Theory of Learning (Knowledge Making) and Klog Supported Learning( Knowledge Making)

Summary: Knowledge grows a) from the foundation of prior knowledge and character and b) in response to the demands of problem-centered activity and in proportion to the frequency of access to relevant information. As will be argued below klog-based knowledge making in formal or informal groups can be expected to result in the most accelerated learning. I have summarized my thinking below and in detail at on a web page linked below. 

The personal knowledge-base builder brings her/his knowledge and character to the stage. The activities with which the player is involved and the information that is available interact with the player to produce new knowledge.

A Learning Theory :

Set the learner problems s/he can't solve but which are within reach, by some measure [this is referred to as ’Äòreadiness’Äô or a sufficient background of foundation concepts and principles] and the rate of problem solution will be in proportion to time available, accessibility and relevance of pertinent information, relevance and turnaround time of feedback for each successive solution attempted. (see http://www.educ.drake.edu/hall/kloglearningthory5.html) for details and pictures.

 Explanation of the ’ÄòNature’Äô of Various Knowledge-Making Situations

Individual klogging, if conducted competently, will accelerate individual learning because it provides not only higher access to relevant information but to the reports on parallel efforts to frame similar problems by other problem-solving kloggers who have been located on the web.

The creation of online klogging communities is based on overlapping interests in and competence with the topic(s) around which the group has organized.increases the likelihood that any member of that community will have more rapid and more appropriate feedback of problem solving attempts. Thus, the intentional establishment of topic-related klogging communities will accelerate not only individual learning but the growth of the summed learning of all participants which maximize speed and access to those working with like problems.

I expect a enhancement or multiplier effect to result when a) an individual moves from independent, 'unwebbed learning', to klog-supported learning and, subsequently an additional multiplier effect to result b) when moving from webbed learning and topic-related but otherwise unsupported (and unconstrained) communities to those that are constrained (e.g., require formal membership and commitment to one or more topics, which provide klogging support including training and literature).

To Summarize more Graphically: There are Multiple Technically and Socially-based Enhancements which accelerate knowledge-making (KM).

I list those that I can recall below. The klog-related enhancements arelisted last.

First Technology-Related Enhancement To KM

Name = Using a Paper-Based Journal to Record

Knowledge-Making Efforts

From = Learning/Problem-Solving without a Journal

To = Learning/Problem-Solving recorded in a Paper-Based Journal

Basis of

Acceleration = Focus of Attention, Enhanced Memory, and

Better Idea Chaining over Time

Comment =This is a contribution that reading/writing

made available to the process of

knowledge-making.

Second Technology-Related Transition:

Name =Using a Computer-Based Database

Journal accompanied by Search Capabilities

From = Learning/Problem-Solving recorded in a Paper-Based Journal

To = Learning/Problem-Solving recorded in a Computer-Based Database Journal

Basis of

Acceleration = Random Access to Ideas enables

considerable easing of 'discovery'

of clusters and chains of concepts

in own recorded thoughts.

Comment = Admittedly, this did not occur in one single

technological 'swoop', but it

at least serves as a signpost for

what one person + nonwebbed

computer could accomplish.

First Socially-Related Transition:

Name =Joint Knowledge-Making in a Group

From = Learning/Problem-Solving Alone resulting

Knowledge-Making

To = Learning/Problem-Solving As a Group

with Knowledge Made Shared and

collectively remembered within

Group

Basis of

Acceleration = Various take's on common issue will

often allow more rapid surfacing

of solution-relevant insights. Multiple

minds can serve as data-base on any

particular topic and will collectively

triangulate on a relatively exact

memory for earlier topic-related

principles and concerns.

Comment = A large percent of humanity has learned

to be at least the recipient of

socially transmitted knowledge. An

infant's first concepts were often

acquired alone but knowledge

is acquired and socialized very

early in a child's life. This occurs

via demonstrations

and explanations. Through these

means, each child learned,

and learned to acquire,

knowledge within the family group.

Tribes and families which

survived were ones which learned to

solve problems together and to use

oral transmission across generations

as a means to progressively augment

a useful knowledge-base over successive generations.