Personal Learning Environments, Networks and Knowledge

As part of my study of networking, distance learning and how technology is changing us, I have signed up for PLENK2010. Personal Learning Environments, Networks and Knowledge is an open course (open enrollment, freely shared content) facilitated by George Siemens (Connectivism), Stephen Downes (Personal Learning Networks), Dave Cormier and Rita Kop.

This 10 week course begins officially on Monday September 13 and as of this moment has 306 participants enrolled in the moodle course area. This is a massively multiplayer (hehe) on-line course. It is actually billed as a Massive Open Online Course (a MOOC :). My colleagues include residents of Canada, US, Brazil, Australia, Mexico, Portugal, UK, Ukraine, Spain, Italy, Venezuela, Uruguay, Greece, Malaysia, Argentina, Russian Federation, Peru, Belgium, India, Finland, Ireland, Ghana, Germany, and New Zealand.

What is it about? Besides PLEs, networks and knowledge as the title suggests, "there is no particular body of knowledge..." I quote from the course research consent document:

Though there may be a central theme or structure offered by the facilitators, there is no particular body of knowledge or information expected to be acquired by learners; rather, learning occurs as a result of interaction and participation in the distributed community, completion of authentic tasks within that environment, and the growth and development of the learner’s own capacities as a consequence. The course design, therefore, is that essentially of a community of learners who are learning to learn.

For more information or to register, check this out http://connect.downes.ca/

For updates on my experience, stay tuned.