is the same everywhere, but by choosing folks to pay attention to in a research study, we have to be cognizant of the reverse telescope effect.
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Mar 30
Sarah Honeychurch Sarah Honeychurch (Mar 30 2019 11:52AM) : Affinity spaces, networks, cultures more

This, so much this. This is why (I think) so much of what we do in CLMOOC can be looked at as “creative playfulness”. Serious fun, shared with like minded others.

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Mar 31
Kevin Hodgson Kevin Hodgson (Mar 31 2019 6:26AM) : Yes.
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Mar 17
Kevin Hodgson Kevin Hodgson (Mar 17 2019 4:32PM) : I want to highlight this because it seems important in conceptualizing Affinity Networks/Spaces and how they different from educational spaces.
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Mar 24
Ms Sheri Edwards Ms Sheri Edwards (Mar 24 2019 2:45PM) : agree
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Mar 30
Sarah Honeychurch Sarah Honeychurch (Mar 30 2019 11:55AM) : Is this a necessary distinction do you think? Would it be possible to have affinity networks on formal education?
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Mar 30
Ms Sheri Edwards Ms Sheri Edwards (Mar 30 2019 1:20PM) : goal of formal edu more

The goals of formal education would need to shift.

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Mar 31
Sarah Honeychurch Sarah Honeychurch (Mar 31 2019 5:40AM) : Duplicate comment [Edited]
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Dec 2
Colt Kreeger Colt Kreeger (Dec 02 2019 11:50AM) : Isn't there a danger then of too formally connecting learning experiences ins schools to affinity groups? more

Isn’t there a danger then of too formally connecting learning experiences ins schools to affinity groups? If we attach learning achievements to the learner’s participation in affinity groups, aren’t we undermining this central aspect of what these groups are? How do we strike a balance here?

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Nov 26
Megan Reetz Megan Reetz (Nov 26 2019 6:21PM) : I think the distinction of affinity networks as separate entities from professional networks is essential. Ideally, individuals that join affinity networks will not only listen/read/watch what others create but they will contribute to them as well. more

I think the distinction of affinity networks as separate entities from professional networks is essential. Ideally, individuals that join affinity networks will not only listen/read/watch what others create but they will contribute to them as well. Affinity networks should be intentional and freeing in the way they inspire their participants to explore and create in a way that is personalized to them.

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Nov 26
LaNae Phillips LaNae Phillips (Nov 26 2019 8:37PM) : Distinction more

Good insights! It makes we wonder if professional communities of practice could function like an affinity network? I know in my profession we collaborate on various projects online, give feedback, make revisions, etc. They are typically smaller groups of people. I think keeping professional networks separate from affinity networks is a bit like the kids preferring to keep their online groups separate from school. Almost like they think of their online groups as having fun and don’t want it to turn into ‘school’.

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Dec 2
Kevin Hodgson Kevin Hodgson (Dec 02 2019 6:08AM) : Great point and I am not sure -- My gut reaction is that the formal structure of a school building inhibits the chances of a real Affinity Network being formed and nurtured, but I could be wrong (or too cynical about formal learning networks)
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Dec 1
Katie Latek Katie Latek (Dec 01 2019 11:02PM) : I agree. I think our work and our passion can be combined but having them in separate places is appropriate.
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Dec 2
Kevin Hodgson Kevin Hodgson (Dec 02 2019 6:06AM) : Yep -- PLCs in schools are often mandatory groupings (in my experience) while Affinity Network are discovered, or perhaps created, through choice and passion.
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Dec 1
Katie Latek Katie Latek (Dec 01 2019 10:56PM) : I would be really curious to see how public schools were if achievement-oriented goals were not the primary way of measuring participation/success.
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Dec 2
Kevin Hodgson Kevin Hodgson (Dec 02 2019 6:08AM) : I'm with ya on this
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Nov 23
Student Anitha Muthukumaran Student Anitha Muthukumaran (Nov 23 2020 5:57PM) : Why is CoP not the same as online affinity networks in my teaching context? more

As an itinerant teacher of students with visual impairments, I rely on communities of practice (CoP) a lot to provide my professional services. It is interesting to differentiate CoP with that of online affinity networks on the basis of shared interest. All of the practitioners in my field have a shared interest to serve our students. And I follow certain CoPs and truly enjoy the knowledge I am gaining out of these. And I join these CoPs intentionally. So why are these not considered affinity networks?

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Nov 22
Sarah ali Sarah ali (Nov 22 2021 12:23PM) : Not only schools need to copy this sense of belonging found in affinity networks, I think even companies and organizations should and could create similar environments.
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Nov 24
Kevin Hodgson Kevin Hodgson (Nov 24 2021 6:10AM) : This makes me wonder if the shift to Remote Work via Pandemic is creating these opportunities for businesses (even if they don't use this terminology)

It is tempting to describe this learning and interest development as a pathway or pipeline. When we put interests and affinity at the center of the investigation, however, we see how journeys through interests, peer engagements, and achievement are meandering and undetermined. A young person might discover a new interest through a school-sponsored structured activity, a parent or a peer, or a serendipitous discovery in an online search or stroll through an urban environment. That young person might abandon an interest for quite some time, only to reactivate it when an opportunity arises to make a contribution to a family or a school project, or if he or she connects with a new friend who shares that interest. As we searched for “pathways,” “transitions,” and “trajectories,” we found these linear narratives to be elusive. When young people are pursuing interests through voluntary activities, their pathways are divergent and unpredictable, unlike what we see in formal education. Instead, we look more at broader ecosystems that they participate in, and we rely on metaphors of affinity networks, bridging social capital, and consequential connections. We see connected learning not as a journey of individual development that is transferrable across the different settings that a person moves through, but as building stronger, more resilient, and diverse social, cultural, and institutional relationships through time.

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Dec 1
Katie Latek Katie Latek (Dec 01 2019 11:00PM) : I think this is really interesting. This is how learning should be. It makes me think of sleep training of my daughter. When a child is learning how to sleep, they make progress and they have regressions. That should be similar to learning in school.
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Nov 15
Lisa Hildred Lisa Hildred (Nov 15 2021 9:16PM) : New opportunities more

Providing space in schools for students to explore a wider variety of interests can open doors we never knew existed. Giving time for things like Genius Hour are a way for students to become teachers to each other.

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Nov 24
Kevin Hodgson Kevin Hodgson (Nov 24 2021 6:10AM) : Time. It's always a conundrum for teachers. How to give enough time for deeper work and inquiry.
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Nov 30
hannah t hannah t (Nov 30 2020 10:35PM) : Pathways more

• I think an important point is made here that I can relate to through my own work on my Genius Hour project. At first I thought there would be a pathway that I followed to the completion of my project, however I found that as I explored the area of interest I discovered tools and tricks that I would not have found if I continued along the pathway I had mentally created. I think this exploration is an important part of these networks and it is more successful when voluntary. I think this will be a major obstacle when trying to blend connected learning with formal education.

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Nov 28
Jenny Shrank Jenny Shrank (Nov 28 2021 12:21PM) : I remember reading that as we move forward in school, our divergent thinking decreases tremendously. Interest based learning could be one solution to not only preserving, but strengthening divergent thinking and making learning more meaningful.
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Mar 17
Kevin Hodgson Kevin Hodgson (Mar 17 2019 4:33PM) : Another important point -- that the learning/activity is not linear and not expected to be linear -- that a person dips in as interest is sparked, and may leave and return, as needed.
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Mar 26
wendy Taleo wendy Taleo (Mar 26 2019 3:45AM) : interest based learning [Edited] more

This flexibility is crucial which is why I participate in open learning opportunities and can respond to you async in this great space. Allowing the easy entry/exit in these types of activity is part of the affinity.

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Mar 29
Karen LaBonte Karen LaBonte (Mar 29 2019 1:28PM) : "meandering and undetermined" : characteristics of a networked society
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Mar 30
Kevin Hodgson Kevin Hodgson (Mar 30 2019 9:08AM) : Which sometimes leads into chaos and confusion ...
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Mar 30
Dr. Daniel Bassill Dr. Daniel Bassill (Mar 30 2019 5:47PM) : What is "linear" is that all kids will grow from pre-school trough adult-hood over a 20 year period. At that point I think learning becomes much less linear, although, one might call career development a linear learning process.
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Mar 17
Dr. Daniel Bassill Dr. Daniel Bassill (Mar 17 2019 9:59PM) : More time should be spent understanding bridging and bonding social capital more

Kids in affluent areas are surrounded by family and community social capital, modeling many different experiences and life expectations, from the time they are born. For kids in poor areas to have anywhere close to this level of social capital, it has to be intentionally created.

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Mar 24
Ms Sheri Edwards Ms Sheri Edwards (Mar 24 2019 2:53PM) : we are all always learning more

But what are we learning? Is it positive and helpful to the world? Are the experiences and situations of all us ones that build a society, ones that create silos of differences and fear? How do we reach into our communities and connect each other— and see that learning together helps us all?

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Mar 25
Dr. Daniel Bassill Dr. Daniel Bassill (Mar 25 2019 12:58PM) : I think the question is part of the answer. more

CLMOOC has created a platform where many can interact and learn. The hear of that platform are links to a variety of articles and places where they can be discussed, such as this NOWComment space.

If a few people, even only one, in a community begin to aggregate links to issues important to the local community, then call attention to them via on-line and face to face communications, they can begin to bring more people from the community together to try to learn from what’s being shared.

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Dec 2
Colt Kreeger Colt Kreeger (Dec 02 2019 11:53AM) : How do we intentional create social capital as educators without "substitituing" ourselves for the parental influences at home? Do we create complementary capital in our schools or resource the parents/commmunity for their increase in capital, or both?
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Dec 9
Dr. Daniel Bassill Dr. Daniel Bassill (Dec 09 2019 5:14PM) : How to create social capital more

One activity that could be school-based would be to create a community research club, in which students would map the area around the school to determine what non-school learning hubs already exist, and where they are. They could write about this, create maps, and share on blogs or a school web site. They could even look beyond to find model programs that they might want to see in their neighborhoods.

From this starting point, they and others might begin to connect people in planning that would lead to support for existing programs and/or creation of new ones.

The goal is to create opportunities where kids and adults can connect beyond school hours.

Here’s one of my blog articles where I show a use of maps to determine a need for tutor/mentor programs and if any are within a specific area. I think youth could be writing articles like this. https://tutormentor.blogspot.com/2019/02/what-tutor-andor-mentor-programs.html

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Nov 26
Dr. Daniel Bassill Dr. Daniel Bassill (Nov 26 2021 4:00PM) : Social Capital research at Christensen Institute more

Since I joined this conversation a few years ago I’ve connected with the Christensen Institute who is doing some interesting work about relationships and social capital in education. Here’s one article.https://www.christenseninstitute.org/blog/how-gaps-in-social-capital-research-are-holding-us-back-and-what-to-do-about-it/?_sf_s=social+capital

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Nov 26
Ms. Sarah Stice Ms. Sarah Stice (Nov 26 2020 5:23PM) : Great analogy more

I find this analogy to be really important in terms of affinity-based learning. I remember being young and having specific hobbies that would come and go as they were reactivated. Throughout this book, I have been fearful that the communities they are discussing would not be interested in such participants, as the social structure seems a bit tough. Therefore, it is nice to see the authors recognize that interests are fleeting and often change.

However, it’s important to note that true passions return time and time again, and that a student does not gain any less by really intently pursuing one passion, even if they ultimately abandon it. There are still key creativity, critical thinking, and communication skills that are developed in these more short-term passions.

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Nov 29
Kari F Kari F (Nov 29 2020 6:04PM) : I have thought a lot about how these skills transfer (or don't) and had to really think about what this sentence was saying. I like how summarized how values of time apply to both the life long passions and those that are more short term.

For some young people, online affinity networks are rich sites for developing unique forms of bonding social capital, sites where they feel a strong sense of affinity and belonging but in a way that can be compartmentalized from networks in their local community. These subcultural qualities and the compartmentalized nature of the relationships mean, however, that the majority of the learning in online affinity networks is not connected to local settings and communities, and it is difficult to translate into cultural referents that are relevant for academic and career advancement. Even in our cases, which were selected for their potential for connected learning, the online social networks rarely overlap with the social networks in school or the local community, or with career networks. Building these connections requires concrete forms of sponsorship, translation, and brokering in order to connect interests to opportunity. We saw examples of young people connecting their interests to opportunity by deploying the writing, mathematical, creative, communication, and problem-solving skills developed in their online affinity networks to school, civic, or career-relevant settings, and vice versa. In other cases, they were able to directly connect their interests to opportunity by monetizing their creative work or finding a job in their interest area. Sometimes a parent, educator, or mentor helped broker these connections. While we saw great promise in these examples of young people being able to connect and bridge from interests to opportunity, they were rare.

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Nov 30
hannah t hannah t (Nov 30 2020 10:41PM) : Bridges more

What are some of the potential ways to help create more of an overlap?

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Mar 24
Ms Sheri Edwards Ms Sheri Edwards (Mar 24 2019 3:01PM) : sponsorship more

I was thinking of this in my previous responses — Are Daniel’s resources the answer? Nonprofits? I’m thinking of how Google Apps has allowed CLmooc to plan collaboratively our focus during the year. I’m thinking of the negative philosophy of FB as the opposite of the “work together” ideas developed through GApps. I’m thinking of the responsibility of such powerful platforms to be more socially conscious. And I’m thinking of what sponsors within our communities can help bridge civic and career interests into our schools? Just thinking here.

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Mar 25
Dr. Daniel Bassill Dr. Daniel Bassill (Mar 25 2019 1:01PM) : Look at the 4th section of my web library. more

This link points to a cMap which visualizes one of four sections of the library I’ve been building. http://tinyurl.com/TMILibrary-Innovation-etc

The sub sections are collaboration, innovation, visualization, knowledge management, etc. Each has multiple links which contain ideas that I think could be applied in any community, on any issue.

It just takes a #clmooc type on-going focus to draw people to these ideas and to stimulate learning and discussion, then application.

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Mar 28
Kevin Hodgson Kevin Hodgson (Mar 28 2019 6:25AM) : And what is the transfer to young people, doing this kind of activity? (which brings up the question of how much privacy and data sharing do they consider when they enter into an online Affinity Space? Is privacy a barrier?)
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Mar 30
Dr. Daniel Bassill Dr. Daniel Bassill (Mar 30 2019 5:51PM) : Kids can be learning from the same resources as adult learn from. The links I point to are "value added" or "process improvement" resources. more

If a person adopts a goal, or purpose, and pursues it over a period of years, the links I point to become more and more relevant.

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Nov 28
Rebecca Saunders Rebecca Saunders (Nov 28 2021 12:21PM) : Redefine sense of belonging more

My university, like many, is exploring ways to improve student’s sense of belonging as a means to improve retention. However, many of the ways the university is pursuing an increased sense of belonging is through “traditional” forms of belonging, such as increasing residence life activities and attendance to sporting events. As the authors discuss later in this chapter, that while these traditional initiatives increase a multi-generational bond, they still fail to reach those students who are not driven by sports or the arts or who do not live on campus. For campuses to truly succeed in outreach, they are going to need to be open to different activities than they may recognize as valuable.

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Mar 18
Dr. Daniel Bassill Dr. Daniel Bassill (Mar 18 2019 11:14AM) : Does it need to connect to school? or Community? I just nurturing and making these opportunities available to more kids enough? more

If these benefits are accruing, finding ways to make them accessible to more kids seems a good goal. Trying to build a connection to formal learning, as a reason to support these, might be a barrier itself.

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Mar 17
Kevin Hodgson Kevin Hodgson (Mar 17 2019 4:35PM) : An important insight -- the bridges are not yet there. For us teachers, how can we help? And does our offer of help ruin the experience? Or enhance the experience? Considerations to ponder ...
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Nov 29
Yannick EDAYE Yannick EDAYE (Nov 29 2019 4:09PM) : I think a teacher teaching Math must have an idea of Math liker community of if it is a computer science teacher, he or she is surely member of online community. more

Depending on how the student show interest to our clas, we can guie him to have the skills need to enter those online community.

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Dec 2
Kevin Hodgson Kevin Hodgson (Dec 02 2019 6:10AM) : How much vetting of the community does the teacher do? Do we then monitor the space? What is the role of the parent? How much does our principal need to know? Just questions that probably stop many teachers before they even begin ...
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Nov 28
Jenny Shrank Jenny Shrank (Nov 28 2021 12:28PM) : This reminded me of my sister. She is a talented artist and craftsperson and would join clubs and classes, but because she had no one to connect her interests to opportunities she spent a lot of her life uncertain what to do believing art was just a hobby [Edited] more
In community college, she took a ceramics class just for fun, but her professor recognized her interest and skill and encouraged her to join a group of students who make pottery and sell it in the school’s craft fair. She never thought about selling her work prior to this and never had the connections to do so. She ended up making more money than she envisioned and now sells pottery as a side gig. It is important for us as educators to be that bridge, especially for young students who may not realize that their interests and talents can help them in both academic and professional settings.

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Nov 28
annie mcintyre annie mcintyre (Nov 28 2021 4:49PM) : creative interests [Edited] more

this is such a good point. being interested in art myself, and have always had an interest in it- it was so difficult to find educational support for pursuing those interests. I was also told it was only a “hobby” and it would never amount to anything because it wasn’t math, science, or technology-based, essentially not 21st century enough. It wasn’t until I was able to gain some independence and pursue this interest for myself in college. not all interests that students have will be based in video games, or computers, or engineering. that doesn’t make those interests any less valid and more artistic and creative inclinations need to be just as valued and celebrated.

This kind of productive network building requires the agency and interest of the learner, as well as the collective efforts of those of us invested in developing learning environments and opportunities. When we consider the resources and supports that young people need to connect their interests to opportunity, equity becomes of critical concern. Wealthy parents spend increasing amounts of money on supporting out-of-school learning tailored to personal interest (Duncan and Murnane 2011), and studies indicate that these children of higher-income families are much more likely to report having a wide range of informal adult mentors (Bruce and Bridgeland 2014). Research on family investments in enrichment activities indicates gaps and differences based on socioeconomic and other factors. Lareau’s fieldwork in the 1980s describes differences between middle-class families and lower-income families in the emphasis they place on enrichment and “concerted cultivation” (2003). More recent research, however, indicates that lower-income families also place a high value on athletics, arts, and other forms of enriched and specialized learning, though they may not have the resources or time to support these activities in ways that more privileged families do (Bennett, Lutz, and Jayaram 2012). While we may debate whether these differences are driven purely by economics or by values and preference, research is consistent in pointing to a gap in the relative investments of wealthy and poor families in structured enrichment activities (Weininger, Lareau, and Conley 2015).

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Dec 1
Mitchell Ary Mitchell Ary (Dec 01 2019 10:55PM) : investment more

Yeah I completely agree. It can’t just be self interest fueling the learning. It is a conglomeration of contributing factors that lead to learner perceived success. For example in an affinity group I posted asking for help and very few people replied to my post. It left me feeling alone and aloft. However, for that one example I have made other posts and got feedback from a number of other positive supporters. People will learn more if the like minded individuals invest in their learning as well.

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Dec 2
Kevin Hodgson Kevin Hodgson (Dec 02 2019 6:12AM) : Nothing worse that posting into an Affinity Network and getting nothing in return ... sort of like shouting at the wall ... That also means an Affinity Space has to have some means of welcoming people, and being open/ready for participants
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Nov 21
Bryan Westman Bryan Westman (Nov 21 2021 1:48PM) : Schools even in the same school district may have more or less money and provide completely different educations. more

Even within a school district, there are schools that will have all of the resources they need and schools that will be lacking. The irony here is that the budgets are not equally distributed among schools. Awealth neighborhood will have higher taxes and therefore have the things teachers need to provide the best education. Schools just a mile apart might be rich or poor and the students will have completely different outcomes.

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Nov 24
Kevin Hodgson Kevin Hodgson (Nov 24 2021 6:10AM) : Equity issues are huge ...
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Nov 26
Dr. Daniel Bassill Dr. Daniel Bassill (Nov 26 2021 4:04PM) : Expand the network of adults who care about this. more

The advantages offered by more affluent communities to kids vs what kids in poorer areas have is something I’ve focused on for many years.

I join groups like #clmooc because they demonstrate ways people from many places can share ideas.

I point to such groups with the goal that a greater number of people concerned about inequities would gather in similar groups.

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Mar 18
Dr. Daniel Bassill Dr. Daniel Bassill (Mar 18 2019 3:30PM) : This is the issue I try to rectify by helping mentor-rich non-school tutor/mentor programs form in high poverty areas. more

Too few of these programs exist, and too few are doing a deep dive into the information that shows the many challenges to a) building & sustaining needed programs in more places; b) influencing volunteers, staff & leaders in existing programs to join in on-line learning with goal of constantly expanding impact on kids and volunteers

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Mar 22
Kevin Hodgson Kevin Hodgson (Mar 22 2019 5:53AM) : The chart in the book -- which you noticed and shared early, Daniel -- shows this in rather surprising (or not) detail. more

This is a clear gap in opportunities for all. If only affluent whites are in Affinity Spaces, we will get online spaces that reflect white affluence. We already have seen this play out in Silicon Valley and elsewhere, where frat boys created Facebook and the childhood opportunities around computers and programming launched the technology revolution, mirrored along socio-economic lines. We need to do more to broaden the opportunities for all. Schools are an ideal place for this.

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Mar 25
Dr. Daniel Bassill Dr. Daniel Bassill (Mar 25 2019 1:05PM) : EMPATHY is the key. I focus on mentoring because it draw people from non-poverty areas into the lives of people in poverty, where they walk a few miles in other people's shoes. more

If this journey leads to empathy and understanding…such as lack of digital access for many….my belief is that some people will use their wealth to close those gaps. I’ve posted several articles on my blog that include this idea. http://tutormentor.blogspot.com/search/label/dreams

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Nov 26
Amy Wahl Amy Wahl (Nov 26 2021 12:34PM) : Society [Edited] more

Values are placed on similar things regardless of socioeconomic status.

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Mar 18
Dr. Daniel Bassill Dr. Daniel Bassill (Mar 18 2019 3:33PM) : Many parents made considerable effort to get their kids into the programs I led, and to keep them there. more

In addition, because I hosted a database of programs for all of Chicago, many parents, social workers, guardians would contact us hoping we could find a tutor and/or mentor for their kids. As soon as they gave the zip code I know if there was, or was not, a program available near where they lived. Too often, the answer was ‘No’.

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Although some young people are able to advocate for and translate their interests into opportunity in school and career, most need the support of local programs, mentors, and parents with the relevant social capital to broker these connections. If this process continues to play out as a private, market-driven process, the growth of informal online learning will exacerbate the equity gap, reducing the odds that lower-income youth will be able to pursue higher education and career opportunities in areas that they are genuinely interested in and passionate about. The responsibility of providing mentorship, brokering, and connection building to link youth interests to opportunity is a collective one and cannot be shouldered only by families, nor only by schools and other public educational institutions. It entails a broader cultural shift toward recognizing the new learning dynamics of a networked era, paying more attention to learning and equity in online communities and platforms, and providing more educational supports in both informal and formal learning environments. Here we can only scratch the surface of the complex, systemic change that is needed for a more equitable distribution of networked learning opportunity. In the remainder of this chapter, we describe some of the significant barriers that need to be addressed to realize fuller and more equitable access to the learning opportunities of online affinity networks, and then we describe some ways and design principles for addressing these challenges.

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Mar 31
Drs Ron Leunissen Drs Ron Leunissen (Mar 31 2019 3:17PM) : Less educated = often poorer = less willing to take in new information / richer - often higher educated = more willing & able to accommodate new information more

New information and new information channels often increase the gap between poor and rich.

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Mar 31
Kevin Hodgson Kevin Hodgson (Mar 31 2019 8:49PM) : Maybe ... maybe not, on that, Ron. I think socio-economics certainly play a role on the potential for access, which can open doors (not always but at least the potential is there).
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Nov 25
Kara Bethea Kara Bethea (Nov 25 2020 2:16PM) : Can we achieve this "broader cultural shift" before the gap between low and high income households gets out of control? We are talking about years and years of generational disconnect and shaming. This would be the first generation to do this, ever.
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Nov 26
Ms. Sarah Stice Ms. Sarah Stice (Nov 26 2020 5:31PM) : Good point more

You bring up an excellent point, Kara. I do believe we are starting to see shifts this year which, if listened to, will point us in the general direction we need to go. However, we are talking about years and years of environmental and systemic racism, we are talking about the constant oppression of the working class which has been done so effectively in our nation.

Therefore, I do think that the gap between low and high income households is going to get much worse before it gets better. We have to start with political and economic shifts, which we know take quite a while. It seems like the only hope we have at the moment would be for schools to continually employ very highly-qualified teachers in these low income areas.

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Nov 26
Dr. Daniel Bassill Dr. Daniel Bassill (Nov 26 2021 4:07PM) : Many need to take responsibility for keeping this conversation going. more

I’ve posted articles almost weekly at"http://tutormentor.blogspot.com":http://tutormentor.blogspot.com since 2005 and almost daily on Twitter since 2011 that focus on inequality.

I’ve found an ebb and flow of interest among too many others. They get tired of the conversation and move on, far too soon. It will take many years of consistent effort by many people to see significant changes.

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Mar 18
Dr. Daniel Bassill Dr. Daniel Bassill (Mar 18 2019 3:35PM) : If we were using Hypothes.is I'd now post a "logic model" graphic that works through a progression of steps. more

a) kids benefit from involvement of extra, non-family, adults;
b) in big cities, organized programs are needed to facilitate the on-going connection of youth and volunteers;
c) thus, there ought to be groups of people working to make such programs available to k-12 kids in every high poverty neighborhood

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Mar 29
Karen LaBonte Karen LaBonte (Mar 29 2019 1:35PM) : In my city's school district, I know a man whose job is to connect kids to businesses for internships in STEM-related fields. I need to find out what, if any, kinds of affinity-building he is doing with these kids.
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Mar 30
Kevin Hodgson Kevin Hodgson (Mar 30 2019 9:09AM) : Yeah. I wonder if that is an example of how a strong local network might be strengthened by an online network experience for some young people (but maybe not all -- which is important to note)
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Mar 30
Dr. Daniel Bassill Dr. Daniel Bassill (Mar 30 2019 5:53PM) : How is the group using the Internet to support interaction of youth, volunteers and companies? more

If the group has more than a few kids and volunteers participating, from more than one company, it will have challenges communicating to all it’s members. If it’s using the internet, then it’s already got an “affinity group” started.

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Apr 2
Karen LaBonte Karen LaBonte (Apr 02 2019 2:28AM) : Good question, Dan. We have a monthly meetup on Saturday— if the person is there, I will ask.
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Dec 2
Dr. Daniel Bassill Dr. Daniel Bassill (Dec 02 2019 10:32AM) : Any update? more

Hi Karen. I just saw your comment from last April. Did you learn anything new from your Saturday group?

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Nov 18
Levon Curtis Levon Curtis (Nov 18 2021 11:37AM) : Active support and engagement by the institution appear to be essential to keep children engaged. more

Active support and engagement by the institution appear to be essential to keep children engaged. Throughout the text, it appears that we’ve cracked the code on how to drive engagement initially, however maintaining engagement can be equally challenging. This is where I think they have demonstrated success by driving advancement with the support and recognition by the school itself for the benefit of the student(s).

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Nov 24
Kevin Hodgson Kevin Hodgson (Nov 24 2021 6:11AM) : Not enough of us teachers and or schools reach out to the larger community for support and mentors (and the Pandemic has made that even more difficult, with limits on visitors, etc.)
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Nov 26
Dr. Daniel Bassill Dr. Daniel Bassill (Nov 26 2021 4:09PM) : Keep trying.
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Nov 29
Yannick EDAYE Yannick EDAYE (Nov 29 2019 3:35PM) : The massive open online courses are playing the same role in term of reducing the gap between people able to pay university or travel and people willing to learn without spending a lot of money. Online learning is an opportunity for everyone in the world.
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Dec 2
Kevin Hodgson Kevin Hodgson (Dec 02 2019 6:15AM) : This annotation project of chapter stems from the Connected Learning MOOC, which was never really a MOOC at all (and never a university MOOC for sure) but CLMOOC began more than five years ago and some of us still continue to connect across platforms. more

In fact, most university MOOCs have fallen out of favor because the concept was misused, and became just these huge face-less spaces where people felt lost and lonely, and doing school work on a screen. The CLMOOC experience was also built on human interactions and shared learning experiences, and a sense of fun and exploration.

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Mar 18
Dr. Daniel Bassill Dr. Daniel Bassill (Mar 18 2019 3:36PM) : Business, faith groups, universities, hospitals, etc. all need to take a role.
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Mar 30
Sarah Honeychurch Sarah Honeychurch (Mar 30 2019 1:16PM) : Recognising affinity networks as serious more

How do we do this? How do we explain that the play that happens is transferable?

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Mar 30
Dr. Daniel Bassill Dr. Daniel Bassill (Mar 30 2019 5:55PM) : Use your blogs, your art, your "make cycles" to try to share your thinking about this. more

The clmooc and related networks are rich with people who write blogs and share their thinking on different topics. Just encourage people to talk and write about this conversation on a consistent basis.

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Mar 31
Kevin Hodgson Kevin Hodgson (Mar 31 2019 6:25AM) : The problem is the value. We, those of us who do this ourselves and then move it into our classroom, see this as valuable learning. If teachers don't see it as value, it is unlikely to make its way to the classroom experience.
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Mar 31
Dr. Daniel Bassill Dr. Daniel Bassill (Mar 31 2019 11:10AM) : I think that is true for others beyond teachers, too. If people don't see value in spending time on-line, following groups, engaging, writing blogs, etc. they won't do it.
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Dec 2
Colt Kreeger Colt Kreeger (Dec 02 2019 11:57AM) : I think value is rarely recognized until one experiences a significant example of these groups' affects. I had no negativity to these groups, just an unfamiliarity, before reading this book. The case studies have given me a lens to see value in them.
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Nov 23
Student Anitha Muthukumaran Student Anitha Muthukumaran (Nov 23 2020 6:20PM) : Value exercise in professional development more

Hi Kevin, I totally agree with you. Teachers should see the value of these networks, otherwise, it will never get implemented in classrooms. Maybe professional development as a “value exercise” as opposed to “compliance exercise” can help deliver a shift in thinking and attitudes.

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Nov 30
Stacey Hale Stacey Hale (Nov 30 2020 2:13PM) : It's not what you know it's who you know. more

This makes me think of the saying “It’s not what you know it’s who you know”. Building relationships and making connections with people is so important for a young person’s future opportunities. Having mentors and coaches that can support you and guide you on your path can really make a difference in how far you get and how successful you are.

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Nov 26
Dr. Daniel Bassill Dr. Daniel Bassill (Nov 26 2021 4:10PM) : This "who you know" need is why I've supported volunteer-based tutor/mentor programs for the past 40 year. They can expand the network for kids, especially those living in high poverty.
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Nov 23
Joshua Shoeman Joshua Shoeman (Nov 23 2021 6:56PM) : I tend to agree with the concern about how to implement. I do believe it is possible however only teachers or professionals who believe in the value should be the ones implementing this. If not viewed well, it will likely shift into a negative tone.
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Risks and Challenges

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We have described the features of online affinity networks that support connected learning as interest-driven, socially connected, and meaningful. This book has highlighted the compelling learning dynamics and features of the environments we examined, and how they differ from more traditional learning settings. While recognizing these positive features and their potential, understanding the barriers and challenges that accompany young people’s growing participation in online networks is also critically important. Many concerned with the rise of online communication have pointed out problems, such as loss of traditional reading and writing skills (Bauerlein 2008; Carr 2010), risky online behavior (Sales 2016), social isolation (Turkle 2011), or young people falling in with the wrong crowd online (Steyer 2012). We fully recognize that there are risky and undesirable ways that young people can interact online, but we have chosen a focus of investigation that points toward solutions and engagement with youth culture. Unless complemented with positive alternatives, relentless critique and denigration of youth online life can create a divisive climate between adults and young people. Too often, digital culture and devices act as a wedge issue between generations. We seek to underscore the tremendous diversity in how young people are engaging online and the importance of highlighting and fostering learning dynamics that are often invisible or poorly understood by prior generations.

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Nov 26
LaNae Phillips LaNae Phillips (Nov 26 2019 2:49PM) : A wedge between generations more

I think some of the wedge is created by the relative newness of social media and online affinity groups…sort of a fear of the unknown by parents. The children who were raised with access to the Internet, cell phones, computers, etc. are now becoming parents themselves. They may not have the hang ups about online groups that someone like me might have who did not grow up with this kind of variety of ‘connectedness’ to the world – outside of family, friends, and local tv stations. It’s possible this wedge will eventually cease to exist or be significantly lessened with future generations.

Another issue that could be part of this wedge is the unknown long term effects of screen time. I don’t have the citation, but on a recent news cast I watched, they reported that a new study found that a toddler’s brain showed more white areas than a toddler who did not get screen time. They emphasized that more study is needed because scientists do not know if this is bad or actually a good thing in brain development.

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Dec 1
Katie Latek Katie Latek (Dec 01 2019 11:04PM) : I think you are right with the different generations having different views. It really all just depends on the person's background and how they were raised.
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Dec 2
Kevin Hodgson Kevin Hodgson (Dec 02 2019 6:18AM) : Effects of screens on developing brains is showing some alarming results around reading for depth and neuron connections in the brain. We're too early to know for sure what it will all mean. more
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Dec 2
Dr. Daniel Bassill Dr. Daniel Bassill (Dec 02 2019 10:39AM) : Rapid change of technology more

I think that the rapid changes in technology will make meaningful research on the impacts really difficult.

The entry points to the Internet are rapidly changing as are the ways people are being influenced to use different platforms (or being tracked on platforms they use). What one generation learned will be obsolete for the next.

The way some countries, like China, are controlling access, is new, and possibly spreading.

All these are uncertainties.

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Nov 26
Alana Bre Alana Bre (Nov 26 2020 8:22PM) : neuron research more

I like to finish reading any research driven piece with the question, ‘how was data collected,’ and ‘how does that impact the findings?’ Children are not being exposed to different amounts of screen time and then donating their brains to science. Surveys are the only way to collect screen time data. Survey data is extremely undependable and there are never any controls. Kids who have two working parents might be more likely to watch more TV. Kids without extracurricular activities might spend more time with screens. Income equity plays a huge role in this and therefore so quality of screen time is important. This book states repeatedly that kids using educational online platforms are higher in income while kids spending more time in front of screens are of lower incomes. Lower income kids also have less access to nutrition, quality healthcare, safe living environments, and quality schools. It isn’t that the author here is wrong, it’s just that neural research, especially concerning kids, is almost never conclusive.

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Nov 26
Dr. Daniel Bassill Dr. Daniel Bassill (Nov 26 2021 4:12PM) : Funds to increase internet access are in new Federal legislation. more

Let’s hope that new money focused on digital access for people in remote and high poverty areas will make a difference.

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Nov 23
Student Anitha Muthukumaran Student Anitha Muthukumaran (Nov 23 2020 5:55PM) : Fear of online affinity networks more

Interestingly these are the very same concerns I had prior to reading this book. I still will feel more comfortable with my students engaging on a well-known platform such as “Scratch” rather than unknown networks. I don’t fear as much about the loss of reading and writing skills as I feel that our students should be prepared for jobs that require them to use technology more than learning to write in cursive. I do fear about young people getting into the wrong online crowd and becoming socially isolated. COVID19 has taught us a lot about being online for 8 hours in a day. So I am hoping a lot of research that comes post-COVID19 will help us gauge the benefits and risks involved in online platforms a little more!

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Nov 30
Kevin Hodgson Kevin Hodgson (Nov 30 2020 6:21AM) : Research for the world post-Covid will be interesting, particularly how students adapted and adjusted, and whether teachers did, too.
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Nov 24
James Corbett James Corbett (Nov 24 2020 6:42PM) : Legitimate Concerns with less affluent students more

In my opinion, the most significant issue with a rural community like mine. We have students with extremely slow internet or no internet. We can bandaid some of this with mobile hotspots or vehicles providing wireless connections but those are not permanent.

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Nov 30
hannah t hannah t (Nov 30 2020 10:50PM) : Bandaid fixes more

I agree James. While the bandaid solution fixes the issue for a time, it is important we explore more permanent options to allow for longer term success.

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Nov 18
Levon Curtis Levon Curtis (Nov 18 2021 11:42AM) : Not having internet in 2021 is a big challenge. more

Not having internet in 2021 is a significant challenge. While there are several disparate efforts to solve this, I would love to see it prioritized simply because it opens to many possibilities for learners to engage in a way that supports the developments of skillsets highly valued in the modern economy. Many cities are looking at developing public wifi networks. Also, several entrepreneurs are trying to figure out how to provide direct-to-consumer satellite internet to everyone. These days it is substantially more lucrative to harvest data from end users than it is to charge them for the service.

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Nov 26
Dr. Daniel Bassill Dr. Daniel Bassill (Nov 26 2021 4:15PM) : Digital Divide resources more

Since joining this conversation a few years ago I’ve begun collecting links to articles about digital access. I share them on this concept map.http://tinyurl.com/TMI-DigitalDivide-Issues

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Dec 1
Ryan Carroll Ryan Carroll (Dec 01 2020 1:31PM) : Social Isolation appears to be a significant issue more

I believe that the biggest risk in allowing students to participate online is the influence of social media websites. Sites like Facebook, Instagram, Pintrest, Twitter, Tumbler, and so many others provide platforms individuals of all ages to become detached from reality. I see students all too often discussing what someone said or did on Facebook. Although social interactions on a digital front may arguably have positive effects on students’ development, it certainly detracts from their ability to interact in reality.

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Jan 24
Gretchen Precht Gretchen Precht (Jan 24 2021 10:49AM) : Reading this book, I was looking for an author to bring up the risks and challenges. I was glad to see this author address them. more

Everything isn’t without risks or challenges but I wanted to know what they were considering I am not familiar with online affinity networks. I have my own children and while they may benefit from this tool, I wanted to know the risks considering the lack of face to face interaction. The authors insights on those made me aware that all areas have some risk and being aware of them can help make those experiences less worrisome.

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Nov 24
Kevin Hodgson Kevin Hodgson (Nov 24 2021 6:13AM) : Good points, and there are probably other research pieces that dive deeper into those concerns and how to address them. All legitimate things to consider.
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Dec 2
Colt Kreeger Colt Kreeger (Dec 02 2019 12:01PM) : I see this happening now at an alarmingly increasing rate. Students are becoming generational siloed, and the socialization and enculturation gained by engaging with older generations is missing. more

I see this happening now at an alarmingly increasing rate. Students are becoming generational siloed, and the socialization and enculturation gained by engaging with older generations is missing. The students need the support and wisdom from older generations, but are generally isolated to online interactions with their peers. Some of this in inevitable when affinity groups are based on a new product technology or media, but intergenerational experiences should be fostered whenever possible.

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Dec 9
Dr. Daniel Bassill Dr. Daniel Bassill (Dec 09 2019 5:23PM) : Role of organized programs more

Encouraging the growth of non-school and afterschool volunteer-based tutor, mentor and/learning groups, sports and science clubs, etc. is one way to try to stimulate this intergenerational contact. There are also forms of eMentoring where this is also happening.

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Nov 24
James Corbett James Corbett (Nov 24 2020 6:48PM) : Viable concers more

As a teacher myself, we are trying to track students at the beginning of high school and track them into programs that translate to a four year progression to career fields. While I think there is some merit to it, its hard to tell students to make very important decisions at the age of 14 or younger.

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Nov 26
Amy Wahl Amy Wahl (Nov 26 2021 12:42PM) : Risky and undesirable actions more

I think it is vital to weigh both the positive and negative attributes to online interactions.

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Dec 5
ANNETTE AH YOUNG ANNETTE AH YOUNG (Dec 05 2021 3:15AM) : I see evidence of this growing more

I’ve noticed an increase in using devices to calm babies and/or keep toddlers from throwing tantrums in public places. Another incident I saw while dining with friends at a restaurant was between a mom and her son. Once they sat down, they were glued to their phones. When their meals arrived, they went back to their phones. No conversation whatsoever.

The social connection has waned as technology advances. We’ve somehow lost our voices and abilities to have conversations with other people. Even with video-conferencing capabilities, which allows for ‘talking’, most people prefer texting. The disconnect is not just from the youth; adults are sometimes drivers of this disinterest in engaging with the youth.

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Our concerns center on the unrealized potential of connected learning with online affinity networks. We see young people from all walks of life highly engaged with interests, with strong motivations to learn and to communicate and connect with others with shared interests and concerns. Yet only a small minority of young people, those who generally have high degrees of family or local support for their interests, are connecting their engagements with online affinity networks to recognition and opportunity outside of the affinity network. If this is the case with the selective sample of positive online-learning settings that we sought out, it means that the potential for this kind of connected learning is largely unrealized. Of particular concern is how, just as with early forms of digital opportunity, more economically and educationally privileged youth are taking fuller advantage of the learning opportunities afforded by online affinity networks.

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Nov 28
Jenny Shrank Jenny Shrank (Nov 28 2021 12:35PM) : I think when many of us think of equity we think of everyone having the physical tools needed to succeed, but having tools like support and access to affinity spaces that allow for recognition of talents and opportunities is a big part to keep in mind.
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Mar 19
Dr. Daniel Bassill Dr. Daniel Bassill (Mar 19 2019 5:38AM) : I'm disappointed that there is too little follow up on this in the concluding paragraphs more

I encourage you to view this page on one of my blogs. http://tutormentorinstitute.wikidot.com/youth-visualization-strategy

Imagine this being a digital learning, affinity group, like Nerdfighters, that focused on the issues of unequal access, listed in this article, and generated public attention, volunteer involvement and resources, to create more opportunities for economically disadvantaged youth to participate in these learning opportunities.

What is something like this not part of the concluding discussion?

Inequitable access to progressive learning opportunity is not new, but digital networks have the potential to radically expand the equity gap. When we celebrate pint-sized YouTube celebrities and digital activists, tween coding savants, or youth who are many grade levels above their peers in math thanks to open learning platforms such as Khan Academy, we should pause to consider whether these opportunities for accelerated learning and recognition are accessible to all youth. Tech-savvy and “creative class” families have been the first to embrace an ethos of digital learning that values digital tinkering and geeking out online, and parents in these families are often well connected with their children’s digital interests. The internet gives superpowers to those youth who are either highly motivated and interest-driven or have a home and school environment that fosters and supports these forms of personalized, empowered, and specialized learning. This emerging dynamic is particularly distressing because today’s online networks offer learning supports that are freely accessible and cater to a diverse range of interests and identities. In theory, this means that young people from diverse backgrounds and with less economic privilege should be able to capitalize on these opportunities. Unfortunately, existing forms of privilege and stratification structure access in powerful ways, even in the absence of economic and technical barriers (Reich and Ito 2017).

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Nov 26
Alana Bre Alana Bre (Nov 26 2020 6:00PM) : Equity impacts this access in multiple ways more

Digital learning is something often used by home schools. Equity impacts the ability for a parent to facilitate access as well. These programs are statistically proven curriculums with asynchronous learning opportunities. In person peers, the personal attention of a teacher, utilizing high quality curriculum should be better. Why jump to Kahn Academy in school?

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Nov 13
Dr. Mark Karugarama Dr. Mark Karugarama (Nov 13 2021 4:26PM) : Countries like Japan, Germany and Kenya have improved their strategies in STEM by creating hybrid education systems that borrow a leaf from other global contexts to strengthen their programs at home. more
Countries like Japan, Germany and Kenya have improved their strategies in STEM by creating hybrid education systems that borrow a leaf from other global contexts to strengthen their programs at home. Learning from global best practices will also provide new ideas and ways to integrate STEM, game-based learning and affinity online groups in primary and secondary education for all.

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Nov 14
Tyler Martin Tyler Martin (Nov 14 2021 5:02PM) : I find myself regularly looking to see what is happening in Finland, but I would love to hear more about the hybrid learning happening in Japan, Germany, and Kenya. Do you have any links or titles you could share?
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Nov 27
Nathaniel Chapman Nathaniel Chapman (Nov 27 2021 5:08PM) : CRT Hijack more

For me this is a hugely important point, and one that was trying to be addressed at the collegiate level. However, that point has been hijacked as a political bad word (for both sides) without even trying to understand the points raised. That bad word (or phrase in this case) is Critical Race Theory. Equity includes examining structural issues to access, achieve, and pass down social and material capital. Equity demands that we examine the areas where non-democratic, non-equal, and non-allowed practices have been allowed to grow. Red Lining is a huge example for me growing up in suburban Detroit. Minority students were not just minority for me growing up, they were almost non-existent. It was not until I joined the military and saw the rest of the world that I truly appreciated the depth and beauty of all the different cultures that surround us. These affinity networks can provide access, but if that access has a gatekeeper, or a silo that keeps us from it, do they really help everyone? Is Equity even on the radar for the corporations that control Web2.0? Will Web3.0 actually be any different, or just have a different set of corporate overlords? I do not know, but I know that access is unequal now.

These long-standing forms of stratification are further complicated by the fact that online affinity networks are not commonly recognized as potential sites of learning opportunity, creating challenges in building intergenerational linkages and connections to opportunity. To tap the learning potential of online affinity networks, educators, parents, and technology and policy makers need to proactively engage with these forms of informal and interest-driven online learning. We are still a long way from having a shared understanding and public agenda for how the adult world can harness online affinity networks for educational opportunity and equity. We see two significant barriers that must be addressed: the digital culture generation gap and the lack of connection between online affinity networks and young people’s local communities. We describe these two barriers before turning to a discussion of how we can support learning environments that address these barriers and expand access to connected learning.

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Nov 29
Mary Curfman Mary Curfman (Nov 29 2020 8:32PM) : quickly changing technology more

My first reaction to this paragraph was that if we wait long enough, our students will become the professionals that have an understanding that may help bridge these gaps. Then it occurred to me that the way and speed that technology changes may never allow us to catch up, that the generation gap will be a perpetual cycle.

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Dec 11
Ms. Hannah Rossiter Ms. Hannah Rossiter (Dec 11 2020 7:56PM) : Trouble more

I have trouble with this statement. I have worked in some schools where every students has a device where other schools have a single cart for a grade level. The ability to access is there but not always possible. How can we fix that? Many students have computers now but are they being shown how to access this new information? I know I am beating a dead horse but the equity isn’t there yet.

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Nov 24
Kevin Hodgson Kevin Hodgson (Nov 24 2021 6:15AM) : Agreed. Equity is huge issue, and it matters. In some ways, the Pandemic both exposed these faults lines and created opportunities for schools to move more to one/one (but too many didn't bother to invest in PD to help educators harness the potential)
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Jan 24
Gretchen Precht Gretchen Precht (Jan 24 2021 10:59AM) : I had not considered the inequitable access to learning that the authors brought up. more

Yes, I know it is there but I had not thought about it in terms of online affinity networks. The authors make a great point. That all students can have access, bridging that equity gap. While I know those groups are still behind, it is getting better with the affordability of computers and the accessibility to get internet or find locations like local libraries to use internet for free. These types of tools help those students if they are aware they exist.

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Nov 28
Rebecca Saunders Rebecca Saunders (Nov 28 2021 12:28PM) : Equity more

An important design consideration is that while technology is ubiquitous in work and play, not all technology or access to technology is equal. As we saw during the pandemic, we had students who tried to complete their semester from their cell phones because they did not have reliable internet on their second-hand laptops. Furthermore, we had instructors who lacked the comfort with LMSs who tried to conduct instruction via email rather than learn how to post an assignment online. These barriers disproportionally hurt under-represented students. While the technology is a valuable tool, the onus should be on instructors and institutions to ensure that students have equitable access to the tools they need to be successful. It is also worth noting that an affinity network does not have to be an online environment, and in some instances could be of more value taken back into the “real world.”

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The Digital Culture Generation Gap

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As we documented in our earlier work (Ito et al. 2010), many parents and teachers view young people’s online communication with concern and even alarm. Even in our selective sample of online affinity networks, young people seldom described parents and educators as actively supporting their online activities. The familiar tendency for young people to rebel against older cultural forms and develop youth-centered subcultures intersects with new digital technology in ways that expand the cultural generation gap. This gap is particularly evident with digital gaming, as nongamers struggle to understand and appreciate young people’s high levels of engagement, often portraying the games as addictive and antisocial. We also see a wide gap with fan-related activity around contemporary media and music, though it was less pronounced with more long-standing interest areas such as knitting or WWE. Gamers and fanfiction writers described how they hid their online activities from their parents, and they would not think to share with teachers and other adults. Even in the cases of parents who supported a gaming or fannish interest, it was rare to see shared engagement across the generational divide. Contrast this to, for example, athletic interests or more traditional arts, which are a site of intergenerational connection and a place for parents to celebrate the achievements of their children. If we are going to tap the power of online affinity networks and digital interests for learning, then we need to address the digital culture generation gap head-on.

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Nov 27
Sarah Bocks Sarah Bocks (Nov 27 2020 7:16PM) : Technology changes rapidly more

Technology changes rapidly and I think some people from older generations struggle to keep up with the tech and may not understand the allure of gaming or online affinity networks. It can be hard to support someone else’s interests or hobbies if you truly don’t understand the purpose or interest.

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Dec 12
Janet Fecht Janet Fecht (Dec 12 2021 7:35PM) : I think the reason parents and educators don't actively support online activities is because most of what we hear about them is negative. How do we educate these adults so they understand how they can be effective learning tools?
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Nov 28
Michelle Friedman Michelle Friedman (Nov 28 2021 10:27AM) : What's the balance? more

As a parent, I am trying to understand/recognize the difference of when my children are neglecting other duties in their life and wasting time online and when they are actively engaged online and creating or learning. It’s easy to just see them sitting there, looking lazy, and get annoyed that they aren’t doing something that looks productive.

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Nov 27
Vivian Lo Vivian Lo (Nov 27 2021 4:54PM) : Most parents or teachers think kids are always playing online games. (Shoot or slay as a no-brainer.) But, there are new digital educational technologies like MinecraftEdu and Breakout Edu.
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Nov 24
James Corbett James Corbett (Nov 24 2020 6:45PM) : Parent support more

I think if we introduce this an elective where the risk is low, a lot of parents won’t freak out. Also, allowing parents to see what their students are up to would ease their minds.

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Dec 1
Robin Suing Robin Suing (Dec 01 2020 11:41PM) : Me, no longer freaking out. more

I’m chuckling to myself right now, as I was literally just that freaking out parent in a comment above, and have brought up online safety concerns in comments on other readings. I’m a parent of a 6-year-old, and as someone who was bullied and targeted myself back in the day when the internet was “newer” (trying not to date myself too much haha), I worry so much about that for my son. But I am also a huge fan of technology and I can see its benefits. I agree with you, that if it’s introduced with low risk and parents can see the activity – I would embrace it so much more!

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Dec 12
Janet Fecht Janet Fecht (Dec 12 2021 7:41PM) : I have always struggled with the purpose of online gaming. I am a nongamer and have always felt that video games do create antisocial behaviors in young children. I am learning that there is a lot more to these games than I once thought.
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Nov 28
Meh Sod Paw Meh Sod Paw (Nov 28 2021 12:30AM) : Being Supportive more

Reading the paragraph under “The Digital Culture Generation Gap,” made me appreciate having seen those who flourish in online communities. Their stories equipped me to supportive of those who have different interests although I may not know how to navigate the whole online world.

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Dec 12
Janet Fecht Janet Fecht (Dec 12 2021 7:46PM) : Navigating the online world of online affinity groups is new to me as well. I love learning from my students and trying to understand how gaming can support their learning.
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Mar 24
Ms Sheri Edwards Ms Sheri Edwards (Mar 24 2019 3:22PM) : Digital Culture Generation Gap more

I will never be able to control the gamer console. I barely learned how to move in Minecraft. But I could watch and discuss with my grandchildren and students the games and creations of their efforts.

I remember when Second Life started [Is it still a thing?} It seemed to have such potential; I have an avatar and ventured in, but without a mentor or guide, I gave up. I am not a daring digital. But I can encourage others when I see the positive benefits.

How about you?

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Mar 25
Dr. Daniel Bassill Dr. Daniel Bassill (Mar 25 2019 1:07PM) : Me, too. I have never learned to use the keyboard short cuts that gamers have mastered. more

I loved playing “PONG” and similar games during 1970s but never graduated to the more sophisticated games. I went in other directions with my tech life.

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Mar 28
Kevin Hodgson Kevin Hodgson (Mar 28 2019 6:27AM) : Yes, I can, and do. Agreed. The role of an educator or a person in support system does not have to be the expert at the "thing" but they do need skills to notice the possibilities of the "thing" so that encouragement, and deeper understanding, happen.
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Mar 29
Karen LaBonte Karen LaBonte (Mar 29 2019 1:44PM) : I gave up on Second Life very quickly. I simply didn't care about building stuff-- I just wanted my avatar to hang out with people. more

Encouraging others is valuable. I’d also wager that there’s value in engaging kids in the metacognitive work of thinking about and describing things like their thought and learning processes.

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Mar 30
Kevin Hodgson Kevin Hodgson (Mar 30 2019 9:10AM) : It's about people ... Glad you are here (all of you)
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Nov 23
Student Anitha Muthukumaran Student Anitha Muthukumaran (Nov 23 2020 6:04PM) : addiction to video games more

My kids have never been into video games. However, I do believe that a lot of parents consider online gaming as being addictive. However, when a kid practices their favorite sport for hours, it was never considered addictive and it is often encouraged. I just feel that “addiction” has a negative connotation to it and it is often used with video games.

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Nov 24
James Corbett James Corbett (Nov 24 2020 6:51PM) : Justified Concerns more

I’ve been teaching now for only 4 years, but I think there is a valid point to be made about what you have said. There’s been students who do nothing but game outside of class and their work in class showed. However, the majority of the gamer students have a good balance and can keep up. I roughly estimate that less than 10% cannot find the balance.

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Nov 14
Tyler Martin Tyler Martin (Nov 14 2021 5:06PM) : I remember convincing to my dad to play Mario Kart with me one day as a child. It was the greatest feeling knowing that he took a step out of his comfort and into my world. I wonder what power this might have in education with implementation of gaming?
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Nov 27
Sarah Hulet Sarah Hulet (Nov 27 2021 3:22PM) : Digital Culture Generation Gap more

I could absolutely see this being a HUGE learning curve for a lot of educators, especially those that have been teaching 10+ years. Yes, technology is rapidly changing, but not all educators have the time to explore all tech at a deeper level, and often don’t know where to start. How can we support this generation gap?

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Dec 5
ANNETTE AH YOUNG ANNETTE AH YOUNG (Dec 05 2021 2:44AM) : There is, indeed, a gap that needs to addressed. more

Not only parents but educators who have been teaching 10+ years are also at a disadvantage. Some of them are quite content with the curriculum and way of teaching they are familiar with, and introducing strategies involving technology could be a daunting undertaking.

Teachers take pride in their hard work and accomplishments, so it’s important to gradually ease them into this digital culture arena so they become comfortable with utilizing the equipment and implementing them in their classroom.

We see two dimensions to this challenge. One is a genuine lack of understanding and visibility around what digital youth culture is about. For example, a parent or teacher who has not grown up playing complex digital games such as StarCraft, Minecraft, or LittleBigPlanetwill be hard pressed to understand what is happening on-screen, much less support or guide a child’s learning in these areas. The second dimension of this challenge is one of cultural values and negative stereotypes. The negative assumptions that many attach to certain forms of digital culture are deep and challenging, particularly with digital cultural forms that are highly specialized or technically focused. Gamers and fans geeking out about specialized cultural referents and technical expertise can put off those who are not immersed in the subculture. Henry Jenkins wrote about the stigma attached to popular fan cultures well before the advent of the internet (Jenkins 1992). While more accepting of literary fandoms such as that for Harry Potter, the older generation tends to have a particularly negative view of digital gaming (e.g., “addiction”) and girl-centered cultures such as the One Direction boyband fandom (e.g., “frivolous”). These negative assumptions create disconnects between adults and youth interests and result in a lack of positive adult mentorship in relation to these interests.

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Nov 25
Kara Bethea Kara Bethea (Nov 25 2020 2:23PM) : I am guilty of seeing a lot of online games etc. as addicting and not meaningful. This has been enlightening to think about them differently. I think the more we mend the cultural generational gap, the more we will see meaningful platforms.
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Nov 29
Mary Curfman Mary Curfman (Nov 29 2020 9:01PM) : games more

I agree with you. Before this class, I saw most video games as simply recreation and felt (though I still feel) that kids play too long at a given time. I’ve had conversation with peers about some of our student who are exposed to some of the violent games so early on and I do think it is a major societal issue. The cultural generational gap can’t really close until we agree on what is important and where are priorities lay.

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Nov 30
Kevin Hodgson Kevin Hodgson (Nov 30 2020 6:24AM) : All of this requires us, as teacher (if you are one or going to be one), to be thoughtful in our practices, and to immerse ourselves, too, to better understand the possibilities (and maybe, the lack of possibilities) for our students
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Nov 26
Alana Bre Alana Bre (Nov 26 2020 8:39PM) : What if it is usually meaningless? more

I wonder if the writer of this piece spent a lot of time actually playing these games or engaging in the communities. As a long time gamer and a member of many affinity networks, I believe they are mostly a waste of time, highly addictive, the communities are toxic, and they have a high potential to take away from more important things a kid should be learning. If an occasional experience is a diamond in the rust, it is a rarity and would be great if a mentor managed to recognize the less common situation. The high learning potential is always optional and usually skipped. Coding with Minecraft is optional and only a tiny fraction of Starcraft players meaningfully make the ladder. It seems very risky being a trusted mentor and pointing a kid in the direction of something that ends up compromising their future. I know plenty of gamers who barely graduated or didn’t graduate because of a video game addiction.

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Nov 30
Kevin Hodgson Kevin Hodgson (Nov 30 2020 6:22AM) : Great question and insight ... I am not sure I have an answer to your query here -- maybe it requires deliberate planning to engage students in meaningful game/code experiences, not just pointing to a site and saying, Go Play
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Nov 30
Stacey Hale Stacey Hale (Nov 30 2020 2:18PM) : Knowledgeable about current media culture. more

This section really struck me because I notice this problem a lot with my own students. I think that the generation gap is such a challenge for the progression of student learning though media because the older parents and teachers don’t understand the current media trends. It would be so powerful if we had the time to explore and understand these gamming programs like minecraft, Starcraft and Littlebigplanet. But the reality is we don’t have the time to understand the games and so we cannot see it as educational and cannot support our students and guide them through it.

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Nov 29
Yannick EDAYE Yannick EDAYE (Nov 29 2019 3:41PM) : That's a serious issue. For example, I never play starcraft or minecraft. It is not evident for me to understand the knowledge acquisition behind those game, Are they the same as classcraft? [Edited] more

As educator we need to have a minimum knowledge of how to use those learning platform before be able to explain and guide students.

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Dec 2
Kevin Hodgson Kevin Hodgson (Dec 02 2019 6:19AM) : ClassCraft is built of some of the same concepts .... I suggest that we turn to our students, our children, to learn from them what engages them most, and why
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Dec 1
Ryan Carroll Ryan Carroll (Dec 01 2020 1:44PM) : Relationships with students are best forged by gaining some level of appreciation of their interests, and most importantly not forgetting what it was like to be a kid yourself. more

Negative assumptions or judgements from older generations only serves to weaken the relationship we have between teachers and students. It may be difficult, but I like to put myself in my student’s shoes. Although playing video games might be silly to me, it may be one of the single most important things in my student’s life. Then I need to remember some of the “silly” things from when I was a kid. I am only 25 so this may be easier for me than for someone who is older, but I still think it is essential not to forget how your students feel about the things they are into. By keeping this thought well in the front of your mind you can help forge deep and meaningful relationships with our students.

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Nov 22
Sarah ali Sarah ali (Nov 22 2021 12:28PM) : I do agree completely with how challenging it is for a parent or teacher to support learning through gaming if they have not grown up playing it. As a person who did not grow up playing games, I can say learning about the positives changes your mind.

Compartmentalized Social Networks

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Young people who invested time in and attention to the online affinity networks we examined forged deep and specialized bonds with peers and mentors with shared interests and developed subcultural social and cultural capital. The subcultural and online nature of these relationships and cultural referents means, however, that they tend to be specialized, compartmentalized, and different from the layered and multifaceted relationships that we develop in local community activities such as religious organizations, sports leagues, and schools. Further, because online affinity networks are far-flung and rarely have ties to formal organizations, there is little direct connection to opportunities and relationships in schools, workplaces, and civic institutions. When combined with the lack of visibility and appreciation of digital culture, this compartmentalization means that it is rare for parents, educators, and learning institutions to connect with the learning that is happening online. In other words, online affinity networks can support bonding social capital, but they have few avenues for bridging social capital between online relationships and local ones, limiting connections to academic, career, and civic opportunity.

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Nov 27
Sarah Bocks Sarah Bocks (Nov 27 2020 7:20PM) : Bridging the Gap more

I worry about students becoming more isolated from their schools, families, or peers if they find that online affinity networks are the only place that they can truly connect with others. I think a lot of this has to do with teachers and parents being unaware of students’ outside interests. We would need to be intentional about bringing in opportunities for students to share their outside interests into the classroom. Could a genius hour type structure allow for this?

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Nov 29
Kari F Kari F (Nov 29 2020 6:18PM) : I worry about this, too. I feel relieved when I know a student is connected and confident in their online worlds: I want them to feel connected and confident in our school, too. How can our schools build similar community w/o the shared niche interests?/
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Nov 30
Kevin Hodgson Kevin Hodgson (Nov 30 2020 6:25AM) : I think Inquiry Projects/Genius Hour/whateverwewanttocallit might be a pathway in this direction ...
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Nov 13
Dr. Mark Karugarama Dr. Mark Karugarama (Nov 13 2021 4:28PM) : This I believe is the key to online learning and affinity groups. The idea of compartmentalized social networks! The opportunities for direct connection abound where there is shared interest.
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For the cases we examined, these missed connections are a lost opportunity for linking the positive learning in online affinity networks to civic, career, and academic achievement. For online affinity networks with less positive valences, the disconnects could mean that young people are forming deep bonds of affiliation that create rifts with school, family, and community. In the most extreme cases, this means that young people could form deep bonds with others who reinforce negative behaviors and extremism. Again, we can contrast this to more long-standing and intergenerational interest areas and extracurriculars such as sports, performance, and the arts, which are appreciated by teachers and parents and will make their way onto a college application and a résumé. Further, the individuals and organizations that support these historic interests are well connected to schools and the life of local communities, increasing the likelihood of connections being brokered.

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Nov 23
Student Anitha Muthukumaran Student Anitha Muthukumaran (Nov 23 2020 6:09PM) : negative behaviors because of resistance more

I do believe that such rifts from school, family, and community can be interpreted as anti-social behaviors. When students feel safe in these online environments and face more resistance in outside environments, they will start rebelling and doing things that can get extremely violent and unsafe.

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Nov 27
Sarah Bocks Sarah Bocks (Nov 27 2020 7:22PM) : On the flip side, students might dive into online communities because that's the only place they do feel safe. For kids who may otherwise be seen as "outsiders," online networks may be the only place they find peers.
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Nov 26
Ms. Sarah Stice Ms. Sarah Stice (Nov 26 2020 5:42PM) : Connection and depth more

I do believe we have seen examples of this extremism as a culture and that has perhaps shaped some of the older generations into their mindset of these communities generally having a negative influence. In order to get past this, it may be necessary for us to begin to immerse ourselves a little bit to make sure we understand it is a safe community that supports growth and opportunity.

I believe it’s easier for us to see the positives with more traditional groups such as the arts and sports because many of us have experienced them ourselves growing up or have grown up watching them. However, not all of us in the “older” generations have experienced these online groups and therefore we do tend toward a negative mindset about them.

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Nov 27
Sarah Bocks Sarah Bocks (Nov 27 2020 7:25PM) : It's about understanding more

Sarah I believe you’re right. It’s really about understanding. I think about media perception of online groups or of kids being “brainwashed.” It seems that only the most extreme and negative results are the ones reported on, so older folks draw conclusions from what is written about through traditional media without taking the time to understand the online communities.

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Nov 30
Kevin Hodgson Kevin Hodgson (Nov 30 2020 6:27AM) : And what makes is more difficult is that the predominant platforms (Facebook) has destroyed trust in the way it operates -- selling privacy for profit, allowing hate speech to flourish, etc. more

It’s also interesting that the negative aspects really emerged only after adults started using Facebook — when it was mostly kids (college, etc.) it was more about connections (or perhaps I am glossing over those years).

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Nov 30
Stacey Hale Stacey Hale (Nov 30 2020 2:26PM) : Digital Badging more

I wonder if the growing popularity of digital badging will help to make online groups and gamming more main stream. I could see putting digital badges on college applications and using those to show what skills you have mastered through online platforms.

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Nov 28
Michelle Friedman Michelle Friedman (Nov 28 2021 10:36AM) : We need to be the example more

In order for parents and other concerned adults to find and make these connected learning experiences opportunities for success in careers, civics or academics, we have to actually be present in these online worlds and utilize them for our own success as well. If our own children see us utilizing these connections they will be able to take that leap themselves.

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In our study, gaming culture and social networks emerged as examples of the growing connection between some online and professional networks. Unlike more traditional industries, gaming has relied heavily on the informal mentorship, peer learning, and professionalization that happen through player communities and digital networks. It has become normative for developers, screencasters, and other professionals in the industry to rise through the ranks of online affinity networks into professional jobs in the industry. We also see this phenomenon in other fast-paced digital specialties such as open-source software and cybersecurity. Further, platforms such as Ravelry, Etsy, and YouTube enable digital creators to directly monetize their creative work online. In the absence of these direct social and economic connections, however, young people still need ways to connect the skills they are cultivating in their informal and interest-driven networks to social networks that open up opportunity for them. We turn now to some examples of how parents, educators, and technology and policy makers are actively engaging with ways to address barriers and support connection building among online affinity networks, learning, and opportunity.

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Opportunities and Design Principles

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We have described how online affinity networks can support shared culture, practices, and civic and creative engagements that are rich sites for interest-driven and peer-supported learning. While the interest areas and practices we described are diverse, the online affinity networks we examined share a set of common features that support connected learning: They all have a shared purpose, are project-centered, and are openly networked. By highlighting these common features, we hope to inform efforts by educators, online community managers, and designers to foster positive learning dynamics and expand access to connected learning. Here we describe the core design principles for connected learning in relation to our findings, and we offer some examples of educator-supported learning environments that incorporate these principles. We draw on these examples to complement the case studies that form the foundation of this book by introducing environments where educators have explicitly designed programs to expand access to connected learning and to connect affinity networks to opportunity in education, civics, and careers. To illustrate these shared underlying design principles, we focus on three learning environments that the authors have participated in as researchers or designers: the Scratch online community, Connected Camps, and the YOUmedia Learning Labs.

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Shared Culture and Purpose

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At the center of connected learning environments are a common culture and purpose that drive participation. People are drawn to online affinity networks because of shared interests and identities, and they stay because they develop a sense of belonging and shared purpose. If they choose to become contributors, they take on different roles, develop status, and earn recognition from their peers. Affinity networks that foster shared culture, purpose, and learning allow for diverse forms of contribution and participation, and they have community-driven ways of recognizing status and quality of work. Participants in these environments know who the newbies and experts are, and who is specialized in particular areas. They also have ways of showcasing and celebrating a range of positive contributions to the community. In other words, there is a shared understanding of how social and cultural capital operates in the interest area. Online affinity networks of the friendly variety that are successful in recruiting new participants also have practices and roles that center on welcoming new members and maintaining an inclusive ethos (Rafalow 2014).

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Mar 30
Karen LaBonte Karen LaBonte (Mar 30 2019 3:02AM) : I keep wondering if/how authentic online affinity groups can be part of or a context for academic work. more

Does it count if interest develops in a class where academic work is mediated by the sense of an online community?

I have been mulling over an article about this. McWilliams, J., Hickey, D. T., Hines, M. B., & Conner, J. M. (2011). Voices from the field: Using collaborative writing tools for literary analysis: Twitter, fan fiction, and The Crucible in the secondary English classroom. Retrieved from Journal of Media Literacy Education website: http://digitalcommons.uri.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1046&context=jmle

Am I simply reviving the old (tired) argument about what makes learning “authentic”? As a high school student, I would have found this kind of learning very authentic.

One of my hesitations about connected learning theories is the emphasis on out-of-school experiences. There has been little work— at least, that I’m aware of— on the bridging that can happen between in, out, and virtual worlds. This multi-dimensionality would provide a rich and powerful educational experience.

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Mar 30
Kevin Hodgson Kevin Hodgson (Mar 30 2019 10:12PM) : It seems like the authors of this research here are rather inconclusive on this connection ... they found some examples of how Affinity Networks lead towards academic success but no clear trends that bridges are there. more

Thanks for link — will soon follow to the article you shared

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Mar 30
Kevin Hodgson Kevin Hodgson (Mar 30 2019 10:13PM) : I remember going to a NWP Digital Retreat, where we visited a project showcase, and nearly every project was an after-school program. Which bothered me. (again: who gets left out?). We're starting to see more all-class/all-school CL programs, I think more

Many of the LRNG projects encompass larger groups of youth participants and schools/classrooms

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Mar 30
Ms Sheri Edwards Ms Sheri Edwards (Mar 30 2019 1:31PM) : afterschool more

I so agree with this. Every time I see an afterschool program, I wonder, why not during the day? who is left out?

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Mar 31
Dr. Daniel Bassill Dr. Daniel Bassill (Mar 31 2019 7:01AM) : Ask afterschool program leaders to tell stories of how difficult they found it to work with schools. more

We tried to start an in-school mentoring effort at a local high school in 1993. We had a supportive teacher, and principle. However, they kept changing the times and rooms where we met with kids. Thus, volunteers coming from work were frustrated to get there and find not kids, or no room. After a while we just gave up and focused on our out-of-school time program. I’ve heard many frustration stories about trying to work with school over the past many years.

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Mar 30
Sarah Honeychurch Sarah Honeychurch (Mar 30 2019 2:10PM) : " I keep wondering if/how authentic online affinity groups can be part of or a context for academic work." Me too more

But of course they can. DS106 surely shows this?

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Mar 31
Kevin Hodgson Kevin Hodgson (Mar 31 2019 6:24AM) : I think DS106 might be a model of how an online network might merge with a classroom experience (NetNarr, too) but it's limited in reach and scope, too. Still, things needs to start somewhere.
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Dec 2
Mrs. Megan Breeden Mrs. Megan Breeden (Dec 02 2020 6:53AM) : Students with barriers more

I think an added benefit of these affinity groups is the added sense of belonging. There are so many different barriers students can face when wanting to connect with others, and affinity groups can help eliminate some of those barriers. Whether its a student with a physicals disability, a student with lone/unique interests, or maybe just a student who is shy- affinity groups could be a powerful resource for them (and every other student as well).

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These principles are evident in educator-designed online affinity networks as well as in the more youth-driven ones that we observed. For example, the Scratch online community, hosted by the Lifelong Kindergarten group at the MIT Media Lab, is designed to encourage coding, creative production, and positive learning dynamics. It has a clearly defined set of community values and actively moderates the site to maintain these values (Lombana-Bermudez 2017). The Scratch team has been intentional in how it has designed its reputational mechanics, encouraging positive commenting and enabling participants to “favorite” and “love” projects as well as remix other people’s projects. The team also features projects on the homepage, and along with remixing each other’s work, it enables participants to curate work into galleries and develop subcommunities. Together these varied activities and features have cultivated a growing community of computational creators in diverse interest areas (e.g., Aragon et al. 2009; Brennan et al. 2011; Kafai et al. 2012; Roque, Kafai, and Fields 2012).

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Ito and Salen have been part of the development of Connected Camps, an online Minecraft community that fosters digital citizenship as well as specific STEM skills in disciplines such as coding and game design. The community is modeled on existing Minecraft server communities that center on collaborative production, but with an added layer of moderation and educator-designed activities. Connected Camps recruits teen Minecraftexperts to be community helpers and instructors for its server and programs, and it enforces a set of community standards that ensures safety, positive digital citizenship, and inclusivity. Because it is staffed by young people who grew up as gamers immersed in the culture of Minecraft, the network also values the subcultural referents and status of the gamer world. It seeks to strike a balance between being a youth-driven gaming community and one that is centered on adult-guided positive values, learning, and citizenship.

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We see the focus on shared culture and purpose in many educational programs that center on youth media production, service learning, arts, and athletics, but it is less evident in most formal and standardized classroom learning. In learning environments that are less interest-driven, it is more challenging to develop this sense of shared community values, culture, and purpose. The teacher and other external authorities determine content and standards, and students tend to have fewer opportunities to contribute meaningfully to defining culture and purpose. Schools commonly support this sense of shared culture and purpose more in extracurriculars and electives in which students self-select to participate. These can be organized programs such as athletics or FIRST Robotics, or more informal student-run clubs, such as an anime club or Harry Potter Alliance chapters of Harry Potter fans mobilizing for social good. In these examples, the school-sponsored activity is interfacing with broader affinity networks such as regional sports and robotics leagues, or fan conventions and online networks. Participants in these activities gain status and recognition in their school as well as in these broader networks. These kinds of school-sponsored extracurriculars, particularly when they are connected to broader affinity networks, are prime sites for connecting learning across settings.

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Mar 29
Karen LaBonte Karen LaBonte (Mar 29 2019 2:04PM) : Oops. See my comment above. (Paragraph 30).
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Nov 27
Sarah Bocks Sarah Bocks (Nov 27 2020 7:29PM) : Student Clubs + Online Affinity Networks more

In most schools it seems that you can find numerous opportunities for athletes, choir singers, theater students, and even the engineering students to participate in extracurricular activities. It would be interesting to do a survey of students in a large school like mine (2,200 students) and see how many participate in some type of online community. How could we then bring in student-run clubs to compliment their online activity and connect students to others in the school to whom they might not have realized they have a shared interest?

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Nov 15
Lisa Hildred Lisa Hildred (Nov 15 2021 9:18PM) : Job skills more

Some of the chapters in this book make me consider how “job like” some of these communities really are. There are norms to follow, goals to meet, structure, consequences, and a community. What if we harnessed these skills to teach directly in classrooms?

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Nov 28
Michelle Friedman Michelle Friedman (Nov 28 2021 10:42AM) : More free time more

There have to be ways we can combine formal schooling with more free time. Allowing the children to have free time to explore their interests is the only way to combat this. This can’t be done solely as an extracurricular. It needs to be integrated into the student’s day.

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Nov 29
Kari F Kari F (Nov 29 2020 6:33PM) : The entire time we've read, this is the challenge I've confronted for myself. As educators, we can, and should find ways to promote these practices/takeaways from the online communities, despite the challenges. more

All classrooms can be interest based. All classrooms can value the student and help them reflect upon and develop their skills and strengths. And all classrooms should operate with shared values and expectations, which, at their core, promote an “ethos of inclusivity.” If these notions become the first priorities of our practice, and help frame our “why,” the content/curriculum/standards/skills will fall in line behind them. The questions of how and why the online affinity groups work so well is answered in these frameworks, which can be applied to all contexts, not just online or extracurricular ones.

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Nov 29
Mary Curfman Mary Curfman (Nov 29 2020 10:17PM) : You make great points here. Classrooms should create a positive culture from day one with the expectation that it is adhered to by all (which should be difficult in a trusting, nurturing community). I agree that the academics will follow. more

When the Kindergarteners start school with little to no social emotional skills, it is pretty obvious that by building that skill set first, the academics will take hold and may be performed at a higher level.

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Nov 27
Sarah Hulet Sarah Hulet (Nov 27 2021 3:28PM) : Interest-Based Learning Environments more

This is an interesting point, but I agree with it 100%. Without student interest, there wouldn’t be as much engagement and excitement about learning. When an environment is interest-based, students are more likely to engage in content and with each other. That’s where the sense of community forms.

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Nov 26
LaNae Phillips LaNae Phillips (Nov 26 2019 6:24PM) : Chess club more

This brings to mind that my 10 year old grandson made some similar connections, it didn’t dawn on me until I read this, and had an ‘aha moment’, smile! Two years ago, in 3rd grade, he learned how to play chess in math class. He really liked it and his parents got him a chess set the next Christmas. He kept playing, but it was hard to find friends to play with. He found the game online, I didn’t realize it was an affinity group, I just thought he was playing against the computer. I just spoke to him and found out that in actuality he is playing against other people. He explained they can find people there that will teach or mentor each other and find others who are at a similar skill level to play against, etc. He is in 5th grade now and recently found a group of kids that play chess at the mall every Saturday morning where he lives. There is a volunteer coach there who helps them and brings all the ‘equipment’. He loved it so much, he talked to his school principal and his coach from the mall and together they set up a chess club at his school. They play on Thursdays during lunch and he was so excited to tell me he is the assistant coach and taught a group of 3rd graders how to play 2 weeks ago. Now he only goes online to practice and get better because he has two local groups he can play with in person. , but he made the connections from local to online and back to local with the support of his parents and other adults. So even at his young age, he has found ways to pursue his affinity for chess online and offline.

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Dec 2
Kevin Hodgson Kevin Hodgson (Dec 02 2019 6:19AM) : I love "aha" moments and this is such wonderful sharing ... thank you

The YOUmedia Learning Labs, a growing network of spaces in museums and libraries that center on youth digital media production, are also designed around sponsoring interests that connect to broader affinity networks. YOUmedia spaces embody the principles of shared culture and purpose by focusing on popular youth interests such as music, spoken word, gaming, and digital arts. They are staffed by museum and library educators, as well as by teaching artists who embody the social and cultural capital of the interest area. Much as we see with online affinity networks, young people describe the powerful sense of connection they feel with mentors who share an identity and interest, and who really “get them.” The first YOUmedia Learning Lab, at the main downtown library in Chicago, serves hundreds of teens who engage in varied areas of interest with peers, mentors, and librarians. It is a drop-in space that is designed to be accessible and inclusive, but it also supports young people leveling up in their interest areas through workshops, projects, and performances. At the core of the model are a sense of shared culture and affinity and a diversity of roles and ways of participating, modeling many of the principles of online affinity networks we observed, but centered in a physical space (Larson et al. 2013; Sebring et al. 2013).

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Nov 22
Kari Bangtson Kari Bangtson (Nov 22 2021 11:33PM) : YOUmedia Learning center focuses on student interest, with the adult educators are resource curators, mentors and connectors more

The culture embodied in this physical space encourages students to explore their interests. Affinity spaces work best when the norm is learning and growth. Let’s make spaces like this in every town and school all over our country.

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All of these efforts are addressing the digital culture generation gap by building environments where young people and adults can build shared purpose and activities centered on new media interests. By shedding light on some of the positive and underappreciated dimensions of online affinity groups, this book has also sought to destigmatize these forms of digital culture and to suggest that they can be sites for more intergenerational tolerance, if not joint engagement. This effort to connect youth interests and education is not unique, and it is part of a longer history of efforts that rely on culturally relevant approaches to addressing equity and inclusion. For example, some educators have embraced hip-hop culture for fostering literacy and political engagement (Hill 2009; Morrell and Duncan-Andrade 2002; Prier 2012). Progressive teacher networks such as the National Writing Project have long focused on engaging youth interests, and they have embraced fanfiction as a stepping-stone for developing literary skills (Bahoric and Swaggerty 2015). The movement toward bringing esports into high school and college settings is also promising, as is the growing effort among educators to bring Minecraftinto learning settings (Dezuanni, O’Mara, and Beavis 2015; Dikkers 2015; Farber 2015; Overby and Jones 2015; Petrov 2014). In our earlier work, which involved a study of family contexts, we found that some of the most productive family engagements around digital culture happened when parents and youth were both bringing expertise to the table and when the parent was also learning, such as engaging in a shared photo or web-development project (Ito et al. 2010). A growing number of published guides offer ideas for shared tech projects to bring families together (Buechley et al. 2013; Denmead 2010; Frauenfelder 2014; Wilkinson and Petrich 2014). Projects such as Family Creative Learning, designed by Ricarose Roque and sponsored by the MIT Media Lab, bring tech-making workshops to less resourced communities for parents and children to learn together (http://family.media.mit.edu/). We hope that the stories we have shared and books such as these will help parents and educators understand, appreciate, and connect with their children around new media interests.

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Nov 22
Natasha Floersch Natasha Floersch (Nov 22 2019 1:14PM) : culture, pop culture, elders, youth, minority groups [Edited] more

I also wonder about minority groups whose histories are often left out of general education, and who are looking for ways to reach and teach their youth. This is one good way to do it but are there others? I’m not a member of any of these groups and don’t intend to speak for them, but seems like there is an untapped opportunity for elders and youth to work together to pass on cultural knowledge, and integrating technology would be ideal. There’s (understandably) such a strong focus on pop culture in affinity networks, but maybe we should look at broader topics as well – not just current events but focusing on the past.

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Dec 2
Kevin Hodgson Kevin Hodgson (Dec 02 2019 6:20AM) : Great points ... worth thinking about ...
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Nov 23
Student Anitha Muthukumaran Student Anitha Muthukumaran (Nov 23 2020 6:28PM) : Capitalizing elders in the community more

Hi Natasha, What a wonderful idea to capitalize elders in minority groups to teach youth on specific cultural topics. But I wonder how much of these get encouraged in public schools? For example, my daughter in middle school is currently learning a lot about Native Americans. What if the teacher gets an elder from that community who can talk to the class?

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Mar 29
Karen LaBonte Karen LaBonte (Mar 29 2019 2:12PM) : I think it bugs me that "shared projects" seem to focus on the digital. When my daughter was in first grade, math was her burning passion. more

She started doing math via a distance learning program and math became the shared learning culture of our family. The digital technologies mediated the learning but were not the center of it.

When we found other families who were doing this, the learning culture became a learning community. Eventually, the kids pulled away from the adults and formed their own, adult-less affinity group.

This seems to me to combine all the worlds.

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Mar 30
Dr. Daniel Bassill Dr. Daniel Bassill (Mar 30 2019 6:02PM) : This is a "good news" story.
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Nov 22
Natasha Floersch Natasha Floersch (Nov 22 2019 12:52PM) : family, authentic learning [Edited] more

This is the crux of the issue for me. Earlier the authors mention the age-old desire for youth to develop a separate subculture and the effects of digital affordances on that. For me it adds a new level of difficulty in bringing adults and youth together digitally. If I were a teen / tween in today’s digital environment, I’m not sure I’d be interested in doing a shared online project with my parents…I think it would feel forced and inauthentic.

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Dec 2
Kevin Hodgson Kevin Hodgson (Dec 02 2019 6:20AM) : See: Decline of Facebook as prime example ....
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Nov 25
Kara Bethea Kara Bethea (Nov 25 2020 2:29PM) : 100% agree with this...the more adults get involved I think the more pushback you see from youth. Unless it is youth making all the rules for engagement, communication etc...which would infuriate some adults really. It's a bad cycle.
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Project-Based and Production-Centered

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Connected learning environments generally center on community-generated projects and activities. In the online affinity networks we studied, shared purpose and practices include competitions, creative production, and civic engagement. In all of these cases, participants are motivated by community impact, the value they provide to others, and recognition from others in their affinity network. In our online affinity networks, we saw knitters, writers, and game and video makers all organize competitions and contests as a way of driving creative production. Online affinity networks also organize around shared causes and campaigns. These projects and activities define community standards, and they provide an opportunity for people to develop collaborative relationships and roles in the network that are about supporting others, such as community organizer and coach. Shared projects and competitions are also contexts in which peers give one another feedback that drives improvement. Developing skills and expertise is a by-product of engaging in these shared practices and is not the primary purpose of participation. The learning benefits of participation are similar to those we have seen in educator-designed, project-based, and service learning: developing creativity, agency, and collaboration skills as well as domain-specific knowledge and competencies. More recently, the movement toward integrating makerspaces in schools, museums, and libraries has used new technology to reignite appreciation of hands-on, project-based learning.

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Nov 30
Mary Curfman Mary Curfman (Nov 30 2020 12:28PM) : Developmentally speaking, not all kids are ready to put themselves in situations of vulnerability- for whatever reason, they just are not ready (we might refer to them as "late bloomers"). more

Maybe some hand-holding is needed and schools and families in partnership can guide and direct their students, while giving them safe and positive resources.

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Educators have successfully incorporated competitive and project-based dynamics in diverse subject and interest areas through math and robotics competitions, and through arts competitions such as those we saw in the Bollywood dance case. In addition to the competitive element, these challenges foster collaborative practices as participants contribute to shared projects. In Connected Camps, counselors organize design challenges and minigames in which campers hone their skills through teamwork and friendly competition. Programs in coding and design support campers in pursuing creative and technical projects that benefit the community convened on the Minecraft server. For example, youth can program robots in the game environment that clean up, deliver mail, and build structures. In the game-design program, counselors and campers build games as well as play each other’s games, earning feedback and appreciation from the wider community.

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Nov 27
Alana Bre Alana Bre (Nov 27 2020 10:44AM) : Personal teacher involvement more

I believe there is value to teachers guiding kids, in real life social environments, to use the more educational aspects of some games. Kids are taught “geeking out” can be fun, cool, social, interesting, and rewarding. The book often cites affinity users as searching for someone who “gets it,” but this dynamic is teaching the youth generation to “get it.” The competitive and social nature of such a camp could even translate to a continued use of coding skills outside of camp.

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Nov 23
Joshua Shoeman Joshua Shoeman (Nov 23 2021 6:59PM) : One of the pieces I want to see changed in education is the limitations placed on the system. Having standards based content with strict timelines and too much content to cover leaves very little time to indulge in these experiences that could be powerful

At the YOUmedia Chicago space, creative production and performance are at the center of teen engagement. The mentors and librarians engage participants in shared projects such as developing a record label or a gaming podcast, or taking part in spoken-word competitions as a way of engaging youth in ongoing challenges. Participating in these projects provides a focus for engagement and collaboration as well as a setting where young people showcase their work and receive feedback and recognition.

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Engagement in the Scratch community centers on creating and sharing creative work online, which includes games, animations, simulations, music, art, and stories. Scratchers interact and collaborate as part of their production through feedback and collaborative creation. Scratch is designed so that there is no direct messaging; all conversation takes place in public. The Scratch platform does not allow for collaborative accounts. However, Scratchers still create collaboratively using two main approaches: One approach is for the collaborators to discuss the collaboration on the publicly viewable comments and have the person who owns the project make the changes; another approach to creating a collaborative project is for one collaborator to create an initial project, and then each collaborator takes a turn creating a remix of the previous version, with other collaborators offering feedback and suggestions. Both approaches create vibrant discussion of aesthetics and technique, moments for growth and development, and implementation of a shared vision, with all activity focused on the product. In collaborative creation and individual projects, feedback is an integral part of skill development and creating social bonds. Because of Scratch’s community values, feedback is given in a positive way, often describing a path forward for the Scratcher and the project. It is rare that a Scratcher receives feedback that is negative or that points out an issue without someone in the community offering suggestions for how to fix the problem. The community recognizes quality projects using the social nature of the community by giving the project “favorites” or “loves,” leaving comments, remixing, or recommending it to be featured on the Explore page.

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Openly Networked

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An important feature of online affinity networks that support connected learning is their openly networked quality. A significant proportion of the activities of the online affinity networks are visible and accessible online, which lowers the barriers to access to specialized communities, subcultures, and expertise. Casual participants can lurk and pick up knowledge without exposing themselves. For more experienced participants, online affinity networks provide a space to connect with fellow creators and experts, publish and distribute their work, and gain a following. Communities with positive learning dynamics all have norms and mechanisms to guard against bad behavior, trolling, and the unproductive forms of criticism and feedback that often accompany open online communication.

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Mar 31
Kevin Hodgson Kevin Hodgson (Mar 31 2019 6:19AM) : I hope so. more

But I do wonder, too: We’re exploring and talking about Affinity Networks that the potential for good in the world — and we should be talking about these — but is there a dark side of Affinity Networks, too? Places where hate gathers — where Connected Learning takes a turn towards the dark? And if so, how would we know these exist and that our students are there? (or our own children). Good teaching and attentive parenting is key, of course, but pondering the ’Flip Side" of this has been on my mind. What do others thing?

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Dec 2
Colt Kreeger Colt Kreeger (Dec 02 2019 12:07PM) : I agree. It does seem odd that the authors seem to analyze on those groups they see as positives, without explaining in depth the basis of the moral evaluation. I'm concerned about deviant and malicious groups.
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Nov 25
Kara Bethea Kara Bethea (Nov 25 2020 2:31PM) : I believe they said they are focusing on the positive because so much is out there about the negative. But I do disagree, I have not read much about this issue until my class recently. Doesn't seem to be common sense knowledge for everyone.
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Nov 26
Alana Bre Alana Bre (Nov 26 2020 9:00PM) : alternative conclusions more

I agree. I think the authors missed a more logical conclusion by trying not to focus on negative aspects of online platforms. Teachers and mentors can easily find their niche by doing what they do best; teaching kids how to be safe in the world. Students will resonate to lessons on how and why to keep their identities safe online; how to spot secure websites and credible forums; how not to engage in toxic online behavior; and even how to gain respect or notoriety when a student feels serious about their group. These things are different from learning digital skills like video, coding. and typing which could translate to many futures.

The Scratch online community has grown to nearly 13 million registered users and more than 16 million shared projects (Scratch 2016). Aspiring creators can view the work of fellow Scratchers across wide-ranging interests and with varied levels of expertise. Community leaders work actively to encourage positive peer communication and collaborative design work (Aragon et al. 2009). The Scratch team has also designed a set of features that encourages remixing of projects so that Scratchers can build on each other’s work. They are able to download the work of others, and edit and repost in ways that acknowledge the work that they are drawing from (Monroy-Hernández 2012). Connected Camps takes a similar approach in encouraging participants to build in a shared online world while at the same time enforcing positive community norms that guard against some of the risks of participation in an openly networked space. Counselors intervene in “griefing,” which is when players destroy each other’s creations or steal from one another.

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Nov 14
Tyler Martin Tyler Martin (Nov 14 2021 5:08PM) : Believing in the importance of an authentic audience, I wonder how students can still feel the power of this in a community of 13 million. Not being familiar with scratch, can you easily post and narrow down work by topics/more specified search criteria?
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Nov 22
Kari Bangtson Kari Bangtson (Nov 22 2021 9:41AM) : Great Point Tyler - I am intimidated by 13 million. Part of an affinity network is being known, how can you be known in 13 million? Maybe you can in sub groups? I have only dabbled in Scratch, I have not participated in any affinity groups. more

I wonder how online platforms with massive input such as scratch manage interactions. Do they? Is the network user driven or is there more of a system of mentorship such as in Hogwarts Ravelry?

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Nov 27
Vivian Lo Vivian Lo (Nov 27 2021 5:03PM) : I wonder how many users are inactive? more

I mean you can create an account to make Scratch with open-source code and share it on the site. One can search the scratch using keywords and search bar. Also, people can search and play scratch without registering an account. SO I wonder if the number could possibly be smaller or larger.

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The growth of digital interests (such as gaming, social media, and the digital media arts) and online affinity networks offers a broadened palette of possibilities for educators to interface with affinity networks. For example, the Connected Learning Alliance organized a youth art and writing challenge in collaboration with the National Writing Project, the Young Adult Library Services Association, Wattpad, and the online visual arts platform DeviantArt to encourage educators to connect their students to online affinity networks. The “Twist Fate” challenge (https://clalliance.org/twist-fate/) prompted young writers and artists to develop a story or piece of artwork that transformed a hero into a villain or vice versa and submit it on one of the online platforms. Educators and artists selected and curated finalists into a book that is being circulated through public libraries around the country. We also see a growing number of educators connecting their local programs to online affinity networks by encouraging students to post their work on YouTube, blogs, and other channels. At YOUmedia Chicago, all the programs make an effort to share creative work outside of the physical space. For example, a group interested in gaming produces a game-review podcast that it posts online. The YOUmedia fashion program ran a public showcase and documented the work on a Tumblr blog. In this way, even locally run programs can benefit from participating in openly networked spaces and connect with specialized affinity networks.

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Dec 1
Ryan Carroll Ryan Carroll (Dec 01 2020 2:19PM) : Possibilities for music class more

In the past I have used Youtube and other similar platforms for students to post their work so that other students can see. However, reading this makes me wonder if I can do something like this for a virtual concert, or other way for students to share their work with their parents.

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We see some emerging examples of schools recognizing online portfolios in platforms such as DeviantArt for the visual arts, or students aspiring to be video- and filmmakers seeing Vimeo and YouTube success as a stepping-stone. Some universities have taken the bold step of offering esports scholarships. As engagement with online affinity networks and digital networks becomes more commonplace and crosses generational lines, we expect that achievements and social connections from the online world will increasingly play a role in institutionalized forms of opportunity. We look forward to the day when One Direction fanfiction will make its way onto an application for college or for a job in the publishing industry. While we still have a long way to go to connect the engagement and learning in online affinity networks to the lives of diverse families and to our educational institutions, we see promising trends and inspiring efforts across a wide range of organizations and communities. We hope this book contributes to supporting and fueling the momentum of these efforts.

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Dec 1
Satie Walker Satie Walker (Dec 01 2019 11:15PM) : Elementary Level more

It’d be great to also see a lot more of this at the Elementary Level. I think this is the time to teach the kids the value of affinity networks so that when they do head to college and seek those degrees, they know what they’re used for and the value they have to society. A previous commentator mentioned how universities still struggle to “validate blogging as writing” and he’s correct! I think introducing this concept young, will help change and shape society to seeing affinity networks, blogging, etc. differently, more positively.

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Dec 2
Dr. Daniel Bassill Dr. Daniel Bassill (Dec 02 2019 1:43PM) : Learnability - what is it? more

I read through all the new comments posted over past few days and the discussion of affinity networks and personal learning made me think of this Tweet I saw today about #learnability, from the World Economic Forum. As you look at the video, I feel all should be asking “Are we teaching these skills as kids enter first grade?” https://twitter.com/mind_flourish/status/1201204974191022080?s=20

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Nov 26
Alana Bre Alana Bre (Nov 26 2020 9:07PM) : So much harder for elementary school more

There really is a need for more digital platforms for elementary aged kids to connect to other kids. The problems I ran into were platforms are either too restrictive, causing them to become abandoned or not restrictive enough allowing them to become toxic. Minecraft is extremely popular for elementary aged kids. Pokemon go has “bosses” where you invite friends into a “raid” to collect an elite pokemon. There are many subscription options like Nightzoo; but mostly the platforms safe for kids don’t connect people because that invites danger. I let my kids play games anonymously or connect to friends, but never strangers. While kids are not often finding their niches as kids, they are building skills in typing and gameplay which often translates to executive function, critical thinking, empathy, and even eye coordination.

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Nov 29
Kari F Kari F (Nov 29 2020 6:54PM) : I agree and think there is no stopping this evolution -the world keeps changing and these online interests and experiences are valuable and relevant and deserve to be acknowledged and celebrated. more

But, I’ve also maintained that online affinity groups, and their potential for achievements and connection and “leveling up” should not be forced. Many people (young and old) are perfectly content and engaged and interested in their offline communities. These interests and skills and experiences do not lose value with the rise of those cultivated online. Many of the young people I work with really hate being on the computer and have absolutely no interest in learning anything beyond the basics. I think this is okay. We aren’t all meant to be coders or video producers or master strategist gamers. I’ve learned a lot about how to transfer and promote the successes and frameworks of online affinity groups to my own classroom and recognize that the creativity, collaboration, community, and critical nature of interest based learning can blossom just about anywhere.

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Mar 31
Kevin Hodgson Kevin Hodgson (Mar 31 2019 6:15AM) : Wouldn't that be something? I know university folks still struggle to validate blogging as "writing" in the eyes of Academia, so this idea -- of how Affinity Network activity might be seen as legit - is still a ways away. more

But such validation would open more doors to classroom teachers seeing potential …

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Dec 1
Satie Walker Satie Walker (Dec 01 2019 11:30PM) : Reply more

I really liked and appreciated the point you make about Universities needing to validate blogging as a legitimate form of writing – nice find!

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Dec 2
Kevin Hodgson Kevin Hodgson (Dec 02 2019 6:21AM) : I think some institutions are grappling with this and trying to adapt .. others, not so much
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Dec 1
Mrs. Megan Breeden Mrs. Megan Breeden (Dec 01 2020 5:14PM) : Impacts of Connected Learning more

I wonder how connected learning will impact our future generations. I feel like creativity and creating is not valued by everyone in our current society. If we engage students in connected learning, and support creative processes will that be better integrated into our society?

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Nov 29
Mary Curfman Mary Curfman (Nov 29 2020 10:40PM) : I can't help but think that we still have a few members of these older generations who are not tech-saavy or all that interested in technology. I appreciate technologies usefulness in communication and creating documents. more

I love to have texting and maps available on my phone but because I didn’t grow up with it, for me, my interests and pursuits are elsewhere. realize that not every kid is consumed with computers and technology but through time, we will become a society where more and more people have always been around it, more people who don’t know a time before computers or cell phones.

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Dec 2
Colt Kreeger Colt Kreeger (Dec 02 2019 12:08PM) : This book definitely spurred me to invest in these online communities and support my students as they do the same.

DMU Timestamp: March 07, 2019 02:52

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Mar 13
Dr. Daniel Bassill Dr. Daniel Bassill (Mar 13 2019 3:32PM) : Terry, I followed advice of Sarah and searched for "affinity online" and found this. more

I’ve not reached this chapter yet in my reading, but when I do, I’ll come here and read and annotate.

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Mar 16
Kevin Hodgson Kevin Hodgson (Mar 16 2019 5:55AM) : I am now here, too, Daniel, and am moving from my paper version of the book to this space as I finish it up, hopefully in conversation and discussion and sharing with others.
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Mar 17
Dr. Daniel Bassill Dr. Daniel Bassill (Mar 17 2019 9:36PM) : Just finished Chapter 4 and will read next chapter here.
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Eternity is in love with the creations of time.

Mar 17
Terry Elliott

Eternity is in love with the creations of time.

Terry Elliott (Mar 17 2019 8:27AM) : Yeah, it has me wondering why, but I haven't made time to talk to Paul Allison about it. more

Glad you found it. I have been, as they say in the idiom ’round here, covered up.

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Eternity is in love with the creations of time.

Mar 17
Terry Elliott

Eternity is in love with the creations of time.

Terry Elliott (Mar 17 2019 8:25AM) : Practice and theory--that is the nexus that interests me most. Let us connect to practice.
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Mar 17
Kevin Hodgson Kevin Hodgson (Mar 17 2019 4:28PM) : Yep
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Mar 25
Dr. Daniel Bassill Dr. Daniel Bassill (Mar 25 2019 1:09PM) : Came back today. Found new comments. more

I revisited this today and found that Sheri Edwards had read the article and posted comments, and that Kevin had added some new comments. I hope others will find this in the future.

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Mar 28
Kevin Hodgson Kevin Hodgson (Mar 28 2019 6:28AM) : Wendy arrived, too.
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Mar 30
Kevin Hodgson Kevin Hodgson (Mar 30 2019 9:14AM) : And Karen L.
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Mar 31
Kevin Hodgson Kevin Hodgson (Mar 31 2019 6:22AM) : And Sarah
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Eternity is in love with the creations of time.

Mar 28
Terry Elliott

Eternity is in love with the creations of time.

Terry Elliott (Mar 28 2019 11:12PM) : Why aren't more schools adopting the online affinity model? Why aren't more students using these new personal learning networks in aid of their careers? more

Daniel makes a comment early on about how the models described in the book are mostly from the affluent and privileged. I think that kids from poor zip codes are just trying to get buy. These affinity spaces just might not be an adjacency for them. They don’t see the connection between affinity spaces and their economic future. Or they can’t see it or it doesn’t exist for them. You can’t get there from here. We need to work on finding adjacencies that enable them to get economic power, paths to power and sustenance.

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Mar 29
Karen LaBonte Karen LaBonte (Mar 29 2019 2:14PM) : I agree, Terry. They may not even be aware the affinity spaces exist.
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Mar 30
Kevin Hodgson Kevin Hodgson (Mar 30 2019 10:16PM) : And their teachers may not, either, particularly if they are under mandates to improve school (often through menu-driven curriculum -- do this now and then do this and then this). The hole gets deeper; the divide, ever wider. more

We can’t always expect kids to stumble upon an Affinity Network that resonates with them and their interests.

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Mar 30
Ms Sheri Edwards Ms Sheri Edwards (Mar 30 2019 1:48PM) : aware more

Great conversation about equity and awareness. I think schools have a responsibility to help students discover their interests and how to connect with others with those interests and help see how a careers choice can reflect those interests.

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Mar 31
Dr. Daniel Bassill Dr. Daniel Bassill (Mar 31 2019 7:05AM) : More research needs to be done, along with more work. more

I’d be careful not to ‘generalize’ that kids in poverty are not in on-line spaces, just from this report. In fact, I suspect a lot of research could show many kids in on-line spaces…hosted by gang bangers!

At the same time, look at reports showing how poor families have lower digital access in home and community than affluent families. This is something that could be fixed if the public will were there to do it.

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Mar 31
Kevin Hodgson Kevin Hodgson (Mar 31 2019 7:22PM) : Is the trend for some gangs using social media to coordinate and connect also something we might file under the umbrella of Affinity Network? more
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Mar 31
Dr. Daniel Bassill Dr. Daniel Bassill (Mar 31 2019 11:29AM) : The second articles ends saying "we still know very little about how gangs use the internet and what role social media plays in gang culture and crime." I agree.
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Dec 1
Shea Ross Shea Ross (Dec 01 2020 11:54PM) : Online resources are great. It is just so important to monitor these students. To help them navigate these online resources. [Edited]
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