What’s the most significant event that causes you to pay closer attention to the learners in your network? For me, it is meeting face-to-face. I’m more attuned to those people in my learning network whose voices are amplified because we met at a conference; exchanged stories; shared a meal. Fleshed out by personality and attitude, I find myself savouring the words and ideas I consume online.
The framework below was developed with the assistance of Zoe Branigan-Pipe, who is helping to bring co-learners to life through a collaborative project called 140 Voices. More will follow on that project, but for now, I’d be interested to know where you see yourself in what I’m calling “The Seven Degrees of Connectedness“.
The thing is – I see myself in different stages with different people and groups. I’m wondering, where you see yourself in the different relationships you’ve developed? Each stage of connectedness has impacted my learning in different ways. Have you had similar experiences? Explicit actions lead from one stage to another, but maybe the stages are not sequential…
“Hey other people are sharing some cool ideas on their blogs.
“I follow folks on Twitter, but I’m too shy to say anything”
“I don’t feel I have anything worthwhile to add.”
“How do I get people to follow me back?”Stage 2: Novice
“When I join in on the conversation people actually talk back to me.”
“I love when other people agree with what I’m saying.”
“I like to read a few blogs.”
“I participate in a few live chats.”
“I comment on blog posts every now and then.”
“I love my PLN!”
Stage 3: Insider
“The same names keep coming up in my stream.”
“I’m beginning to know many of these familiar names and faces.”
“I am part of a PLN.”
“When I’m offline, I feel like I’m missing out.”
“I follow conference hashtags and have refined twitter lists.”
Stage 4: Colleague
“I love when I meet people face-to-face at a conference or event.”
“I sometimes begin conversations by sharing my TwitterID.”
“I have degrees of relationships within my PLN.”
“I rely on my network for the most important news.”
“I have included the same people in more than one network.”
“Would you join my class for a presentation on _______ ?”
Stage 5: Collaborator
“Why don’t we start a Google Doc to share our ideas?”
“Want to put in a workshop proposal with me?”
“I’ll see you at the tweet-up before the conference.”
“Can you help me with a project with my students?”
“Let’s get our students collaborating on a blog!”
“How about a weekly Math Challenge between our classes?”
“Our class wants to learn about your country.”
“Sure, I’ll add a post to that collaborative blog!”
Stage 6: Friend
“It feels like we’ve known one another for a long time.”
“At conferences, I’d rather meet face-to-face with my online colleagues than attend workshops.”
“I am comfortable to ask my PLN for help or advice about my work.”
“I know some of the personal details about the people in my network.”
“I care about the well-being of these people.”
Stage 7: Confidant
“I wish the people in my school were as helpful as you are.”
“Can you proof-read my latest blog post?”
“Would you like to meet for lunch?”
“When are you coming to town? We have to get together!”
“How are you feeling?” “Do you want to talk about it?”
“I have an idea, can we Skype?”
“I would rather talk to you in person, can you just call me.”
Is a framework like this worth discussing, or refining. Can it serve as an introduction to the concept of a personal learning network? Does it help you make sense of the wide range of relationships you’ve been building with online colleagues? I’d love to know your thoughts…
Image Credit: Seven by Losmininos
Very interesting, Rodd and Zoe!
I think I agree that we will see ourselves in different categories/roles based on who we might be interacting with at any given moment. Perhaps the structures and methods folks use in creating their Twitter/Tweetdeck lists or their g+ Circles might be an interesting lens through which to study this? And certainly this framework would make for a great starting point in contemplating the interactions we have with folks we experience and cultivate within our networks.
Nice!
One of the realities that prompted my thinking on this topic, was realizing that there were many educators (and others) on Twitter whom I’d been missing in my stream. I took some time to refine groups that I follow, and I came to realize that many of these folks I would/should readily call ‘friends’. It’s a new reality that meeting only once or twice a year, that you could have such a close relationship, but that’s what I’ve been experiencing. Almost always, such relationships are punctuated by face-to-face meetings.
Hi Andy,
I agree that this is an interesting way to look at interactions. I’m wondering whether there are elements of this framework that could be applied to the development of face-to-face interactions.
Got me thinking….
Hi Rod,
Interestingly, @snbeach has found in her research that lurking is actually not always the beginning level of interaction some of us may have thought it to be. This surprised me, but in analyzing communities, the lurkers often seem to filter and find the higher-level conversations which is where they spend most of their time.
I think your framework has value in sharing with folks who are not networked and may be wanting to know what is typical as they get connected, as long as we realize that networking is quite different from community building.
Do you notice that strong networkers aren’t always strong community members? That while they get what they need from their network, they aren’t always there to nurture the more challenging relationships that occur in community?
It’s been my experience that those that dip in and out of networks aren’t always the ones who will do the difficult work of knowledge building and co-construction, which I believe is at the heart of learning, whether online or off.
Brenda
Hi Brenda,
I’m not even sure that the stages I’ve identified are sequential. I do know that I relate to the many folks in my network on different levels. Those with whom I connect regularly, and those that I happen to see face-to-face are now commonly referred to as ‘friends’, and for many of us, I think that real connection is somewhat of a new thing. As within any group, there are those that engage, and those that do not. I prefer to communicate and create with those who are prone to participate on many levels… tweeting, sharing photos, blogging. The intentional interactions are where community building happens, and although I sense many degrees of connectedness within my own network, I’m not sure everyone is aware of the wide range of relationships they’ve been nurturing.
Brenda, interesting comments on the difference between networkers and community builders. So, what is it that animates and motivates networkers and how do you suppose this compares to the “active ingredient” in the community builder?