I’m probably a little late to the eLearning 3.0 MOOC (#EL30) party, nonetheless, I’m hoping to try to avail of this opportunity to learn from Stephen Downes’ MOOC and from the network of experienced people created from the Connectivist learning approach that he employs (more info. here and here). It’s already clear to see a diverse, energetic, knowledgeable network emerging in the course feeds area and I hope to contribute to this community where I can. At least this blog post should allow me to submit my feed for RSS harvesting!

An introductory article by Stephen entitled ‘Approaching E-Learning 3.0‘, had me immediately hooked:
“If you’re reading this, then this course is for you. You’ve demonstrated the main criterion: some degree of interest in the subject matter of the course.

I’m certainly interested, so let’s give it a go!

The focus of #EL30 will be to explore key domains that Stephen envisages within the next generation of distributed learning technology. The main topics being explored are laid out in this image.

#EL30 Topics
#EL30 Topics

In the presentation Stephen gave to launch #EL30, he rounds out the detail of each of these topics and considers the impact of the next wave of emerging and distributed learning technologies:

https://www.youtube.com/embed/iCcsLZOD9fk

#EL30 launch presentation by Stephen Downes

By way of a quick introduction, I work as Technology Enhanced Learning Manager in Graduate & Professional Studies at the University of Limerick, Ireland. I’m involved in the design and production of flexible online and blended programmes and research of same, and on shaping related institutional structures and processes.

I’m interested in open and online learning, educational technology, instructional (learning experience) design, technology in general, and all associated literacies. I’ve been thinking about establishing my own web presence for some time and participating in this MOOC has given me the impetus to go and do it.

Already an abundance of topics have piqued my interest – linked data, web (re-)decentralisation (see SoLID, created by Sir Tim Berners-Lee), IndiewebgRSShopperWebmentionsthe Fediverse, RSS aggregation and harvesting, and many more.

I look forward to exploring and understanding them in greater depth.