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
Comments
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Hmmm guess that's me in my forums then - lurking.New comment
Well done... You've come full circle to a really reflective space in your learning and this is a great illustration of that.New comment
What a great visualisation - clear, simple and powerful. As a bottom-feeder, would you ever (say) make a comment on a blog even if 'after the event'? The reason I ask is that sometimes I read a blog and its comments long after the event and wonder whether it is worth commenting/liking etc. On my own blog, I can see I sometimes get views long after the post's writing, but rarely new comments.
Another critical literacy might be finding the relevant remnants – knowing what is useful or not.
Sukaina - proving the point?
Hi Sukaina: I have done just that, though only on a handful of occasions, and only once did I receive any sort of response. That did put me off to some extent, as I feel it can be wasted effort.
Unless, I've missed something on the technology of this platform, I'm not aware of any way I can get a notification if someone has responded to an old post. As a consequence, I only ever look over my last four of five posts, or occasionally to the bottom of the page, to see if someone has responded to mine. Though, perhaps I would do this more diligently if I had more responders.
I know you said you have been getting quite a bit of engagement on your blog, from the Google+ community, so do you make a conscious effort to overlook your old posts?
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Hi Sharif
On WordPress, I get alerts any time any comment is made on a blog post, not matter how old plus great stats like readers from countries, times etc. That way I get conversations going and manage to reply/say thanks etc. I have been posting my blog posts onto the Google+ Community and so have been having conversations on there as well.
If you are serious about blogging longer term, I would host your blog outside the OU on WordPress or Blogger - much better functionality.
Sukaina