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Week 11 [Weds Nov 15] Connecting the Dots: Linking Everyday Life to ‘Connected Learning‘

In Connected Learning: An Agenda for Research and Design, the authors define Connected Learning as when youth engage in hobbies or interests they are passionate about “…with the support of friends and caring adults…” who are then “…able to link this learning and interest to academic achievement, career possibilities, or civic engagement” (6). This democratic learning model promotes personal expression and creativity, collaboration within a like-minded supportive community (multi-modal technology based platforms), equitable access and opportunities for youth, and a wide range of ideas, views and opportunities for learning (6).

This democratic learning model addresses social issues of equity and promotes equal opportunities for youth to learn and succeed in life. Through a supportive environment, it encourages students and youth to express themselves uniquely in diverse ways, and follow their passions through often free and collaborative initiatives online, and through platforms such as social media or interest groups (6,7). In the traditional and Western notion and institution of schooling, created during colonial times, students were and are still to this day systematically left out in diverse ways (ex. standardized testing, teacher-directed learning, unequal emphasis on some subjects), especially racialized and marginalized communities, which therefore denies many students equal opportunities to learn and flourish (Banks, 4).

This reading connects to several other course themes and readings. For example, within the article titled Popular Media, Education and Resistance, Stack and Kelly state that the media can be compared to an educator, depicting and teaching often negative or stereotypical representations of people and communities (6). Kelly and Stack assert that “Democracy and education is in danger, because of the fact that the widespread media is pervasive and is owned by only a few people and thus it is hard to hold people accountable for the public good and to promote democracy and wide informed views (as meaningful participation in meaning making)” (9).Through the Connected Learning Model of Education, groups of students and youth from diverse backgrounds with varied interests and passions , and through self- expressive projects can create more informed representations of themselves, and demonstrate and promote multiple and worthy methods of learning and meaning making (Alvermann’s New Literacies), and thus a more just and pluralist society.

Alvermann, D. E. (2011). Popular culture and literacy practices: Traditional and New Literacies. In M. L. Kamil, P. D. Pearson, E. B. Moje, & P. P. Afflerbach (Eds.), Handbook of Reading Research: Volume IV, pp. 541-560. New York: Routledge/Taylor & Francis Group.

Banks, James. McGee Banks, Cherry. Multicultural Education Issues and Perspectives. Jay O’Callaghan, 2010.

Ito, M., Gutiérrez, K., Livingstone S., Salen, K., Schor S., Sefton-Green, Watkins, C. (2013). Connected Learning: An Agenda for Research and Design. Irvine, CA: Digital Media and Learning Research Hub.

Stack, M., & Kelley, D.M. (2006). Popular media, education, and resistance. Canadian Journal of Education, 29(1), 5-26.


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