"Fun Days" by Weshalljoinourhouses (2015). Licensed under Creative Commons CC0.
Retrieved from www.giphy.com, original from http://i.imgur.com/ct9NpkI.gif
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"Time is change, transformation, evolution. Time is eternal sprouting, blossoming, the eternal tomorrow." (Peretz, 1906)
Time has transformed our ability to connect. The human need for connection has never been more obvious than in the current digital era. The evolution of digital technologies, such as the internet and social media, have provided a platform to facilitate connections which are more complex and intricate than humans have ever experienced.
Learning in today’s world is not confined by geographical borders. Learning is no longer dependent on a more knowledgeable other, nor does it rely on physical space. Rather, learning has become an activity that can occur anywhere and with anyone, spanning and merging the diverse contexts of human life (Nussbaum-Beach, & Ritter, 2010; Weisner, 2002 cited in Ito et al., 2013, p.40). Our intricately networked societies offer fertile soil for the theory of Connected Learning (CL) to take root. Central to Connected Learning is the agenda of equity – an agenda made possible through open communities where learners interact with supportive peers who have shared purpose, are driven by a common interest and whose focus is learning, producing and sharing with like-minded people (Ito et al., 2013). Connected Learning environments are found throughout the internet and span all disciplines. Used for both professional and personal learning, CL environments align with an interconnected framework of learning contexts, learning properties and design principles that have been identified by Ito et al. (2013) in the Connected Learning Report. Digital technologies and social media cultivate Connected Learning by providing adaptable tools to develop life-long learners who are engaged, creative, self-directed, community focused and have a sense of agency (Ito et al., 2013). An example of a Connected Learning environment is the Breakout EDU community – a community of learners who have an interest in the Breakout EDU tool to create gamified learning experiences. Below, I will explore the Breakout EDU community to critically evaluate how it aligns with the Connected Learning agenda and framework. Contexts for LearningInterest Powered
Focus: What is the interest that draws the learners together?
Interest-powered learning supports the connected learning agenda of equity and the design principle “challenge is constant” (Ito et al., 2013) by encouraging a “need to know and need to share” (Garcia et al., 2014, p.10; Ito et al., 2013, p. 12). Passion, interest and relevancy are powerful contributors to an intrinsic motivation to learn (Dewey, n.d. cited in Zimmerman & Schunk, 2003), as is the case with this community. The focus bringing participants together is the topic of Breakout EDU – a digital and physical set of tools which allow users to gamify learning experiences.
Anchored by the main topic, a wide range of interests fuel the learning of participants. Aligned with the theory of Connectivism, learners’ areas of interest fluidly and continuously influence and are influenced by the social interactions the community facilitates (Siemens, 2005). The interests of participants are predominantly linked with education and include pedagogical approaches such as immersive learning, 21st century skills, digital literacy, interest-led learning, gamification and science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM). Other participants, however, have more casual interests, such as using the tool for social experiences and party activities. The CL environment weaves formal and informal interests, with learners building upon their own expertise with the expertise of others, transferring the knowledge across contexts (Ito et al., 2013, p.47).
“Breakout EDU Box” by Blakenship, Laura (2016). Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic (CC BY-SA 2.0).
Retrieved from https://www.flickr.com/photos/lorda/31019834746/in/photostream/. Peer Supported
Who: Who are the peer learners or interest group?
The Breakout EDU community is a peer supported community where anyone with a shared interest in Breakout EDU can contribute to collaborative and social learning experiences (Ito et al., 2013, p.12). The act of fostering social connections is, in itself, an incentive to participate in the community (Jenkins, 2006). Participants in the community range from teachers in primary or secondary schools and teacher-librarians, to STEM educators, teacher educators and hobbyists. In addition to active CL learners, the administrators of the official social media accounts and resource platform contribute limited resources to the community.
Despite the participants’ varied backgrounds, each member of the community pursues their learning with complete freedom regarding their level of interaction (Jenkins, 2006). This enables participants to willingly share their expertise in a web of mutually beneficial learning interactions (Garcia et al., 2014, p.57). By providing every learner the opportunity to contribute in their own way and at their own level, the design principle of “everyone can participate” is demonstrated (Ito et al., 2013). Some participants generously share their creations or bravely present showcases of their work in action, while others prefer to support their peers by providing feedback or comments. The diversity of expertise, interests and knowledge that the learners share within the community further enhances the depth and breadth of learning which takes place (Dron & Anderson, 2014, p.155) which, in turn, reconstructs the collective knowledge of the community (Nussbaum-Beach & Ritter, 2010, p.50). Learners curate, circulate, produce and comment on resources, building on their existing knowledge and contributing to the learning experiences of fellow learners (Ito et al., 2013, pp. 75-76, Siemens, 2005).
A video tutorial about using Breakout EDU in the classroom. Viewers have asked the creator further questions in the comments section.
"Breakout EDU Video" by Alvarado, Kim (2015). Published on YouTube, retrieved from https://youtu.be/uI3ZRfYrFDM. Learning Oriented
How: What learning activities and interactions are conducted by the learners?
Effective learning is positioned in learning opportunities that are authentic and relevant to the lives and experiences of the learners (Garcia et al., 2014, p.40). Meaningful context in learning has become increasingly important due to the rapidly changing and overwhelming quantity of information available in today’s interconnected world (Dron & Anderson, 2014). Learners who are provided the opportunity to link their academic, professional or socio-cultural learning with their lived experiences or passions, are more likely to gain positive outcomes (Ito et al., 2013).
The participants in the Breakout EDU community conduct diverse learning oriented activities such as circulating, curating, commentary and creation of resources (Ito et al., 2013). Informal and formal learning are interwoven using digital technologies and social media (Dron & Anderson, 2014, p.19), supporting the CL design principle “everything is interconnected” (Ito et al., 2013, p.12). For example, practicing teachers frequently interact with both teacher-educators and hobbyists using Facebook and Instagram. Blog posts are written by non-academics yet are linked to academic research. Videos of work are uploaded onto YouTube or Vimeo and shared globally via Twitter, drawing in people of diverse backgrounds to comment or circulate further through other digital platforms and social media.
A blog post with comments, on the topic of Breakout EDU in the classroom and the development of 21st century skills.
"What's New With Breakout EDU" by Arnold, Sean (2018). Published on Wordpress. Rretrieved from https://braveintheattempt.com/2018/06/03/whats-new-with-breakout-edu/. Core PropertiesProduction Centred
What: Which resources, technologies, products are created during the learning?
Educational psychology has long argued that effective learning involves action (Piaget, 1990 cited in Pardjono, 2002, p.168). The belief that learner-centred, collaborative and relevant learning experiences allow for deeper learning to occur underpins the Connected Learning framework. The design principle “learning happens by doing” (Ito et al., 2013, p.12) emphasises the necessity of production in this process. Connected Learning is production centred and involves “expressions” (Jenkins et al., 2006) or “experiments” (Dewey, 1916 cited in Garcia et al., 2014) as learners create, recreate and co-create products in a continual cycle of collaborative knowledge expansion (Starkey, 2012, p.26).
The Breakout EDU community has cultivated a production centred environment. Participants create resources and products for a broad range of reasons, including to showcase their teaching practices, to promote their school and occasionally for business purposes. However, the vast majority of participants share their products to cultivate the Connected Learning environment, enhance their learning, and foster relationships within the community (Jenkins, 2006). There are countless ways that the learning in the Breakout EDU community is production centred. Tutorials in video form are created and uploaded onto digital platforms such as Vimeo and YouTube, and are shared via social media or embedded into blogs. Puzzles, quizzes and game outlines are shared without restrictions through social media including Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Curation platforms such as Symbaloo and Pinterest allow for further circulation, remixing and collaborative collection of resources. Reviews, tips and instruction manuals are created in various formats – video, animation, written text, photographs and mixed media documents – and shared through openly networked technologies. Commentary, feedback and conversations are not only welcome but are essential in order to nurture this CL environment (Garcia et al., 2014). The social interactions produced by the Breakout EDU community include commentary, feedback and advice, and are facilitated by the comment features of the respective technologies.
Example of a Symbaloo webmix of Breakout EDU resources. Symbaloo webmixes can be shared and edited individually or in a group.
By Author (2019). Published on Symbaloo, retrieved from https://www.symbaloo.com/mix/breakouteduresources11. Openly Networked
Connectivity: Which social media support the learning activities and interactions?
Openly networked communities are equitable communities. As one of the core properties of the Connected Learning Framework (Ito et al., 2013, p.12), this aspect is both highly dependent on and enhanced by digital technologies and social media (Garcia et al., 2014, p.72). By being relatively affordable, user-friendly, inclusive of many disabilities, and flexible in meeting the needs of individuals and communities, CL environments become more accessible to all learners (Dron & Anderson, 2014, pp. 15-22). Features which further ensure the community is openly networked are the capability of crossing over platforms and institutions, various points of entry and exit, being openly accessible to the public and diverse methods of demonstrating achievement (Ito et al., 2013, p.77).
The question of whether the Breakout EDU community is openly networked is open to debate. Initial platforms to facilitate learning about the tool were established by the manufacturer and span almost all digital platforms and social media. This factor sits awkwardly against the key philosophies of CL – suggesting that the intention behind the accounts is business-focused therefore a conflict of interest to the learning community. Although the administrators of the social media accounts are not seen to be actively interacting, rather taking a ‘silent moderator’ role, the community’s reliance on these official accounts removes a level of freedom which may influence, limit or even control the depth of learning taking place. The control of the community’s main accounts by the manufacturer is a risk to the Breakout EDU community. By upholding a silent but visible presence, the manufacturer interferes (whether intentionally or unintentionally) with two significant benefits that social technologies offer learners in CL environments: transparency of interactions and the ability to debate, discuss and have conflicts (Dron & Anderson, 2014, p.18). Learners are prevented from taking risks and experimenting socially, therefore miss the opportunity to develop skills in negotiating, collaborating, problem solving and understanding different perspectives - essential skills for success in an interconnected world (Jenkins, 2006). Another risk to the Breakout EDU community is the subscription option on the official website. Preventing the community from meeting the openly networked criteria is the financial barrier placed by the manufacturer that restricts access to a comprehensive library of resources produced by professional educators. By offering some resources by paid subscription, large segments of learners are excluded from access. Interestingly, subscriptions are sporadically advertised on the official social media accounts and have been designed to attract the main learners - primary and secondary school teachers - by being curriculum aligned and organised by subject and year level. Barriers to access and separation of members and non-members are in conflict with the ideal CL environment which prioritises access and inclusion (Ito et al., 2013).
A Twitter post and tweet thread using hashtag #breakoutedu. Tweets can be retweeted, replied to or liked.
"Mrs.Coffill's Corner" by @CoffillAmanda (2019). Published on Twitter. Retrieved from https://twitter.com/CoffillAmanda/status/1083911779149856768. Shared Purpose
Why: What is the purpose of these learning interactions for the learners?
Meaningful learning occurs as an outcome of joint activities with those who are valued by the learners and with whom they have shared purpose (Ito, et al. 2013, p.46). The process of learning becomes robust, engaging and even pleasurable when it is experienced with like-minded peers. Furthermore, the concept of “collective intelligence” (Levy, 2000 cited in Jenkins et al., 2006) is clearly evident in the fluid way that knowledge is transferred and transformed in CL environments.
The diverse participants of the Breakout EDU community connect with shared purpose. They unite via digital technologies with common goals such as: to improve professional teaching practices, to discover or produce immersive learning experiences for students, to learn of ways to gamify corporate workshops or team building activities, etc. Hobbyists with or without education backgrounds have the shared purpose of exploring new ways to connect socially. The diverse range of digital tools used by this community allow learners to engage with each other and with resources in ways that are most effective for them and which evolve as their needs change (Dron & Anderson, 2014). Breakout EDU learners enter and exit CL interactions with flexibility, many crossing platforms to casually browse content or search by hashtag/keyword to locate posts which relate to their individual goals. Smaller break-away groups are often formed as a result of learners with shared purpose needing interactions about more specific interests. This can be seen in the variety of Facebook groups available, such as groups for Breakout EDU users who speak Spanish or who teach in school libraries.
An example of a Pinterest board with curated resources. Pins can be added or copied, and comments can be made.
By Author (2019). Published on Pinterest, retrieved from https://pin.it/6dmgn2qmejntuf. Recommendations
The Connected Learning Framework outlines four overarching opportunities made possible by emergent technologies: “fostering engagement and self-expression, increasing accessibility to knowledge and learning experiences, expanding social supports and interests, and expanding diversity and building capacity” (Ito et al., 2013, p.12). The Breakout EDU community, although not a perfect Connected Learning environment, aligns with the majority of criteria presented in the framework by Ito et al. (2013).
Nonetheless, opportunities exist for this community to expand its reach, increase accessibility and enrich the learning of its participants. As a considerable portion of Breakout EDU learners, teachers have a significant opportunity to use the CL skills they have learned through their interactions in the community to facilitate the development of the same skills in their students. Rather than merely creating and sharing resources for teaching, teachers could plan units which immerse students into the CL environment. By using new media to explore Breakout EDU within a CL community, students could improve essential 21st century skills such as collaboration and problem-solving, develop digital and information literacy capabilities, build productive relationships with peers and mentors, produce relevant and engaging learning experiences for themselves, their peers and the community, and ultimately become active, self-directed agents in their own learning. Students who are granted input into their learning experiences have a greater sense of ownership and higher levels of motivation (Valerio, 2012). The inclusion of a civic engagement or social justice focus in student learning could further enhance the impact of student participation, by empowering them to develop a sense of agency and build awareness of the experiences of society’s marginalised groups (Garcia et al., 2014). Finally, face-to-face connections with members of the CL community, such as students from other schools who have a common interest in Breakout EDU, would deepen the relationships created in the digital sphere and allow their collective knowledge to traverse to the physical sphere (Richardson & Mancabelli, 2011). -BJK
This blog post demonstrates an opportunity for students to delve into a Connected Learning environment.
"Student-Created Breakout EDU Games" by Venturino, Mari (2016). Published on Wordpress. Retrieved from https://mariventurino.com/2016/10/22/student-created-breakout-edu-games/.
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