my experiences in CCK08 Dec 2008

1. Joy and Struggle for Renewal
Heli Nurmi in CCK08
September-November 2008

2. You have to break the old branches to get new ones
Sometimes you have to leave a tree …
I have left during this autumn
• my concept not being able to use English
• not having time to do what I want, to study
when I want
• being too shy to participate globally
But I still have much old stuff in my mind
and in my habits. For instance,
I didn’t know that we had a link to Stephen’s
article in our www-pages (teacher education). I
found it when seeking my own learning object. I
dream I am networked, yes, but blind in nearest
relationships.
Heli Nurmi CCK08 1.12.2008

3. My personal theory-in-use has developed many decades and it is too strong and
stable for changing quickly. Many storms and winds have proved it and built it.
Dewey gave us ”learning by doing”, Kolb ”experiential learning”, Lave and Wenger
”social constructivism” . I studied ”action theory” in German and Russian (to
understand Vygotsky, Leontjew, Galperin) – we had a great innovative student
movement in Europe when I was young. Yrjö Engeström has brought that ”activity
theory” to global level, he lives in Helsinki and in California, San Diego. Learning by
expanding was his dissertation and change laboratories are interesting methods.
So: what could I learn from connectivism? I have followed it about two years and
came here to study more.
Heli Nurmi CCK08 1.12.2008

4. Can I see the
old parts of
my theory-inuse?
How to leave
those and build
better ones?
Connectivism tries to model learning in digital age. It is new
– or some researchers have done it two or three decades
and found a new (?) way of learning by
doing, trying, inquiring. I don’t know all that research, only
parts of it.
I have developed my online teaching about five years and left many old habits. I do not
use papers, I do not require my students to come to classrooms at a certain time.
I do not prefer teacher-student relationship, I prefer student-student- interaction where
I want to participate as a flexible facilitator. The learning culture is changing, not only
parts of it.
Heli Nurmi CCK08 1.12.2008

5. I cannot change the learning-teaching culture alone, I must be connected
I need networks in my workplace, in my institute, in Finland, in global world.
So I have built networks and I came here to build more and it succeeded.
Networks give me knowledge, support, maintain my motivation to develop.
I can’t live without networks. World is changing so rapidly I can’t follow
alone. I teach teachers and they must have right (?) models during teacher
education.
Heli Nurmi CCK08 1.12.2008

6. Something new is arising from earth, what is it? Connectivism tries to grasp the change.
I appreciate the ways it uses: open online course for everybody who is interested.
I appreciate the spirit of light creative modeling of new phenomena. Perhaps it is
best in connectivism until this year. It is not yet accepted as a learning theory . Our
content in wiki shows that our course is a collection of ideas and models…
Heli Nurmi CCK08 1.12.2008

7. Evening or morning? Is the light growing or disappearing?
Human mankind has problems to solve and I am not sure if it is becoming wiser
Connectivism cannot leave all earlier theories behind .. It is not wise. We have to
develop on old theories and practices: so is it experiential learning that we need?
We need global interaction and now we have excellent tools for it. We can
develop jointly. We had Linus Torvald’s interview in Tietoviikko (I didn’t find it in
English, it must be somewhere). Linus is one leader of Open Source miracle and
George and Stephen are building another. Trust was the first principle of
Linus, and straight feedback was second. I agree with him.
Heli Nurmi CCK08 1.12.2008

8. What am I doing next to develop understanding of
human mind in a changing world?
Human mind should be seen as a whole: it has conscious and unconsious parts and
emotions need the unconscious part. Learning by dreaming .. every night!
Defense mechanisms are known and we could use that knowledge in understanding
resistance in human mind: to win oneself, to be afraid but do in spite of fear.
Networking is social and people must be seen as human being, not only cognitions.
Dignity and trust are key concepts, I suppose, a way to sustainable collaboration.
Connectivism deals with many important questions, but not these?
Heli Nurmi CCK08 1.12.2008