For some reason I've got this image.
There's an ocean. Then a shoal of fish appear around some event (a node), perhaps an abundance of food, with a common aim to feed. This further attracts some 'bigger fish' (experts). There's a feeding frenzy. Material is transformed (food into detritus), which sinks to the ocean bed where it is 'archived'. Other fish stay out the way, but observe. Then, later perhaps, long after the feeding frenzy, the bottom feeders move in, and take what they want from the remnants.
Bottom feeder and proud!
Since dropping out the frenzy of the MOOC in week 3 (I went on holiday), I've adopted the bottom feeder approach. I just go in, look at the leftovers (posts in the forums) and get what I need from that. And that's ok. Isuppose the fact that this is possible is because the leftovers are archived, and that is what resources the Long Tail effect.
This form of learning, which is not dependent on participation and the critical literacies and access that are banged on about. Kop (2011) acknowledges similar views from learners on the PLENK MOOC, and that of the lurking role.
So I'm a bottom feeder at the moment and that's just fine. I hope to be back in the frenzy in the future though.
References:
Kop, R. (2011) The Challenges to Connectivist Learning on Open Online Networks: Learning Experiences during a Massive Open Online Course. International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning