10. Networks of Personalized Learning

• We are a networked society with individuals connected in a mesh of loosely knit, overlapping flat connections. The culture is one of participation and personalization. This has radically transformed business, government, politics, and education. Notions of what it means to learn and where learning will come from have changed. Students should now expect to contribute to the knowledge-building process instead of passively consuming. Choices are endless. Social networking tools are the most dominant on the web with Facebook in the lead. To better communicate there are many language learning sites where people around the world teach each other. English is about 75% of the effort. Livemocha is prominent as are KanTalk, ECpod, and ChinesePod. Podcasts and live interaction via Skype expand learning networks. Online homework tutors are common and often reside in India. Teachers can be anywhere and some schools offer it for free.

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