Translations, Triggers, and Transitions: DML Connected Learning Webinar Week 2

To promote more conversation around this new idea of connected learning, the Digital Media and Learning Research Hub is hosting a series of webinars at their new website, connectedlearning.tv. The second webinar in the series was held on Thursday, March 22, and featured DML Research Network Chair, Mimi Ito, as facilitator. The webinar was a live-streamed hangout, with a handful of participants from various spheres of education.

This conversation is helpful if you are having a hard time understanding what connected learning is in a more concrete way. The participants spend some time giving specific examples of where they see connected learning happening. After watching the webinar, I would describe connected learning as the translation of learning across interest-driven, peer-driven, and civic or academic learning spheres. An example discussed is The Harry Potter Alliance, where Harry Potter fans have taken their love of Harry Potter and translated it into real-world action. As explained on their website, the Harry Potter Alliance “works for human rights, equality, and a better world just as Harry and his friends did throughout the books.” The organization is a non-profit, whose members take action for social change.

Many of the hangout participants are working in what could be called connected learning environments. Connected learning environments are those spaces where interest-driven and peer-driven learning is translated or connected to the civic or academic sphere, and vice versa. For example, Jennifer Steele, of YouMedia at the Chicago Public Library participates in this week’s hangout, and speaks about how the programs at YouMedia help youth connect their interests and talents in media creation to the civic and academic world. YouMedia strives to provide mentorship for students in their areas of interest, and to give youth creators a real-world audience for their creations.

The session participants also take questions from the Livestream chat, with several questions addressing ways to help teachers and schools better connect to the interest-driven and peer-driven spheres of learning.

You can watch an archive of the webinar below. The webinar’s archive page at connectedlearning.tv gives more specific time markers for the questions discussed as well as more information about each of the hangout participants.

 

Watch live streaming video from connectedlearningtv at livestream.com

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