Knowing Knowledge

George Siemens, 2006

ISBN 978-1-4303-0230-8
A Creative Commons licensed version is available online
at www.knowingknowledge.com

Table of ConTenTs
Preface. v
Section 1
An Exploration of Theoretical Views of Knowing and Learning 1
Shfng . 3
. What.has.caused.knowledge.to.leave..
. ....the.safe,.trusted.spaces.of.generatons.past?. 4
. What.s.the.mpact.of.knowledge.set.free? . 5
Many.Faces.Explorng.Knowledge. 13
. What.are.trusted.sources.of.knowledge?. 22
. Can.a.group.be.as.efectve.as.an.expert?. 22
Learnng. 25
In.Relaton.to.Knowng. 49
. Why.do.we.want.knowledge? . 50
. Is.serendpty.lost?. 56
Context.Games. 61
. What.about.power?. 64
. Who.are.the.new.oppressed?. 64
Section 2
Changes and ImplicationMoving toward Application 67
Somethng.s.AmssChanged.Envronments.of.Knowledge . 69
Cycle.of.Change. 69
. Te.rse.of.the.ndvdual. 72
. Connectednessthe.world.has.become.whole . 73
. Immedacy. 74
. Breakdown.and.repackagng. 74
. Te.condut.s.kng. 75
. What.s.the.mpact? . 76
. Socalzaton. 77
. Blurrng.worlds. 77
Changed.Characterstcs.and.Flow.of.Knowledge. 79
. Abundance. 80

. Recombnaton . 82
. Relaton.to.certanty. 82
. Development.pace. 83
. Representaton. 83
. Flow. 84
. Spaces.and.structures.of.knowledge. 86
. How.can.organzatons.adopt.ecologes?. 90
. Decentralzaton.of.knowledge. 92
. Clear.ams.through.decentralzed.means . 95
. Afordance. 98
Emotons.and.Creatvty. 103
. Control.and.acceptance. 105
. Quet.mnds. 106
. Scentst.versus.artst . 107
ImplcatonsStructural/Spatal.Impact . 110
. Complexty.corrodes.clear.paths. 112
. Learners.sklls. 113
Desgnng.................................................116
. Informal.learnng.s.too.mportant.to.leave.to.chance. 119
. Knowledge.refexvty. 120..
Implementng. 124
. Change.forces.change. 127
Doman.Implementaton.Model . 128
. Doman.1:.Analyss.and.valdaton. 130
. Doman.2:.Network.and.ecology.desgn. 132
. Doman.3:.Adaptve.knowledge.and.learnng.cycle. 134
. Doman.4:.Systems.and.patterns.revew.and.evaluaton. 136
. Doman.5:.Impactng.factors. 138
Contnung.the.Conversaton. 143
. What.s.dferent.tomorrow.mornng?. 144
Notes.. 146
Lst.of.Tables. 157
Lst.of.Fgures. 157.
Index.. 158. .

Thank you
Many.ndvduals.contrbuted.(or.sacrfced).tme.to.ths.project..
In.partcular,.I.would.lke.to.say.thanks.to.famly.(my.wfe.Karen.and..
chldren.Alysha,.Jared,.and.Karel).for.toleratng.holdays.whnng.about.
lack.of.nternet.access,.evenngs.of.dstracted.conversatons,.and.the..
numerous.obtuse.deas.dropped.upon.unsuspectng.recpents
My.thnkng.has.been.very.publc.for.over.fve.years.(wwwelearnspaceorg)..
Tank.you.to.those.who.have.read.and.provded.feedback.on.countless.
artcles.and.blog.postngs.Your.tme.readng.and.commentng.has.been..
an.encouragement.and.mportant.learnng.process.for.me.
Steppng.out.nto.alternatve.means.of.expressng.thoughts.(through.on-.
lne.publshng,.nstead.of.tradtonal.journals),.s.an.act.of.optmsm.that.
has.been.modeled.and.drected.wth.other.transparent.thnkers.One.needs.
to.abandon.notons.of.perfecton.to.attempt.onlne.daloguewarts,.poor.
sentence.structure,.quckly.jotted.thoughts,.embarrassngly.smple.vew-
pontsare.kept.and.preserved.by.search.engnes.and.archves.Tose.who.
hold.to.product.vews.of.learnng.and.knowledge,.nstead.of.process.vews,.
fnd.the.unforgvng.nature.of.archves.ntmdatng.I.thank.my.fellow.
sojourners.for.ther.efort.n.walkng.new.paths:.Stephen.Downes,..
Jay.Cross,.Wll.Rchardson,.and.Mash.Nchan.
Specal.thanks.as.well.to.those.who.have.taken.the.tme.to.provde.revews..
of.the.thoughts.contaned.n.text.Tose.who.prevously.held.the.power.to.
flter.content.are.fndng.a.dmnshng.world.as.many.are.now.able.to.cre-
ate,.valdate,.and.share.freely.Te.revew.eforts,.thoughts,.gudance,.advce,.
and.nput.of.these.people.are.nvaluable:.Zad.Al.Alsagof,.Wayne.Batch-
elder,.Doug.Belshaw,.Mark.Berthelemy,.Alson.Bckford,.Stephen.Downes,.
Patrca.Duebel,.Denham.Grey,.Bll.Hall,.Davd.Hawkes,.Pam.Hook,.Davd.
Lee,.Karla.Lopez,.Corrado.Petrucco,.John.D.Smth,.Susan.Spero,.Louse.
Starkey,.Lz.Stevenson,.Peter.Tttenberger,.John.Vetch,.Jack.Vnson,..
Peter.West,.Gerry.Whte,.Terry.Yelmene,.Steve.Yurkw,.and.Chrstopher.
Zelnsk
Tanks.to.Euan.Semple,.Dave.Snowden,.and.Denham.Grey.for.ntervew/
onlne.dscussons.relatng.to.knowledge.n.our.world.today
v
Te.mages.n.ths.book.are.the.work.of.Murray.Toews.I.spent.much.
tme.wth.hm.n.creatng.a.non-structured,.non-lnear.model.for.
expressng.key.concepts.I.have.read.too.many.books.on.knowledge.
and.knowledge.management.that.assume.advanced.theores.must.be.
expressed.n.complex,.ntmdatng.mages.Structure.does.not.equate.
wth.knowledge.(structure.s.qute.dferent.from.organzaton).
As.an.actve.partcpant.n.the.transparent.world.of.onlne.wrtng,..
I.know.the.value.of.buldng.on.the.work.of.others.I.have.tred.to.cte.
orgnal.deas.(I.went.through.the.panful.process.of.tryng.to.locate.
orgns.of.popular.quotesa.task.not.readly.acheved,.beyond.lnkng.
to.a.quote.database).Te.rapdly.evolvng.nature.of.knowledge.some-
tmes.results.n.areas.beng.overlooked.If.you.fnd.expressons.n.ths.
text.that.have.not.been.sourced,.please.let.me.know
Te.onerous.task.of.edtng.fell.on.Karen.Graham
Thank You
v
The First Step toward Knowledge is to Know that We are Ignorant.
Richard Cecil
1

PrefaCe
Knowledge.has.changed;.from.categorzaton.and.herarches,.to.
networks.and.ecologes.Ths.changes.everythng.and.emphaszes.
the.need.to.change.the.spaces.and.structures.of.our.organzatons.
Howdowerunameeting?
Howdowedecideonactionitems?
Howdowecreateourmarketingplan?
Howdowelearn?Howdoweshareknowledge?
Howdowedefineorganizationalethics?
Howdowefosterdemocracy?
Howdoweachieveourstrategicgoals?
We.supposedly.exst.n.a.knowledge.era.Our.work.and.our.lves.
center.on.the.creaton,.communcaton,.and.applcaton.of.
knowledge
Butwhatisknowledge?
Howisitcreated?
HowisitsHared?
How.does.knowledge.flow.through.our.organzatons.today?..
Is.t.dfferent.than.t.was.
. 10yearsago?
. 50yearsago?
. . acenturyago?
v
What does our Future hold as a Knowledge-Based Society?
Why.does.so.much.of.our.socety.look.as.t.dd.n.the.past?.Our.schools,.
our.government,.our.relgous.organzatons,.our.medawhle.more.
complex,.have.mantaned.ther.general.structure.and.shape.Classroom.
structure.today,.wth.the.excepton.of.a.computer.or.an.LCD.projector,.
looks.remarkably.unchangedteacher.at.the.front,.students.n.rows..
Our.busness.processes.are.stll.bult.on.theores.and.vewponts.that.
exsted.over.a.century.ago.(wth.perodc.amendments.from.thnkers.lke.
Drucker
2
).In.essence,.we.have.transferred.(not.transformed).our.physcal.
dentty.to.onlne.spaces.and.structures
Ths.book.seeks.to.tackle.knowledgenot.to.provde.a.defntonbut..
to.provde.a.way.of.seeng.trends.developng.n.the.world.today.Due.to..
the.changed.context.and.characterstcs.of.knowledge,.tradtonal.defntons..
are.no.longer.adequate.Language.produces.dfferent.meanng.for.dfferent.
people.The.meanng.generated.by.a.sngle.defnton.s.not.suffcently..
reflectve.of.knowledge.as.a.whole.
We are able to describe, not define knowledge.
3

Most.leaders.today.would.settle.for.a.vew.of.knowledge.that.enables.
them.to.take.acton.consstent.wth.core.changesso.ther.organzatons.
do.not.suffer.from.outdated.actons..
Knowledge.possesses.two.broad.characterstcs:
1. It.descrbes.or.explans.some.part.of.the.world.(how.atoms.act,.whch.
companes.to.nvest.n.for.future.growth,.how.dseases.are.spread),.
2..We.can.use.t.n.some.type.of.acton.(buldng.partcle.accelerators,.
nvestng,.preventng.dsease)..
All Knowledge is Information,
but Not all Information is Knowledge.
It.s.my.hope.that.ths.book.wll.not.be.seen.as.a.product,.but.rather..
an.nvtaton.to.dalogue.and.debate.You.can.dscuss.the.book.at.the..
www.knowingknowledge.com.webste.Artcles,.ntervews,.and.news..
on.the.changng.context.and.characterstcs.of.knowledge.wll.be.avalable..
as.well..Readers.are.nvted.to.share.ther.comments.on.the.book.or.assst..
n.re-wrtng.t.n.the.wk
v
I.have.ntentonally.left.thoughts.unstructured.and.unconnected,..
allowng.readers.to.create.ther.own.connectons.
It.s.not.ntended.to.be.read.as.a.comprehensve.treatse.on.socetys.
changes.It.s.desgned.to.mmc.the.chaotc,.complex,.but.holstc,..
nature.of.knowledge.(and.learnng).n.todays.organzatons.
an.attempt.to.duplcate.knowledge.n.form,.not.only.content.
I.have.mrrored.the.nature.of.knowledge.today.through.text
I.have.ressted.the.urge.to.extensvely.classfy.concepts.
Today,.ndvduals.sttch.and.weave.ther.own.networks.
thepracticeofclaSSiFication,asmeanstoreducecognitiveload,
endsupmoretaxingwhenitfailstoaccuratelyreflecttheunderlying
core.
I.am.used.to.wrtng.n.hypertext..
Concepts.relate.to.other.conceptsbut.not.n.a.lnear.manner..
For.example,.when.addressng.connectvsm.as.a.changed.theory.of.
learnng,.I.want.to.relate.t.to.mplementaton,.or.when.addressng.
changes.n.the.context.n.whch.knowledge.occurs,.I.want.to.connect.to.
changes.n.knowledge.characterstcsbut.wthout.contnual.repetton.
Books.do.not.work.that.way.To.acheve.the.same.effect.n.a.book,..
I.would.have.to.rewrte.(and.you.would.have.to.reread).my.thoughts.
numerous.tmes.n.numerous.places.The.repetton.would.be.annoyng.
I.ntroduce.smlar.concepts.n.varous.places.to.show.connectons.
Vewng.learnng.and.knowledge.as.network.phenomena.alters.much..
of.how.we.have.experenced.knowledge.n.the.last.century.Networks..
are.adaptve,.flud,.and.readly.scale.n.sze.and.scope.A.hierarchy
imposes.structure,.whle.networks reflect structure
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Mass.meda.and.educaton,.for.example,.have.been.largely.desgned.on.a.
one-way.flow.model.(structure.mposed.by.herarchy).Herarches,.unlke.
networks.and.ecologes,.do.not.permt.rapd.adaptaton.to.trends.outsde..
of.establshed.structure.Structure.s.created.by.a.select.few.and.mposed..
on.the.many.
. The.newspaper.publshes,.we.consume.
. The.teacher.nstructs,.we.learn.
. The.news.s.broadcast,.we.lsten.
An.alternatve.to.ths.one-way.model.has.been.developng.momentum..
over.the.last.few.years.Smple,.socal,.end-user.control.tools.(blogs,
4
.wks,
5
.
taggng.and.socal.bookmarkng,
6
.podcastng,
7
.vdeo.loggng
8
).are.afford-
ng.new.methods.of.nformaton.connecton.and.back-flow.to.the.orgnal.
source.Feedback.s.more.common.n.meda.and.advertsng.than.n.
educatonbut.academcs.are.begnnng.to.see.ncreased.desre.from.
learners.to.engage,.not.only.consume,.learnng.materals.and.concepts
AS GoeS knowledge,
So Go our organizations
Ts.book.ntends.to.serve 5.broad.purposes:
one. .To.conceptualze.learnng.and.knowng.as.connecton-.
. . based.processes;
Two. To.explore.the.nature.of.change.n.the.context.n.whch..
. . knowledge.exsts;
Three. To.explore.the.change.n.the.characterstcs..
. . of.knowledge.tself;
Four. To.present.knowledge.as.a.context-gamea.dance..
. . that.requres.multple.realtes,.each.selected.to.serve..
. . the.ntended.needs.of.each.task,.challenge,.or.opportunty;.
Five. To.present.a.model.for.the.spaces.and.structures.whch.wll..
. . serve.the.needs.of.our.organzatons.(schools,.unverstes,..
. . and.corporatons).for.tomorrow
x
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Knowing Knowledge.s.dvded.nto.2.dstnct.sectons.
SecTionone provides a chaotic exploration of knowledge
and associated concerns. The.exploraton.of.learnng,.connectvsm,.
and.connectve.knowledge.forms.a.lens.through.whch.we.can.see.and.
understand.trends.mpactng.learnng.and.knowledge.development.The
theoretical basis of learning.s.presented.n.ths.secton..
SecTionTwo provides a description of the changes relating
to knowledge today. Implcatons.of.changes,.suggested.revsons.to.
spaces.and.structures.of.our.socety.and.corporatons,.and.models.for.
mplementng.are.suggested.The.practical basis of connectivism.s.
presented.n.ths.secton
Knowing Knowledge.s.drected.at.two.broad.audences:.
Educators &. Business Leaders
. (desgners,.nstructors,..
. and.admnstraton).
Whle.ths.may.be.an.nterestng.parng.of.target.audence,.t.extends.
from.my.asserton.that.lfe.s.a.learnng/knowledge-based.process.
Lteracy,.marketng,.leadng,.producng,.nstructngn.our.developng.
knowledge.socety,.these.tasks.requre.knowledge.Anyone.who.works.
wth.knowledge.needs.to.be.acquanted.wth.learnng.processes.
A.busness.executve.needs.to.understand.the.characterstcs.of.knowl-
edge.that.mpact.creatng.effectve.teams.to.acheve.corporate.strategy.
An.educator.needs.to.understand.the.new.context.of.knowledge.n.order.
to.prepare.learners.for.a.lfe.of.learnng.and.workng.wth.knowledge.
Smply.put,.lfe.s.learnng.If.we.are.nteractng.wth.people,.deas,.or.
concepts.(n.a.classroom.or.corporate.boardroom),.knowng.and.learnng.
are.our.constant.companons
Whoever undertakes
to set himself up
as a judge of
Truth and Knowledge
is shipwrecked by
the laughter of the gods.
Albert Einstein
9
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An exploration
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theoretical
views
ofKnoWing
andlearning
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sHifting...
We.are.n.the.early.stages.of.dramatc.changechange.that.wll.shake.
the.spaces.and.structures.of.our.socety.Knowledge,.the.buldng.block.
of.tomorrow,.s.rdng.a.tumultuous.sea.of.change.Prevously,.knowl-
edge.served.the.ams.of.the.economycreaton,.producton,.and.
marketng.Today,.knowledge.s.the.economy.What.used.to.be.the.
means.has.today.become.the.end
Left.n.the.wake.of.cataclysmc.change.are.the.knowledge.creaton.and.
holdng.structures.of.the.past.The.deologes.and.phlosophes.of.realty.
and.knowngbattle.spaces.of.thought.and.theory.for.the.last.several.
mllennahave.fallen.as.gudes.Lbrares,.schools,.busnessesengnes.
of.productvty.and.socetyare.stretchng.under.the.heavy.burden.of.
change.New.epstemologcal.and.ontologcal.theores.are.beng.formed,.
as.we.wll.dscuss.shortly.wth.connective knowledge. These.changes.do.
not.wash.away.prevous.defntons.of.knowledge,.but.nstead.serve.as.
the.fertle.top.of.multple.sol.layers.
The.task.of.ths.book.s.to.provde.an.overvew.of.what.s.happenng.to.
knowledge.and.to.the.spaces.n.whch.knowledge.s.created,.dssem-
nated,.shared,.and.utlzed.
The.pursut.of.knowledge.s.ongong.Unlke.most.desres,.ths.desre.s.
nsatable
12
.We.tnker.wth.the.constructs.of.realty:.What.causes.
weather.patterns?.Why.dd.t.(pck.any.event).happen?.What.s.that.
(pck.any.phenomenon)?.If.we.change.ths,.how.does.t.mpact.that?
Changes. do. not. manfest. themselves.
sgnfcantly. n. socety. untl. they. are.
of. suffcent. weght. and. force. The.
buldng. of. many. small,. ndvdual.
changes.requres.long.perods.of.tme.
before. fundamental. change. occurs
11
.
Our.conceptual.world.vew.of.knowl-
edgestatc,. organzed,. and. defned.
by.expertss.n.the.process.of.beng.
replaced. by. a. more. dynamc. and.
mult-faceted.vew
Knowledge. has. broken. free. from. ts.
moorngs,. ts. shackles. Those,. lke.
Francs. Bacon,. who. equate. knowl-
edge.wth.power,.fnd.that.the.masses.
are.floodng.the.pools.and.reservors.
of. the. elte. The. flters,. gatekeepers,.
and. organzers. are. awakenng. to. a.
sea.of.change.that.leaves.them.adrf,.
clngng. to. ther. old. methods. of. cre-
atng,. controllng,. and. dstrbutng.
knowledge
4
Human.exstence.s.a.quest.to.understand.Our.spaces.and.structures.
need.to.be.algned.wth.our.new.understandng.of.knowledgeand.the.
manner.n.whch.t.moves,.flows,.and.behaves.
We.lve.as.an.ntegrated.experencewe.see,.know,.and.functon.n.
connectons.Lfe,.lke.knowng,.s.not.an.solated.actvtyt.s.a.rch,.
nterconnected.part.of.who.we.are.We.cannot.stop.the.desre.to.know.
The.desre.to.know.s.balanced.wth.our.desre.to.communcate,.to.share,.
to.connect,.and.our.desre.to.make.sense,.to.understandto.know.the.
meanng.In.an.effort.to.make.ourselves.understood,.we.create.structures.
to.hold.our.knowledge:.herarches,.books,.lbrares,.encyclopedas,.the.
nternet,.search.engnes.We.create.spaces.where.we.can.dalogue.about.
and.enact.knowledge:.corporatons,.organzatons,.schools,.unverstes,.
socetes.And.we.create.tools.to.dssemnate.knowledge:.peer-revew.
journals,.dscusson.panels,.conferences.
The.last.decade.has.fundamentally.re-wrtten.how.we:.
.. Consume.meda.
.. Authentcate.and.valdate.knowledge
.. Express.ourselves.and.our.deas.
.. Relate.to.nformaton/knowledge.(the.relatonshp.tme.s.much.
shortercompare.1/2.hour.readng.the.mornng.newspaper.vs.readng.
50.news.sources.onlne.n.10.mnutes)
.. Relate.to.the.deluge.of.nformaton,.requrng.that.we.become.much.
more.selectve.and.that.we.start.usng.external.resources.(socal.
bookmarkng,.user-generated.and.fltered.content,.personal.taggng).
to.cope
.. Functon.n.knowledge-ntense.envronments.(mass.movement.to.
knowledge-based.work,.dmnshng.physcal.or.ndustral.work..
actvtes)
What has caused knowledge to leave
the safe, trusted spaces of generations past?
Changes.are.occurrng.on.several.levels:.
thecontext(or.envronment).n.whch.knowledge.exsts;.and
theflow.and.characteristics.of.knowledge.tself.
5
What is the impact of KnoWledge Set Free?
Yocha. Benkler,. n. hs. exploraton. of. the. growng. promnence. of. net-
works. n. socety,. offers. a. glmpse. nto. what. s. at. stake. n. our. world. of.
morphng.knowledge:
Information, knowledge, and culture are central to human free-
dom and human development. How they are produced and ex-
changed in our society critically affects the ways we see the state
of the world as it is and might befor more than 150 years,
modern complex democracies have depended in large measure
on an industrial information economy for these basic functions.
In the past decade and a half, we have begun to see a radical
change in the organization of information production.
13
These.changes.are.stll.beng.nterpreted.through.exstng.belefs.of.how.
we. should. structure. our. organzatons. and. what. t. means. to. know. and.
learn.How.deep.must.change.penetrate.our.organzatons.before.we.see.
systemc. change?. The. frst. attempt. at. mplementaton. usually. nvolves.
forcng.decentralzed.processes.nto.centralzed.models
We.stand.wth.our.feet.n.two.worlds:.one.n.the.models.and.structures.
that. orgnated. n. (and. served. well). the. ndustral. era,. and. the. second.
wthn. the. emergng. processes. and. functons. of. knowledge. flow. n. our.
era.today.Our.dual.exstence.s.notced.n.busness,.educaton,.and.me-
dawe. have. new. tools. beng. used. to. serve. old. needs. Ths. phenome-
non.was.found.n.the.early.days.of.vdeo.Intally,.vdeo.was.thought.to.
be.best.suted.for.tapng.and.recordng.lve.stage.shows.Vdeo.was.seen.
as. a. second-rate. experence. to. lve. shows. Over. tme,. once. producers.
and.edtors.understood.the.unqueness.of.the.medum,.vdeo.developed.
nto.ts.own.art.form.
The. most. substantal. changes. wll.
be. felt. n. how. we. organze. our-
selves. The. spaces. and. structures.
of.socetycorporatons,.churches.
and. relgous. bodes,. schools,. and.
governmentwll. experence. a.
dfferent. relatonshp. wth. knowl-
edge. Instead. of. relatonshps. of.
control/montor. and. cause/effect,.
these. organzatons. requre. a. shft.
n.vew.to.foster,.nurture,.and.con-
nect.Customers,.students,.and.cl-
ents.no.longer.tolerate.pre-packag-
ng.(musc,.news,.meda)
Knowledge. set. free. enables. dyna-
mc,. adaptve,. and. personalzed.
experences
6
Or.consder.emal.n.ts.earler.daysmany.prnted.out.a.paper.copy.of.
emals,.at.least.the.mportant.ones,.and.fled.them.n.a.fle.cabnet.Today.
we.are.begnnng.to.see.a.shft.wth.emal.products.that.archve.and.make.
emal.searchable.and.allow.ndvduals.to.apply.metadata.at.pont.of.use.
(taggng)
Smlarly,.we.are.n.the.n-between.stage.of.organzatonal.modelswe.
are.tryng.to.force.the.changed.context.and.expressons.of.knowledge.nto.
structures.and.processes.that.served.a.prevous.age
Knowledge is not static.
The.knowledge.flow.cycle.(see.Fgure.3).begns.wth.some.type.of.
knowledge.creaton.(ndvdual,.group,.organzaton).and.then.moves.
through.the.followng.stages:
co-creation. (lke.end-user.generated.content).s.a.recent.
. . addton.to.the.knowledge.cycle.The.ablty.to..
. . buld.on/wth.the.work.of.others.opens.doors..
. . for.nnovaton.and.rapd.development.of.deas..
. . and.concepts
dissemination. (analyss,.evaluaton,.and.flterng.elements
.. . through.the.network).s.the.next.stage.n.the..
. . knowledge-flow.cycle
communication. (those.that.have.survved.the
.. ofkeyideas. dssemnaton.process).enter.conduts.for..
. . dsperson.throughout.the.network
Personalization. at.ths.stage,.we.brng.new.knowledge.to
.. . ourselves.through.the.experence.of..
. . nternalzaton,.dalogue,.or.reflecton
implementation. s.the.fnal.stage,.where.acton.occurs.and.feeds
.. . back.nto.the.personalzaton.stage.Our.under-.
. . standng.of.a.concept.changes.when.we.are..
. . actng.on.t,.versus.only.theorzng.or.learnng..
. . about.t
(It.s.worth.notng,.even.the.dagram.provded.to.support.ths.lne.of.
reasonng.falls.nto.statc,.almost.herarchcal.representatonsour.text/
vsual.tools.perpetuate.and.feed.our.lneartya.concept.we.wll.explore.
n.greater.detal.when.dscussng.the.changed.attrbutes.of.knowledge)
7
A.smple.example.s.the.process.of.communcatng.va.text.Tradton-
ally,.a.book.was.the.created.knowledge.object.Once.wrtten,.t.was.
released.for.others.to.read.and.dssemnate.As.an.object,.the.flow.of.
dscusson.was.essentally.one.wayfrom.the.author.to.the.reader.
(though.readers.may.form.book.clubs.to.dscuss.the.work.of.an.author).
The.orgnal.source.was.not.updated.regularly,.perhaps.only.n.subse-
quent.edtons.occurrng.every.several.years
In.todays.onlne.world,.an.author.can.post.a.seres.of.deas/wrtngs,.
and.receve.crtque.from.colleagues,.members.of.other.dscplnes,.or.
peers.from.around.the.world.The.deas.can.be.used.by.others.to.buld.
more.elaborate.(or.personalzed).representatons.The.dalogue.contn-
ues,.and.deas.gan.momentum.as.they.are.analyzed.and.co-created.n.
dfferent.varatons.After.only.a.bref.tme.(sometmes.a.matter.of.
days),.the.deas.can.be.sharpened,.enlarged,.challenged,.or.propagated.
The.cycle.s.dzzyng.n.pace,.process,.and.fnal.product,.whch.s.then.
fed.back.nto.the.flow.cycle.for.contnual.teraton.
We.do.not.consume.knowledge.as.a.passve.entty.that.remans.un-
changed.as.t.moves.through.our.world.and.our.work.We.dance.and.
court.the.knowledge.of.othersn.ways.the.orgnal.creators.dd.not.
ntend.We.make.t.ours,.and.n.so.dong,.dmnsh.the.promnence..
of.the.orgnator.
Many processes tug at and work the fabric of knowledge.
Figure 3. Knowledge Flow Cycle
Knowledge
flowisin
thisspace
8
Rather, knowledge comes to us through
a network of
prejudices,
opinions,
innervations,
self-corrections,
presuppositions
and exaggerations,
in short
through the dense, firmly-founded but by no means
uniformly transparent medium of experience. (Theodor Adorno)
14
Weexistinmultipledomains
15
Physical cognitive
emotional sPiritual
It.s.to.our.own.ll.that.we.consder.any.one.doman.above.the.others..
We.are.most.alve,.most.human,.and.most.complete.when.we.see.the.full.
color.of.our.mult-doman.contnuums
Figure 4. Domains of Knowing
9
Figure 5.
Knowledge Types
Our.quadratc.exstence.runs.
through.spheres.of.nterconnecton.
Cogntve,.emotonal,.physcal,.and.
sprtual.domans.of.knowledge.
nteract.n.a.myrad.of.ways..
Lfe.s.not.lved.n.a.slo..
Artfcal.constructs.may..
be.useful.for.categorzaton,..
but.fal.to.capture.the.true.rchness.
and.nterconnectvty.of.knowledge..
The.aggregate.of.domans,..
each.wth.varous.levels..
of.promnence.n.dfferent..
stuatons,.provdes.the.condut.
through.whch.we.experence.
knowledge.
10
Knowledge consists of different types:
Knowing aBout. news.events,.bascs.of.a.feld,..
. ntroductory.concepts.n.a.dscplne
. Knowing todo. drve.a.car,.solve.a.math.problem,..
. code.a.program,.conduct.research,..
. manage.a.project
. Knowing.toBe. to.embody.knowledge.wth.humanty.
. (dong.blended.wth.consstency.and..
. daly.exstence),.to.be.a.doctor.or..
. psychologst.(mannersm,.professon-.
. alsm),.to.be.an.ethcal.person,.to.be..
. compassonate,.to.relate,.to.feel
. Knowing WHere. to.fnd.knowledge.when.needed,.
. web.search,.lbrary,.database,.an.org-.
. anzaton,.and.ncreasngly,.knowng.
. who.to.approach.for.assstance
Knowing totransform. to.tweak,.to.adjust,.to.recombne,.to.
. algn.wth.realty,.to.nnovate,.to.exst..
. at.levels.deeper.than.readly.notceable,.
. .to.thnk.The.why.of.knowng.resdes.
. .n.ths.doman
We.have.created.journals,.books,.lbrares,.and.museums.to.house.
knowledge.Most.knowledge.n.these.storage.structures.s.n.the.about.
and.dong.levels.Knowng.to.be,.where.to.fnd.knowledge.(n.todays.
envronment,.knowng.how.to.navgate.knowledge.as.a.process.or.flow),.
and.knowng.to.transform.are.all.outsde.of.these.contaner-vews.
Schools,.unverstes,.and.corporatons.attempt.to.serve.dssemnaton.
processes.of.knowledge-n-contaners.Under.the.pressure.of.constant,.
ongong.change.(and.beng.desgned.to.manage.products.not.processes),.
these.organzatons.are.unable.to.attend.to.the.full.array.of.knowng..
For.most.of.us,.we.fnd.our.hgher-level.understandng.through.
reflecton.and.nformal.learnng,.where.we.engage.wth.knowledge.to.
gan.new.understandngs.The.sklls.and.processes.that.wll.make.us.
people.of.tomorrow.are.not.yet.embedded.n.our.educatonal.structures.
Whle.there.are.many.who.are.attemptng.new.approaches,.the.vast.
majorty.are.ensconced.n.structures,.preparng.students.and.employees.
for.a.future.that.wll.not.exst.
11
The.quad-space.of.self.occurs.n.the.larger.space.of.organzatons.and.
socety;.just.as.we.exst.n.dfferent.domans:.physcal,.cogntve,.socal,.
and.sprtual.(see.Fgure.4),.we.exst.n.dfferent.spaces:.self,.collectve,.
organzatonal,.and.socetal.(see.Fgure.6).
Each.space.of.exstence.holds.ts.own.culture.Knowledge.experenced..
n.the.space.of.self.holds.a.dfferent.context.(and.thereby,.meanng)..
than.knowledge.experenced.n.our.collectve.spaces.(hobbes,.volunteer.
groups,.socal.spaces).Each.sphere.of.exstence.has.an.accompanyng.
culture.and.feel.(an.evolvng.zetgest)whch,.themselves,.become.
perspectve-ponts.for.percevng.(and.flterng).knowledge
Figure 6. Our Structures of Existence
The.complextes.of.functonng.n.numerous.(and.ambguous).spaces.
requres.ncreased.lnes.of.communcaton.Duncan.Watts.addresses.the.
challenge.of.rapdly.changng.envronments.through.ntense.commu-
ncaton,.ensurng.that.each.agent.n.the.space.s.aware.and.nformed
Whensolvingcomplexproblemsinambiguousenvironments,
individualscompensatefortheirlimitedknowledgeof
theinterdependenciesbetweentheirvarioustasksandfortheir
uncertaintyaboutthefuturebyexchanginginformation
knowledge,advice,expertise,andresources
withotherproblem-solverswithinthesameorganization.
DuncanWatts
16

12
animportantscientificinnovationrarelymakesitswaybybygradually
winningoverandconvertingitsopponents.itrarelyhappensthatsaul
becomesPaul.Whatdoeshappenisitsopponentsgraduallydieoutand
thegrowinggenerationisfamiliarizedwiththeideafromthebeginning.
maxPlanck
17
Figure 7. What is Knowledge?
13
In order to understand beauty, we kill it.
andintheprocess,
weunderstandmoreaboutournature
andlessaboutbeauty.
Many Faces
exploringKnowledge
the categories of human thought are never fixed
in any one definite form; they are made, unmade and
remade incessantly; they change with places and times.
Emile Durkheim
18
Understandng.knowledge.n.a.partcular.era.s.mportant.n.ensurng.
that.we.have.algned.our.spaces.and.structures.wth.the.nature.of.
knowledge.Untl.recently,.we.have.been.able.to.make.knowledge.ft.our.
models.Now.that.we.are.enterng.a.two-way.flow.model,.(where.org-
nal.sources.receve.feedback.from.end-users).we.need.to.adjust.our.
models.to.ft.the.changed.nature.of.what it means to know.
As.promsed.n.the.preface,.ths.book.s.not.ntended.to.provde.a.
defnton.of.knowledge.Rather,.the.ntent.s.to.present.characterstcs.
we.may.consder.n.explorng.the.rchness.of.the.landscape.A.hker.
enterng.a.new.terrtory.would.thnk.t.foolsh.to.settle.on.a.smple,.
myopc,.dluted.defnton.of.the.ecology.Instead,.the.rch.space.s.
explored.for.plant.and.anmal.lfe,.streams.and.lakes;.sounds.and.smells.
Any.sngular.defnton.of.the.landscape.would.fal.to.defne.the.whole.
Each.defnton.of.the.landscape.becomes.valuable.when.t.abandons.
pretences.of.beng.the.only.one.and.acknowledges.other.perceptons.
Ths.does.not.embrace.relatvty.(n.each.context,.one.vew.may.be.the.
most.approprate.Paul.Boghossan,.n.hs.exploraton.of.truth,.belef,.
and.facts,.rejects.the.noton.that.all.vews.are.equally.vald
19
).It.does,.
however,.embrace.dversty,.acknowledgng.that.many.dfferent.vews.
exst,.and.dfferent.ones.wll.be.more.applcable.n.dfferent.stuatons.
(each.context.may.better.algn.wth.one.partcular.vew,.elmnatng.the.
noton.of.equal.valdty.of.all.vews.n.a.partcular.context)
14
Many.have.provded.knowledge.defntons.and.models:
. Justfed.true.belef.(Socrates.and.Plato);
. A.gradent.of.data,.nformaton,.knowledge,.understandng,..
. and.wsdom;.
20
. Defned.by.tact.and.explct.sprals:.socalzaton.(tact.to.tact),..
. externalzaton.(tact.to.explct),.combnaton.(explct.to..
. explct),.and.nternalzaton.(explct.to.tact);
21
. Three.worlds.of.knowledge:.onephyscal/materal,..
. twophysologcal/.subjectve,.and.threeculture/artfacts;
22
.
. Sense-makng.and.organzaton
23
can multiple defnitions of knowledge be true?
Canknowledgeexistindependentofhumanknowing?
IsknowledgeaCquIreDorisitCreateDthroughactiveparticipation?
Isknowledgeapersonalactivity?Dowesociallyconstructknowledge?
the aim of argument, or of discussion, should not be victory,
but progress.
Joseph Joupert
24
Knowledge.can.be.descrbed.n.many.ways;.an.entty.and.a.process,.a.
sequence.of.contnuums:.type,.level,.and.applcaton,.mplct,.explct,.
tact,.procedural,.declaratve,.nductve,.deductve,.qualtatve,.and.
quanttatve.Knowledge.rests.n.an.ndvdual;.t.resides.n.the.collectve
Whle.not.ascrbng.to.pure.subjectvty.vews.of.knowledge.(some.thngs.
are,.and.we.must.algn.ourselves.wth.thempure.subjectvty.s.the.play-
ground.of.theorsts.and.phlosophers.Realty.often.presents.both.objectve.
and.subjectve.elements
25
),.we.can.see.that.certan.thngs.may.be.appro-
prate.n.one.context,.whle.not.n.another.
Knowledge.n.the.pharmaceutcal.feld.wll.possess.dfferent.trats.than.
knowledge.n.agrculture.Dfferent.defntons.wll.apply.based.on.df-
ferent.understandngs.A.knowledge.product.(a.mathematcal.formula)..
s.dfferent.from.a.knowledge.process.(ongong.attempt.to.stay.current.n.
a.world.of.acceleratng.knowledge).To.see.n.monochromatc.vews.s.to.
fal.to.see.the.full.breadth.of.knowledge
15
We must become skilled at seeing continuums and context.
Today.we.may.be.able.to.say.that.the.bran.works.ths.way,.but.only.f.
we.acknowledge.that.the.dscoveres.themselves.are.emergng.We.are.
constantly.expandng.our.understandng.(revstng.our.preconceved.
notons).and.forcng.the.bran.to.reveal.ts.functonng.Our.under-
standng.s.a.transtory.state,.nfluenced.by.our.domans.of.knowng.
(see.Fgure.4):.cogntve,.emotonal,.physcal,.and.sprtual,.and.types..
of.knowledge.(see.Fgure.5):.about,.to.do,.to.be,.know.where,.and.
transformng,.as.well.as.our.structures.of.exstence.(see.Fgure.6):.self,.
collectve,.organzatonal,.and.socetal.
Socal.tools.are.emergng.whch.permt.rapd.exchange.of.knowledge,.
and.hgh.levels.of.dalogue.Communcaton.can.now.occur.collabora-
tvely.(wk,.onlne.meetngs),.through.ndvdual.broadcast.(blogs,..
podcasts,.vdeo.logs),.and.n.shared.spaces.(socal.bookmarkng).
Knowledge,.when.buffeted.by.numerous.forces.and.factors,.s.under.
constant.scrutny.by.the.masses
Perhaps.we.should.pursue.a.therapy.vew.of.knowledge.Therapes.
create.understandng.only.after.all.elements.(whch.are.constantly.
changng).have.been.consdered.We.must.resst.the.urge.to.gve.shape.
too.early.Ambguty.s.an.unfalng.companon.Constructs,.and.class-
fcatons.represent.only.part.of.the.knowledge.spaceprmarly.those.
knowledge.elements.that.have.hardened.(see.Fgure.8)
In.a.broad.sense,.knowledge.has.hstorcally.been.defned.or.categorzed.
along.two.lnes:.quanttatve.or.qualtatve.We.requre.an.epstemology.
that.subsumes.or,.at.mnmum,.extends.these.vewponts.nto.our.world.
today.
Knowng.and.learnng.are.today.defned.by.connectons..
connectivism
26
.s.the.asserton.that.learnng.s.prmarly.a.network-
formng.process.
We. may. perodcally. ascrbe. ob-
ject-lke. elements. to. knowledge,.
but. only. for. the. ablty. to. dscuss,.
debate,.and.dalogue.For.example,.
research. n. neuroscence. reveals.
patterns.that.can.be.presented.and.
shared.wth.other.researchers.The.
moment,.however,.that.knowledge.
s. created,. t. becomes. subject. to.
the. knowledge. flow. cycle. ds-
cussed. prevouslywhere. knowl-
edge.leads.to.co-creaton,.dssem-
naton,. communcaton,. personal-.
zaton,. mplementaton,. and. on-.
gong. cycles. of. buldng. and.
sharng.
16
Downes.provdes.connectve.knowledge
27
.as.the.epstemologcal.
foundaton.of.connectvsm:.
A property of one entity must lead to or become a property of another
entity in order for them to be considered connected;
the knowledge that results from such connections is
connective knowledge.
Connective knowledge networks possess four traits:
. diverSity. Is.the.wdest.possble.spectrum.of.ponts.of.
vew.revealed?
. autonomy. Were.the.ndvdual.knowers.contrbutng.to.
the.nteracton.of.ther.own.accord,.accordng..
to.ther.own.knowledge,.values.and.decsons,..
or.were.they.actng.at.the.behest.of.some.exter-
nal.agency.seekng.to.magnfy.a.certan.pont..
of.vew.through.quantty.rather.than.reason..
and.reflecton?
. interactivity. Is.the.knowledge.beng.produced.the.product.
of.an.nteracton.between.the.members,..
or.s.t.a.(mere).aggregaton.of.the.members.
perspectves?
. openneSS. Is.there.a.mechansm.that.allows.a.gven.
perspectve.to.be.entered.nto.the.system,.to.be.
heard.and.nteracted.wth.by.others?
We.must.negotate.knowledge.defntons,.as.a.doctor.provdes.therapy.
for.a.patent.Our.knowledge.defntons.and.actvtes.are.dances.of.
context.(or,.to.abuse.Wttgensten
28
,.much.of.the.process.of.knowledge.
s.a.context.game).We.may.encounter.stuatons.where.tact.and.explct.
vews.serve.our.purposesor.where.justfed.true.belef.s.an.appropr-
ate.defnton.Context.and.purpose.often.reveal.the.needed.defnton.
(not.the.defnton.formulated.n.advance.and.appled.to.dfferent.
stuatons)
The.context.game.should.reveal.the.nature.of.knowledge.n.each.space.
Some.thngs.are,.and.we.are.most.effectve.when.we.algn.to.what is
29
..
In.other.nstances,.the.nature.of.knowledge.s.vague,.ambguous,.or.
chaotc.Our.treatment.and.approach.must.be.defned.by.the.nature.of.
knowledge.we.are.consderng
17
toarriveatatrue
defnitionofknowledge
istorenderituselessfor
diverseimplementation.
A.broad.defnton.s.possble.(much.lke.we.can.ascrbe.broad.char-
acterstcs.to.mammals),.and.whle.the.specfc.functons.n.the.larger.
whole,. we. must. see. each. knowledge. element/experence/nteracton.
for.what.t.unquely.s.(lke.we.ascrbe.certan.characterstcs.to.dogs,.
or. catsand. further. provde. detaled. breakdown. of. speces. and.
types).The.more.precse.the.defnton,.the.less.applcable.n.multple.
stuatons
If.a.fnancal.servces.organzaton.s.seekng.to.mprove.the.ablty.of.
employees. to. provde. rapd. loan. approvals,. the. needed. knowledge.
cannot.be.defned.n.advance.Decsons.are.made.based.on.multple.
factorseach. carryng. a. dfferent. weght. n. the. fnal. outcome. The.
supportng.processes,.whch.allow.employees.quck.access.to.needed.
knowledgecredt.ratng,.debt.ratos.n.dfferent.sectors,.enable.and.
foster. decson. makng. Access. to. knowledge. s. not. enoughthe.
mark.of.complex.functonng.s.the.followng.of.a.few.smple.rules
30
.
Instead.of.defnng.the.construct.of.knowledge.and.decson-makng,.
smple.rules,.guded.by.access.to.needed.knowledge,.permt.ndvdu-
als.to.make.complex.decsons
18
Figure 8. Knowledge States
Knowledge.possesses.dfferent.statesalong.a.contnuum.Hard.knowl-
edge.occurs.n.felds.and.eras.where.change.s.slow.Through.a.process.of.
expert.valdaton.and.acceptance.of.the.publc,.knowledge.acqures.sold.
states.Over.the.last.several.decades,.more.of.our.knowledge.has.shfted.to.
soft.knowledge.When.thngs.change.rapdly,.many.knowledge.elements.
do.not.have.tme.to.harden.before.they.are.replaced.or.amended.Manag-
ng.hard.and.soft.knowledge.(as.a.contnuum,.not.dstnct.ponts).requres.
dfferent.processes.
We.have.a.dfferent.relatonshp.wth.knowledge.that.has.been.crystallized
n.the.form.of.a.book.or.a.journal.Why.do.we.respect.t.more?.
19
Do.ncreased.nput.costs.of.tme.or.fnances.equate.wth.ncreased.
value?.Do.copyrght.and.ownershp.clams.rase.value?.
Knowledge.s.subject.to.numerous.processes.(see.Fgure.9)how.t.s.
created;.by.experts.or.the.masses,.structured;.n.preset.contaners.or.
clouds.and.networks.of.nebulous.shape,.dssemnated;.one-way.models.
lke.books.or.journals.or.soft.two-way.flow.of.the.nternet,.valdated;..
by.experts.or.peers,.and.acqured.and.mplemented;.through.content.
consumpton,.dalogue,.or.reflecton.
Figure 9. Knowledge Process/Elements
Each.of.these.processes.s.currently.beng.reshaped.and.changed.as.
knowledge.changes.Technology.s.provdng.new.affordances.for.n-
dvduals.to.become.nvolved.n.publshng,.knowledge.exchange,.and..
to.access.experts.
20
Defntons.are.subject.to.numerous.elements.that.reduce.ther.effectve-
ness:.language.and.meanng,.context,.culture,.and.perspectve.We.
cannot.defne.a.feld.by.one.defnton.Instead,.defntons.need.to.be.
created.on.a.one-to-one.bass.Explore.the.entty.Then.decde.Do.not.
force.the.entty.nto.preformed.contaners
Organzatonally,.our.challenge.s.to.work with knowledge based on its
characteristics, not on our pre-created viewpoints..We.need.to.resst.the.
urge.to.make.somethng.famlar.even.at.the.cost.of.destroyng.what.
[we.have].found
31
.We.can.no.longer.create.our.flters.n.advance.We.
must.learn.to.dance.(engage.and.nteract).wth.knowledge.n.order.to.
understand.what.t.s
Figure 10. Categorization
Knowledge is organization. not Structure.
21
Tradtonal.knowledge.organzaton.conssted.of.farly.statc.her-
arches.and.contaners.Organzaton.today.conssts.of.dynamc.
networks.and.ecologesmodels.capable.of.adaptaton.(adjustng.
and.reactng.to.changes).Structure.s.the.outgrowth.of.organza-
ton,.not.the.pre-requste.to.organzaton
What.we.defne.as.knowledge.s.the.codfcaton.of.nformaton..
or.data.n.a.partcular.way.The.prncples.of.gravty.exsted.long.
before.they.were.artculated.n.a.manner.that.could.be.commun-
cated,.analyzed,.and.explored.Seeng.the.pattern.(how.thngs..
were.organzed.and.what.that.organzaton.meant),.s.the.resultng.
knowledge
Smlarly,.the.ablty.to.perform.a.heart.transplant.exsted.as.a.theory.
before.actual.dong.n.realty.The.knowledge.to.buld.the.machnes,.
procedures,.and.accompanyng.elements.resulted.from.a.partcular.
recombnaton.of.nformaton
Our.cogntve.efforts.are.not.exclusvely.structured.and.herarchcal..
We.explore.nformaton.wth.a.desre.to.personalze.and.patternize.
to.translate.nto.knowledge.
Fgure.11.presents.elements.nvolved.n.the.knowledge.process:
. Knowledge.seeker. . Content. .Context
. Conduts.(the.medum.through.whch.knower.and.seeker.commun-.
. cateand.through.whch.the.known.entty.fnds.expresson)
. Knower/Expert
Knowledge
Is not
Intended
to FIll MInds.
It Is
Intended
to open theM.
F
i
g
u
r
e

1
1
.

C
o
m
p
o
n
e
n
t
s

o
f

K
n
o
w
l
e
d
g
e

D
a
n
c
e
22
Knowledge.comes.from.systems.and.ntegrated.structures.Better.qualty.
networks.and.connectons.result.n.better.qualty.knowledge.sharng.
Formng.effectve.networks.s.as.mportant.a.challenge.as.utlzng.the.
networks.for.our.knowledge.needs
Whle.buldng.our.networks,.we.cannot.unearth.knowledge.by.only.
focusng.on.one.doman.To.exclude.socal,.emotonal,.or.sprtual.d-
mensons.s.to.grey.the.pcture.The.wder.the.lens.of.our.percepton,..
the.brghter.(and.more.complete).the.mage
What are trusted sources of knowledge?
What.sklls.and.processes.do.we.need.to.work.wth.soft.knowledge..
(see.Fgure.8)?.We.have.spent.our.hstory.wth.hard/codfed.knowledge..
as.a.product. We.now.need.to.learn.to.work.wth.soft.knowledge.as.a.
process.
How.does.t.happen.today?.How.s.knowledge.vetted.for.valdty.and.
authentcty?.The.opnons.and.vews.of.experts.are.augmented.by.trusted.
networks.(lke.recommender.systems.n.many.communtesto.valdate.
ndvduals.based.on.ther.hstory.and.prevous.actvtes.wthn.a.space).
Checks.and.balances,.not.herarchcal.structures,.create.vettng.models.
can a group be as effective as an expert?
We.experence.knowledge.n.tme.and.space.allowng.us.to.see.from.only.
one.pont.at.a.tme.(we.cannot.hold.opposng.perspectves,.even.though.
we.are.aware.of.others)
A.network.reflects.on.tself.I.am.a.node.on.my.own.network.I.can.only.
see.and.thnk.from.where.I.exst.If.I.move,.I.lose.the.ntal.perspectve.
We.cannot.mantan.two.ponts.n.our.network.smultaneously..
Understandng.that.a.dfferent.vew.exsts.s.very..
dfferent.from.seeng.the.dfferent.vew
Learnng.s.the.equvalent.of.openng..
a.door.to.a.new.way.of.percevng.and.
knowng.An.open.door.leads.to..
corrdors.of.new.thought.and..
ways.of.knowng.(or.forgettng)
W
e

e
X
P
e
r
i
e
nc
e

K
n
o
W
L
e
d
g
e

i
n

t
i
m
e

a
n
d

s
P
a
c
e.
23
Figure 12. Time and Space
The.newspaper.edtor,.the.news.staton,.the.rado.host,.who.s.able.to..
promote.and.flter.based.on.certan.vewponts.(poltcal,.phlosophcal),..
s.losng.ground.to.the.ndvdual.Indvduals.can.form.and.create.ther.
own.spaces.and.networks.of.news,.nformaton,.and.knowledge.flterng.
and.dssemnaton.
We.do.not.lve.our.lves.n.actve.cognton.We.spend.much.of.our.tme..
n.contaners.that.we.have.created.insteadofthinking,wearemerely
sortingandfiltering.(Or.has.sortng.become.the.thnkng.of.our.era?).
Even.user-created.networks.resst.actve.cognton.n.order.to.flter.out.
contrastng.vewponts.The.new.spaces.of.knowledge,.whle.conceptually.
democratc,.are.subject.to.the.same.quest.for.certanty.and.consstency.that.
we.desre.n.other.knowledge.sources.Wkpeda,.an.onlne.encyclopeda.
wrtten.by.numerous.contrbutors,.(not.necessarly.experts.as.tradtonal.
encyclopedas.requre),.stll.requres.certanty.and.valdty.Wkpeda.
requres.structure.and.controlthough.of.a.dfferent.nature.Instead.of.
command.and.control.models,.gudelnes.are.created.through.dalogue..
and.transparency.
Our.contaners.of.organzaton.are.crackng.We.are.enterng.a.new.stage.of.
actve,.ongong.cognton.We.can.no.longer.rely.on.categorzaton.to.meet.
our.needs.n.a.rapdly.evolvng,.global.knowledge.clmate.We.must.rely.on.
network-formaton.and.development.of.knowledge.ecologes.We.must.
become.dfferent.people.wth.dfferent.habts
24
At.the.end.of.the.last.century,.knowledge.began.to.become.the.most.
valuable.currency,.lke.land.n.a.feudal.economy.or.captal.n.an.
ndustral.economy.The.new.scence.of.learnng.should.tell.us.that.
knowledge.s.not.just.a.prze.to.be.won.n.some.desperate.test-takng.
struggle.for.places.n.the.contemporary.mandarnate.Instead.t.s,.
lterally.and.not.just.rhetorcally,.our.unversal.human.brthrght.

.
. J.Brockman
32
Figure 13. Learning
25
learning
The future of learning is written in the future of knowledge.
tcpncn uowncs
.
\uss cducut|on dcs|ncd (or tnc |ndustr|u| uc nccts tnc nccds o(
nc|tncr tnc prc|ndustr|u| v|||uc nor tnc post|ndustr|u| (uturc
|ndccd u|| cducut|onnus to bc totu||; rcconccptuu||scd
. Alvin Toffler
34
In.Educating the Net Generation
35
.Dana.and.James.Oblnger.present.an.
example.of.todays.youthnfluenced.and.changed.by.technology.Erc.
(the.ndvdual.n.ther.ntroducton),.lves.a.dfferent.realtynot.
because.of technology,.but.because.of.affordances.provded.by.technol-
ogy.For.Erc,.connectng.wth.people.and.content.s.a.constant,.ongong,.
daly.actvty.Hs.learnng.s.a.contnual,.network-formng.process.Ths.
model.s.ganng.promnence.n.both.academc.and.corporate.envron-
ments.As.we.encounter.new.resources.(knowledge,.people,.and.technol-
ogy.nodes),.we.may.choose.to.actvely.connect.and.create.our.personal.
learnng.network.
Learnng.s.more.than.knowledge.acquston.Often.t.s.a.process.of.
several.stages.wth.several.dstnct.components.Exploraton,.nqury,.
decson.makng,.selectng,.and.deselectng.are.all.preparatory.actvtes.
before.we.even.enter.the.learnng.experence.(the.learnng.experence.
beng.defned.as.the.moment.when.we.actvely.acqure.the.knowledge.
that.s.mssng.n.order.for.us.to.complete.the.needed.tasks.or.solve.a.
problem).
Durng.(and.followng).the.learnng.experence,.evaluatons.and.assess-
ments.are.occurrng.that.measure.f.the.learnng.needed.has.occurred.
Each.stage.has.dfferent.requrements.Preparatory.learnng.reles.more.
on.nformal.tools;.the.learnng.experence.most.lkely.utlzes.structured.
content.and.dalogue.wth.gurus;.the.evaluaton.stage.requres.nformal.
dscusson,.reflecton,.and.self-expresson.One.tool.or.approach.does.not.
adequately.address.the.entre.process
26
We.need.to.ensure.that.we.do.not.talk.about.learnng.n.ts.entrety.when.
we.are.really.only.referrng.to.a.certan.stage.or.a.certan.type.of.learnng.
For.example,.f.I.was.to.say.learnng.communtes.are.great.for.learnng,.
but.fal.to.specfy.that.I.am.referrng.to.the.preparatory.stage.of.learnng.n.
order.to.foster.nnovaton,.my.ambguty.makes.t.dffcult.to.dalogue.wth.
others.on.the.concept.(we.wll.address.ths.phenomena.as.context.games.n.
the.next.chapter).The.lstener.may.have.a.dfferent.focus.of.a.partcular.
learnng.stage.or.learnng.type.and.wll.attempt.to.engage/refute.my.
comments.from.her/hs.own.perspectve.
We.end.up.talkng.past.each.other.When.we.talk.learnng,.we.need.to.state.
the.stage,.the.type,.and.the.process.to.whch.we.are.referrng.Ths.dscus-
son.s.smlar.to.the.knowledge.dscusson.presented.n.the.frst.two.sec-
tons.of.ths.book.Defnng.the.entty.tself,.not.mplementng.our.pre-
defned.processes,.s.crtcal
Learningisapeertoknowledge..To.learn.s.to.come.to.know.To.know.s.
to.have.learned.We.seek.knowledge.so.that.we.can.make.sense.Knowledge.
today.requres.a.shft.from.cogntve.processng.to.pattern.recognton
Our.metaphors.of.thought.over.the.last.century.nclude:
ourmindisaBlacK Box. We.can.not.fully.know.what.goes.on.
. Instead,.we.focus.on.the.behavor.
. the.observable.manfestaton.of..
. thought.and.cognton
ourmindislikeacomputer. We.accept.nputs,.manage.them.n
. short-term.memory,.archve.them.n.
.. long-term.memory.(and.retreve..
. nto.short-term.memory.when..
. needed),.generatng.some.type.of..
. output
ourmindconstructsourreality. We.engage.n.actve.constructon.
. of.our.realty.through.the.deas.and..
. resources.we.encounter
These.establshed.metaphors.fall.short.n.an.era.defned.by.rapd.knowl-
edge.development.Our.mnd.s.not.lke.a.computer.Neuroscence.has.
revealed.that.the.computer.model.s.wholly.naccurate.Our.mnd.may.
have.been.a.black.box.to.researchers.a.century.ago,.but.we.now.under-
stand.many.of.the.functons.of.dfferent.areas.of.our.bran
27
we.are.slowly.llumnatng.the.box.Constructon,.whle.a.useful.
metaphor,.fals.to.algn.wth.our.growng.understandng.that.our.mnd.
s.a.connecton-creatng.structure.We.do.not.always.construct.(whch.s.
hgh.cogntve.load),.but.we.do.constantly.connect.
We.need.to.break.false.modes.of.thnkng.n.relaton.to.knowledge.
Ourmindisanetworkanecology.
Itadaptstotheenvironment.
We.cannot.thnk.of.new.drectons.whle.we.are.n.battle.wth.the.
boundares.of.exstng.thought.and.context.Our.thoughts.exst.n.tme.
and.space.(as.neural.ponts.n.an.ntegrated.network)
How.we.create.corporate.polces.(how.we.desgn.our.knowledge.flows).
should.be.n.lne.wth.how.we.learn.and.thnk.Cold.logc.does.not.serve.
an.organzaton.well.Nether.does.untamed.emoton.
Holstc,.mult-faceted.vews.of.learnng,.knowledge,.corporate.actvtes.
are.requred.Gan.dverse.perspectvestest/plot/experment
nurtureselectand.amplfy.Meyer.and.Davs.reduce.the.concept.
even.further:
Seed, Select, and Amplify. test many diverse options, and
reinforce the winners. Experiment, dont plan.
. Chris Meyer and Stan Davis
36
learning.(see.Fgure.14).s.defned.by:
ChaoTiC
Dverse.and.messy,.not.necessarly.neatly.packaged.and.arranged
ConTinual
Ongong.n.development.and.communcaton.The.model.of.go.to.a.
course.s.beng.replaced.wth.learnng.and.knowledge.at.the.pont.of.
need
Co-CreaTion
Instead.of.content.consumpton.(or.passve.learners.nvolved.n.
knowledge.acquston),.experts.and.amateurs.are.now.co-creators.n.
knowledge
ComPlexiTy
Learnng.s.a.mult-faceted,.ntegrated.process.where.changes.wth.any.
one.element.alters.the.larger.network.Knowledge.s.subject.to.the.
nuances.of.complex,.adaptve.systems
28
ConneCTed sPeCializaTion .
Complexty.and.dversty.results.n.specalzed.nodes.(a.sngle.entty.can.
no.longer.know.all.requred.elements).The.act.of.knowledge.growth.
and.learnng.nvolves.connected.specalzed.nodes
ConTinual susPended CerTainTy .
We.know.n.part.An.atttude.of.tolerance.for.ambguty.and.uncertanty.
s.requred.Certanty.s.for.a.season,.not.a.lfetme
Figure 14. Traits of Learning Today
29
Figure 15. Learning as Network Forming
Learnng.s.the.process.of.creatng.networks.Nodes.are.external.enttes.
whch.we.can.use.to.form.a.network.Or.nodes.may.be.people,.organza-
tons,.lbrares,.web.stes,.books,.journals,.database,.or.any.other.source.
of.nformaton.The.act.of.learnng.(thngs.become.a.bt.trcky.here).s.
one.of.creatng.an.external network.of.nodeswhere.we.connect.and.
form.nformaton.and.knowledge.sources.The.learnng.that.happens..
n.our.heads.s.an internal network (neural). Learnng.networks.can..
then.be.perceved.as.structures.that.we.create.n.order.to.stay.current.
and.contnually.acqure,.experence,.create,.and.connect.new.knowledge.
(external).And.learnng.networks.can.be.perceved.as.structures.that.
exst.wthn.our.mnds.(nternal).n.connectng.and.creatng.patterns..
of.understandng
networkformation:
addingnewnodes,
creatingnewneuralpaths
30
Not.all.nodes.wthn.a.learnng.network.contnue.to.reman.relevant..
As.an.ntellgent.network,.our.mnd.contnually.reshapes.and.adjusts.to.
reflect.new.envronments.and.nformaton.Corporatons.undergo.a.
smlar.process.Nodes.that.are.no.longer.valued.are.weakened.wthn.ths.
envronment.
Weakenng.can.occur.n.many.ways,.but.the.most.obvous.s.a.loss.of.
connectons.wthn.the.network.For.example,.f.I.beleve.n.the.Loch.Ness.
monster,.ths.belef.can.exst.as.an.unobtrusve.node.because.t.does.not.
generally.mpact.my.daly.actvtes.As.a.result,.the.node.s.largely.gnored.
(nformaton.and.deas.are.not.routed.through.ths.node).As.I.encounter.
new.sources.of.nformaton.crtcal.of.the.concept.of.the.Loch.Ness.
monster,.I.may.eventually.weaken.the.node.suffcently.to.elmnate.ts.
relevance.n.my.neural.network.
A.learner.who.contnually.encounters.new.nformaton.and.knowledge,.
wll.dynamcally.update.and.rewrte.hs/her.network.of.learnng.and.
belef.If.on.the.other.hand,.the.node.tself.s.crtcal.(that.s,.t.s.a.hub.or.
s.heavly.connected),.weakenng.wll.only.happen.over.a.long.perod.of.
tme.or.through.sesmc.shfts.across.the.entre.network.Such.cross-
network.shfts.assume.that.the.emotonal.nodes,.whch.route.nformaton.
crtcal.of.belefs,.permt.fludty.of.new.deas,.nstead.of.smply.usng.new.
nformaton.through.the.perspectve.of.exstng.belefs
Connectvsm.s.a.theory.descrbng.how.learnng.happens.n.a.dgtal.age.
Research.n.tradtonal.learnng.theores.comes.from.an.era.when.net-
workng.technologes.were.not.yet.promnent.How.does.learnng.change.
when.knowledge.growth.s.overwhelmng.and.technology.replaces.many.
basc.tasks.we.have.prevously.performed?
Connectvsm.s.the.ntegraton.of.prncples.explored.by.chaos
37
,.net-
work,.complexty
38
,.and.self-organzaton
39
.theores.
Knowledge.and.learnng.are.processes.that.occur.wthn.nebulous.
envronments.of.shftng.core.elementsnot.entrely.under.the.control.of.
the.ndvdual.Learnng.(defned.as.knowledge.patterns.on.whch.we.can.
act).can.resde.outsde.of.ourselves.(wthn.an.organzaton.or.a.database),.
s.focused.on.connectng.specalzed.nformaton.sets.The connections
that enable us to learn more are more important than our current
state of knowing.
Connectvsm.s.drven.by.the.understandng.that.decsons.are.based.on.
rapdly.alterng.foundatons.
31
New.knowledge.s.contnually.beng.acqured.Drawng.dstnctons.
between.mportant.and.unmportant.knowledge.s.vtal.The.ablty.to.
recognze.when.new.knowledge.alters.the.landscape.based.on.decsons.
made.yesterday.s.mportant.When.busness,.or.academc,.envron-
ments.change,.adjustments.need.to.be.made.n.our.own.thnkng.and.
assumptons.to.ensure.that.we.are.basng.our.decsons.on.an.accurate.
foundaton.
principleS oF connectiviSm:
. . Learnng.and.knowledge.requre.dversty.of.opnons.to.present..
the.wholeand.to.permt.selecton.of.best.approach.
. . Learnng.s.a.network.formaton.process.of.connectng.specalzed.
nodes.or.nformaton.sources.
. . Knowledge.rests.n.networks
. . Knowledge.may.resde.n.non-human.applances.,.and.learnng.s.
enabled/facltated.by.technology
40
. . Capacty.to.know.more.s.more.crtcal.than.what.s.currently.
known.
. . Learnng.and.knowng.are.constant,.on.gong.processes.(not.end.
states.or.products).
. . Ablty.to.see.connectons.and.recognze.patterns.and.make.sense.
between.felds,.deas,.and.concepts.s.the.core.skll.for.ndvduals.
today.
. . Currency.(accurate,.up-to-date.knowledge).s.the.ntent.of.all.
connectvst.learnng.actvtes.
. . Decson-makng.s.learnng.Choosng.what.to.learn.and.the.
meanng.of.ncomng.nformaton.s.seen.through.the.lens.of.a.
shftng.realty.Whle.there.s.a.rght.answer.now,.t.may.be.wrong.
tomorrow.due.to.alteratons.n.the.nformaton.clmate.affectng.the.
decson.
Byobsolete,Imeanthatourhighschools
evenwhentheyreworkingexactlyasdesigned
cannotteachourkidswhattheyneedtoknowtoday.
trainingtheworkforceoftomorrowwiththehighschools
oftodayisliketryingtoteachkidsabouttodayscomputers
ona50-year-oldmainframe.Itsthewrongtoolforthetimes.
. BillGates
41

32
Know.where.and.know.who.are.more.mportant.today.that.knowng.
what.and.how.An.nformaton.rch.world.requres.the.ablty.to.frst.
determne.what.s.mportant,.and.then.how.to.stay.connected.and.
nformed.as.nformaton.changes.Content.s.dependant.on.the.rght.
condut.for.expresson.and.communcaton.(the.nternet,.a.book,.a.text.
message,.an.emal,.a.short.vdeo.clp).
Learners.n.a.physcal.space.should.strve.to.enrch.ther.own.network.
wth.onlne.tools.and.resources.Network.creaton.enables.learners.to.
contnue.to.stay.current.n.the.face.of.rapdly.developng.knowledge.
The.ppe.s.more.mportant.than.the.content.wthn.the.ppe.(smply.
because.content.changes.rapdly).
Figure 16. Know Where
Knowledge is of two kinds: we know a subject ourselves,
or we know where we can find information upon it.
Samuel Johnson
42
Our.changng.knowledge.and.learnng.contexts.are.axomatc.We.see.t.
n.many.formsfrom.newspapers.to.rado.to.TV.to.the.nternet.
Everythng.s.gong.dgtal.The.end.user.s.ganng.control,.elements.are.
decentralzng,.connectons.are.beng.formed.between.formerly.
dsparate.resources.and.felds.of.nformaton,.and.everythng.seems.to.
be.speeding up..
33
the achilles heel of existing theories rests in the pace of knowl-
edge growth. All.exstng.theores.place.processng.(or.nterpretaton)..
of.knowledge.on.the.ndvdual.dong.the.learnng.Ths.model.works.well.
f.the.knowledge.flow.s.moderate.A.constructvst.vew.of.learnng,.for.
example,.suggests.that.we.process,.nterpret,.and.derve.personal.meanng.
from.dfferent.nformaton.formats.What.happens,.however,.when.
knowledge.s.more.of.a.deluge.than.a.trckle?.What.happens.when.knowl-
edge.flows.too.fast.for.processng.or.nterpretng?
Once.flow.becomes.too.rapd.and.complex,.we.need.a.model.that.allows.
ndvduals.to.learn.and.functon.n.spte.of.the.pace.and.flow.A.network.
model.of.learnng.(an.attrbute.of.connectvsm).offloads.some.of.the.
processng.and.nterpretng.functons.of.knowledge.flow.to.nodes.wthn.
a.learnng.network.Instead.of.the.ndvdual.havng.to.evaluate.and.
process.every.pece.of.nformaton,.she/he.creates.a.personal.network.of.
trusted.nodes:.people.and.content,.enhanced.by.technology.The.learner.
aggregates.relevant.nodesand.reles.on.each.ndvdual.node.to.provde.
needed.knowledge.The act of knowing is offloaded onto the
network itself. Ths.vew.of.learnng.scales.well.wth.contnued.
complexty.and.pace.of.knowledge.development
A.smple.example:.the.age.of.solitary skilled professionalss.gvng.
way.to.team-based.functonng.The.ncreased.complexty.of.our.world.
today.does.not.permt.any.one.ndvdual.an.accurate.understandng.of.
the.entre.scope.of.a.stuaton,.feld,.or.subject.We.now.rely.on.connect-
ed specializationwhere.we.ncrease.our.competence.by.addng.spec-
alzed.functonalty.to.our.network.Buldng.an.arplane,.performng.a.
complcated.surgery,.or.analyzng.foregn.market.trends.are.nvolved.tasks.
that.requre.knowledge to be offloaded to a connected network
of specialists. No.one.ndvdual.has.the.competence.to.buld.an.ar-
plane,.perform.an.nvolved.surgery,.or.comprehend.market.trends.The.
network.(or.web).of.connectons.s.the.structure.whch.holds.the.knowl-
edge.of.ndvduals.n.a.holstc.manner.
We.forage.for.knowledgewe.keep.lookng.untl.we.fnd.people,.tools,.
content,.and.processes.that.assst.us.n.solvng.problems.Our.natural.
capacty.for.learnng.s.tremendous.We.overcome.many.obstacles.and.
restrctons.to.acheve.our.goals.The.problem.rests.largely.n.the.vew.that.
learnng.s.a.managed.process,.not.a.fostered.process.When.learnng.s.
seen.as.a.functon.of.an.ecology,.dverse.optons.and.opportuntes.are.
requred.
34
Learnng.has.many.dmensons.No.one.model.or.defnton.wll.ft.
every.stuaton.context iS central.
Figure 17. Learning and Knowledge Domains
43
transmission learning s.based.on.tradtonal.vews.The.learner.s.
brought.nto.a.system,.and.through.lectures.and.courses,.s.exposed.to.
structured.knowledge.Ths.doman.s.useful.for.buldng.core.knowledge.
elements.of.a.feld.or.dscplne.The.model,.however,.s.expensve.to.
mplement.(one.nstructor,.twenty.students).and.s.at.odds.wth.how.
much.of.our.learnng.happens.(socal,.two-way,.ongong)
emergence learning nvolves.greater.emphass.on.the.learners.cogn-
ton.and.reflecton.The.learner.acqures.and.creates.(or.at.mnmum,.
nternalzes).knowledge.Ths.doman.s.effectve.for.deep learning,.and.
can.foster.nnovaton.and.hgher-level.cognton.The.model.s.hard.to.
mplement.large.scale,.as.t.requres.competence.and.crtcal.thnkng.n.
each.learner,.as.well.as.hgh.famlarty.wth.the.subject.matter.
35
The.acquisition domain.of.learnng.s.exploratory.and.nqury-based.
The.learner.s.n.control.of.defnng.the.needed.knowledge,.and.actvely.
enters.the.process.n.order.to.assuage.personal.motvatons.and.nterests.
Pure.self-drected.learnng.can.be.a.concern.n.some.organzatons,.
especally.when.the.learner.s.expected.to.meet.clear,.defned.outcomes.
Too.often,.lack.of.structure.s.equated.wth.lack.of.focus.Self-drected.
learnng.(whch.s.often.the.bulk.of.our.learnngwe.are.constantly.
pursung.subject.matter.and.knowledge.whch.s.of.personal.nterest.or.
related.to.our.competence.n.our.work.places).s.vewed.as.beng.too.
loose
44
The.fourth.doman,.accretion learning,.s.contnuous.As.a.functon.of.
the.envronment,.the.learner.forages.for.knowledge.when.and.where.t.s.
needed.Real.lfe,.not.theory,.drves.ths.learnng.type.As.an.ongong,.
natural.process,.learners.and.organzatons.are.apt.to.devalue.or.deem-
phasze.accreton.learnng.Accreton.learnng.s.the.constant.actvty.of.
our.work.and.lfe.We.gan.new.nsghts.from.conversatons,.from.a.
workshop,.or.an.artcle.We.gan.experence.through.our.reflecton.on.
faled.(or.successful).projects.We.connect.and.brng.together.numerous.
elements.and.actvtes,.constantly.shapng.and.creatng.our.understand-
ng.and.knowledge
In.learnng,.we.usually.focus.on.what.we.are.ncludng.n.our.reasonng.
(learnng.and.knowledge.acquston.are.often.seen.as.smlar.concepts).
We.generally.assocate.learnng.wth.ganng.somethng.There.s.value.n.
determnng.the.role.of.excluson.n.learnng.What.we.choose.to.exclude.
n.order.to.learn.may.provde.as.much.nformaton.as.what.we.actually.
nclude
evenrevolutionariesconserve;allculturesareconservative.
thisissobecauseitisasystemicphenomenon:
allsystemsexistonlyaslongasthereisconservation
ofthatwhichdefnesthem.
HumbertoMaturanaromesin&PilleBunnell
45
Learnng.flters.through.some.type.of.framework.Ths.framework.s.an.
aggregaton.of.personal.belefs,.networks,.experences,.exstng.knowl-
edge,.and.emotonal.ntellgence.As.an.example,.(f.we.can.brefly.utlze.
stereotypes.for.llustraton.purposes).conservatves.are.usually.perceved.
as.busness.focused,.whereas.lberals.are.perceved.as.people.(or.socal.
ssue).focused.These.poltcal.worldvews.shape.and.nfluence.the.type..
of.nformaton.that.penetrates.nto.our.actve.regon.of.thnkng.and.
delberaton.
36
Often,. we. exclude. from. thought.
those. concepts. whch. are. strongly.
antagonstc. to. vews. we. already.
hold.Back.to.the.stereotypes.of.con-
servatves/lberalswhen. these. two.
groups. engage. n. dalogue,. they. are.
largely. speakng. past. each. other. In-
stead. of. embracng. each. other. n. an.
attempt.to.understand.what.s.really.
beng. sad,. the. debate. centers. on.
what. each. party. has. included. n.
ther. thnkngwhle. focusng. on.
what.the.other.party.has.excluded.n.
ther.thnkng.
The.conservatve.promotes.the.value.
of. busness,. the. lberal. the. value. of.
socal. structures. The. conservatve.
crtczes.the.lberals.lack.of.busness.
focus;. the. lberal. crtczes. the. con-
servatves. lack. of. socal. focus. We
argue our points of inclusion and
criticize the points of exclusion in
the reasoning of others. Smlarly,.
we. are. unquely. susceptble. to. log-
cal.fallaces.n.domans.n.whch.we.
have. strong. belefs
46.
The. stronger.
our. belefs,. the. more. susceptble. we.
are.to.fallaces
. The. process. of. excluson. s. a. vtal. learnng. process. We. cannot. possbly.
consder. every. facet. of. a. new. dea. We. exclude. n. order. to. move. to. the.
pont.of.actve.cognton.on,.or.nteracton.wth,.an.dea.Excluson.occurs.
durng.the.flterng.process.What.we.choose.to.gnore.speaks.to.our.larger.
worldvew.(belefs.and.values).When.we.are.tryng.to.nfluence.the.values.
of.others.(for.example,.n.helpng.students.learn.about.other.cultures),.we.
spend.our.tme.tryng.to.get.the.learner.to.acqure.new.mndsets.
By.analyzng.what.we.exclude.n.our.own.reasonng,.we.are.able.to.gan.a.
better.understand.of.our.own.learnng.process.It.s.unrealstc.to.regularly.
evaluate.our.core.belefs.and.values,.but.a.perodc.evaluaton.may.provde.
the.ablty.for.more.effectve.learnng.n.general.What.we.gnore.n.
learnng.can.be.a.valuable.tool.to.ensure.that.our.perspectves.are.properly.
balanced.(and,.at.mnmum,.acknowledge.the.exstence.of.vewponts.
contrary.to.our.own).Sometmes,.the.ablty.to.step.out.of.our.thought.
corrdor,.and.nto.a.dfferent.corrdor,.can.lead.to.deep.nsght.and.
understandng.Not.all.learnng.(or.cogntve.actvty).s.logcal.The.
choce.to.nclude/exclude.nformaton.may.be.the.pont.where.emotonal.
ntellgence.(how.we.handle.ourselves.and.our.relatonshps
47)
.exerts.ts.
greatest.nfluence
reLevance.s.tHe.requrement.for.adopton.or.use.of.vrtually.anythng.
If.somethng.s.not.relevant,.t.s.not.used.(ths.can.be.a.concern.when.we.
overlook.knowledge.that.s.not.relevant.today,.but.may.be.a.key.element.
n.developng.our.competence.tomorrow)...
37
reLevancecanbestbedefinedas.the.degree.to.whch.a.resource.or.
actvty.matches.an.ndvduals.needs.The.closer.the.match,.the.greater.
the.potental.value
What then does it mean for knowledge to be relevant?
Is it a function of being current?
Or tightly linked to the task at hand?
A.learner.must.be.able.to.see.relevance.If.relevance.(determned.by.the.
ndvdual).s.not.ascertaned,.motvaton.wll.not.be.enacted.Lack of
motivation.results.n.lack of action.
Relevance,.however,.s.not.only.about.the.nature.of.content.The.process.
of.ensurng.currency.of.content/nformaton.s.crtcalto.manage.
knowledge.growth.and.functon.effectvely.n.a.dmnshng.half-lfe.of.
knowledge.envronment
Some.nsttutons.are.begnnng.to.explore.alternatve.models.of.content.
delveryfor.learnng.and.sharng.knowledge.Elearnng.ntally.focused.
on.smply.duplcatng.classroom.actvtes,.so.content.was.generally.
created.n.lnear,.course-szed.chunks.In.order.to.learn,.an.ndvdual.
needed.to.devote.a.large.amount.of.tme.to.explorng.content.Alteraton.
n.sze,.manner,.and.pont.of.content.delvery.(rather.than.a.course,.
learnng.can.be.delvered.n.smaller,.ndvdual.objectvesn.a.varety.of.
formatscomputer,.paper-based,.cell.phone).enables.knowledge.to.be.
expressed.contnuously,.rather.than.n.structured.courses.The.content.
needs.to.be.findable.at.the.learners.pont.of.need,.as.compared.to.
learnng.beng.provded.just-in-case.
The.more.closely.the.content.s.postoned.to.the.pont.of.dong/need,.the.
more.effectve.the.learnng.process.Addtonally,.t.s.mportant.to.ack-
nowledge.that.learnng.s.much.more.than.exposure.to.content.Socal,.
communty,.and.collaboratve.approaches.to.learnng.are.mportant.
The.second.crtera.for.relevance.n.todays.envronment.s.for.nsttutons.
to.ensure.that.content.s.current.Ths.s.a.sgnfcant.challenge.By.nature,.
a.course.or.tranng.s.prepared.months.n.advance.of.delvery,.and.s.then.
modfed.as.needed.based.on.new.nformaton.courses.are.farly.statc.
Knowledge.s.dynamcchangng.hourly,.daly.Content.desgners.re-
qure.an.understandng.of.the.nature.of.the.half-lfe.of.knowledge.n.ther.
feld.and.ensure.that.they.select.the.rght.tools.to.keep.content.current.for.
the.learners.
38
Admttedly,.currency.of.content.requres.far.more.thnkng.and.plannng.
than.descrbed.here.Content.management.systems,.aggregators,.ntellgent.
search,.and.other.tools.are.part.of.the.overall.structure.of.ensurng.content.
s.up.to.date.Current.learnng.formats.are.antagonstc.to.the.evolvng.
nature.of.knowledge.We.need.to.augment.our.vew.of.what.t.means.to.be.
current.n.our.feldsand.how.we.propose.to.tap.learners.nto.a.larger.
structure.that.contnues.to.provde.value.well.beyond.the.close.of.a.course
Our.organzatonal.vews.of.knowledge.need.to.be.expanded.Knowledge.
s.not.only.a.productt.s.also.a.process.It.does.not.functon.and.flow.as.
physcal.goods.dd.n.the.ndustral.era.
The.paths.that.create.knowledge.run.through.valleys.of.learnng.We.often.
equate.knowledge.acquston.or.creaton.wth.formal.learnng.But.we.
fnd.knowledge.n.many.ways:.nformal.learnng,.expermentaton,.
dalogue,.thnkng,.and.reflecton
Learnng.happens.as.we.lve.lfe.n.our.current.knowledge.economy.In.
fact,.nformaton.comes.at.us.constantlyTV.program,.newspaper.artcle,.
a.workshop,.or.a.problem.we.solve.on.our.own.We.ncorporate.many.of.
these.ponts.n.how.we.see.the.world.and.how.we.do.our.work.
Ths.concept.of.networked learning.answers.many.questons.about.how.we.
acqure.much.of.our.knowledge.(even.elements.that.contradct.each.
other).When.we.exst.n.a.knowledge.clmate.(or.network),.we.constantly.
scan,.evaluate,.and.select.for.use,.elements.that.answer.questons.wth.
whch.we.are.strugglng.Some.elements.of.learnng.wll.relate.to.our.
values,.atttudes,.and.belefs,.others.wll.relate.more.concretely.to.how..
we.perform.our.work.In.an.electon.season,.poltcans.rely.heavly.on.
teaching.the.electorate.through.a.network.mbued.wth.ther.message.
If.the.electorate.s.unwllng.to.accept.the.message.drectly,.perhaps.t.wll.
accept.the.message.when.embedded.n.our.exstng.learnng.network.(an.
unpalatable.concept.s.more.attractve.when.t.lnks,.even.f.naccurately,.
to.our.exstng.values.and.lnes.of.reasonng).
The.learnng.system.n.many.organzatons.s.stll.largely.based.on.the.
schema.that.the.learner.s.an.empty.contaner.that.we.fll.We.talk.about.
dynamc,.learner-centered.nstructon.Often.those.words.deny.the.realty.
that.our.nsttutons.are.prmarly.set.up.to.fill learners..We.promote.em-
powerment.for.knowledge.workers,.yet.we.expect.them.to.functon.n.a.
manner.at.odds.wth.how.knowledge.s.created.and.how.t.flows
39
What should our structures look like?
. oPen. anyone.able.to.speak.nto.the.process
. governance. by.those.represented
. fostered. not.only.structured
. conducive. to.knowledge.flow,.wth.barrers.and.
. obstructons.elmnated
Our.soluton.les.n.seeng.the.whole.Monochromatc.one-model,.one-
approach.vews.do.not.work.n.complex.spaces.lke.learnng.and.
knowledge.Shades, continuums, and blurred boundaries
are our new reality.
Figure 18. Learning Ecology
40
table1. typeS oF learning in a learning ecology
tool For What Why? good for drawbacks..
formal courses structure, initiating Whenlearning
Learning Programs serve learnerswho at the point
degrees stakeholders, arenew of need
. -definedby focused (foundation isrequired
established building)
knowledge
-structure
imposedby
expertsin
advanceof
learning
experience/ Problem- experiential Life iffoundations
game Based (learningas challenges arenotinplace
Learning aby-product (orthelearning
ill-defined ofother experience[as
learning activities) games}needs
targets toprovide
userdefines foundation)
processand
space
adaptive,
flexible
mentor Personal accelerate Personal, foundation
guidedand personal relevant forming,
facilitated performance knowledge/ high
. by expert learning bandwidth
Performance Learning Pointofneed, short, developing
support atthepoint competence, focused foundations
ofneed assistive learning ofa
canrelyon discipline
otherlearning
approaches
self-learning meta- Learningfor exploring Howdo
cognition pleasure, areasof learners
Learning personal personal knowwhat
aboutlearning competence interest theyneed
Learningthat toknow?
ispersonally
driven
community- diversity createmulti- dialogue, foundational
based Wisdomof facetedview diversityof high time
Learning thecrowds ofaspaceor perspective requirement
. social/ discipline
dialogue
informal conferences serendipity, continual, chaotic,not
Learning Workshops constant, ongoing, alwaysvalued,
colleagues ongoing, multifaceted scattered
. . in the stream
41
We.often.have.a.msmatch.between.tool.and.process.Learnng.s.not.a.
clear,.structured,.un-drectonal.process.Learnng.s.messy.and.chaotc.
As.a.smple.analogy,.f.our.man.goal.s.to.travel.somewhere.fast.(our.
ntended.functon/process).and.we.opt.to.walk.(even.when.a.vehcle.s.
avalable),.we.are.beng.foolsh.(agan,.assumng.that.our.man.goal.s.
fast.travel,.not.envronmentalsm).In.our.organzatonal.technology.and.
learnng.structures,.we.often.gve.vendors.control.of.learnngdue.to.
ther.control.of.tool.ntegraton.Ths.creates.an.envronment.where.the.
tool.drves.what.we.are.able.to.do.(rather.than.our.learnng.and.com-
muncaton.goals.drvng.the.technology).Unverstes,.colleges,.and.
corporatons.often.use.learnng.management.or.e-portfolo.systems.
The.functonalty.(how.employees.and.students.wll.learn).s.drven.by.
the.tool.selected.Where.we.desre.multple.optons,.the.tool.often.
presents.lmted.functonalty.Too.often,.we.bend.our.pedagogy.to..
the.tool
Fosterng.learnng.requres.rethnkng.the.tools.used.Do.the.tools.work.
n.the.manner.n.whch.people.learn?.Who.has.control.of.the.tools?.
Who.benefts.most.from.mplementaton.of.the.tools.(admnstrators,.
educators,.learners)?.What.are.the.metrcs.of.success.(return.on.n-
vestment,.learnng)?.Do.the.tools.represent.how.the.learners.wll.be.
functonng.n.real.lfe?
Determnng.the.tool.and.approach
. Intended.outcome
. Nature.of.the.learnng.task.
. Match.task.wth.approprate.medum
. Consder.profle.and.needs.of.learners
. Meta-learnng.elements.requred..
. (are.we.tryng.to.teach.content.or.process?)
. Dverse.tools/spaces/ecologes
Our.technology.medated.spaces.are.becomng.adaptve.(speech.
recognton.software,.or.smart.agents.that.learn.from.our.actvtes).
The.envronment.n.whch.we.functon.learns.from.our.actvty.
(strengths/weaknesses,.test.results,.nteractons).After.the.envronment.
knows.us.as.learners,.t.adapts,.or.respond.to,.our.actons.Instead.of.
It is not about controlling. It is about fosteringand guiding.
42
one-way,.same.content.for.all,.the.system.provdes.personalzed.content.
reflectve.of.our.true.learnng.needs.Currently,.ths.s.prohbtve.Few.
organzatons.can.afford.an.mplementaton.of.ths.level.The.task.of.
creatng.an.ntellgent.agent.capable.of.reactng.to.learner.competence.
and.provdng.personalzed.content/nstructon/nteracton,.s.smply.too.
expensve.for.anyone.but.select.research.nsttutons.and.corporatons
If.technology.s.not.able.to.provde.affordable.adaptablty,.and.educators.
are.constraned.by.desgn.and.tme,.what.s.the.opton?.The.more.com-
pletely.we.exst.n.multple.domans.of.knowledge,.the.more.effectve.the.
knowledge.exchange.
Conversaton.s.the.ultmate.personalzaton.experencewe.ask.ques-
tons.and.offer.vews.based.on.our.own.conceptons.We.personalze.our.
knowledge.when.we.socalze
As.we.add.socal.dmensons.to.our.cognton,.we.can.create.an.adaptve.
model.that.learns.based.on.the.actvtes.of.all.members.n.a.space.
Consder.a.class.wth.30.learnerscommuncatng.n.transparent.ways
exposng.ther.thoughts.and.deas.for.others.When.we.aggregate.ther.
combned.voces,.we.are.able.to.see.how.they.are/are.not.gettng.the.
content.Ther.knowledge.needs.wll.most.certanly.not.be.fully.met.by.
the.work.of.the.nstructor.As.voces.of.learners.are.aggregated,.knowl-
edge.gaps.wll.emerge.permttng.the.gurus.of.the.space.to.supplement.
mssng.areas.Instead.of.a.canned.course.on.Macbeth,.we.can.provde.a.
learnng.experence.that.adapts.to.learners.needs.based.on.how.they.
nteract.and.learn.The.entre.ecology.of.learnng.s.the.accurate.whole.
the learner iS the teacher iS the learner.
Connectons.provde.the.greatest.value.when.they.generate.a.certan.type.
of.content.for.the.learner.It.s.not.content.n.general.that.we.want.We
want content that is current, relevant, and contextually appropriate.
Connectons.are.the.devces.that.enable.ths.to.occur.Consder.an.
employee.who.s.workng.on.ste.and.needs.to.access.a.product.manual.
(current,.relevant).The.contextually.approprate.format.(cell.phone,.
laptop,.PDA).makes.the.content.more.useful.Contrast.ths.wth.trad-
tonal.knowledge.sharng.A.manual.(or.tranng.classroom).rarely.meets.
the.crtera.of.current/relevant/contextually.approprate.Much.of.a.
corporatons.knowledge.provson.to.employees.occurs.n.advance.of.
need.(whch.s.useful.n.formng.mndsets,.but.not.too.effectve.for.skll.
transfer),.and.presents.content.n.a.statc.point-in-time.manner.
43
Knowledge.has.to.be.accessble.at.the.pont.of.need.Contaner-vews.of.
knowledge,.artfcally.demarcated.(courses,.modules).for.communca-
ton,.are.restrctve.for.ths.type.of.flow.and.easy-access.learnng
It.s.also.worth.consderng.what.happens.when.we.create.connectons.
between.contentwe.create.a.network.or.aggregaton.of.dfferent.
deaswhch.adds.meanng.(pattern.recognton).to.the.ndvdual.
voces.Connections change content. Content.s.mbued.wth.new.
meanng.when.stuated.n.a.network.(or.s.t.more.accurate.to.say.that.
the.network.acqures.new.meanng.when.new.content.s.added?)..
Ether.perspectve.valdates.the.mportance.of.creatng.connectons..
over.content.When.the.network.s.suffcently.large.to.account.for.
dverse.perspectves,.t.acheves.a.certan.level.of.meanng.that.s.
reflectve.of.the.combned.force.of.ndvdual.elements
Our.relatonshp.to.content.has.to.change.when.content.creaton.
accelerates.We.can.no.longer.consume.all.relevant.content.tems.
The capacity to stay current is more important
than any individual content element.
Currency.of.knowledge.s.the.functon.of.a.network,.and.rasng.the.
value.of.sklls.of.network-makng.The.network.becomes.a.separate.
cogntve.elementt.processes,.flters,.evaluates,.and.valdates.new.
nformaton.If.content.has.a.short.lfespan.(as.new.nformaton.s.
acqured),.then.t.would.logcally.mply.that.our.educaton.and.tranng.
systems.should.not.be.about.content.n.partcularthey.should.
specfcally.be.about.current.content.
In.a.connectvst.approach.to.learnng,.we.create.networks.of.knowledge.
to.assst.n.replacng.outdated.content.wth.current.content.We.off-load.
many.cogntve.capabltes.onto.the.network,.so.that.our.focus.as.
learners.shfts.from.processng.to.pattern.recognton.When.we.off-
load.the.processng.elements.of.cognton,.we.are.able.to.thnk,.reason,.
and.functon.at.a.hgher.level.(or.navgate.more.complex.knowledge.
spaces)
44
We.have.treated.the.learner.and.the.content.as.one.entty.We.fll.the.
learner.wth.content.and.release.them.nto.the.corporate.world.As.ther.
content.runs.low,.they.attend.evenng/contnung.educaton.classes.n.
order.to.refill.Ths.model.works.farly.well.when.the.half-lfe.of.knowl-
edge.(how.long.t.takes.for.knowledge.to.lose.relevance).s.long.
When.we.stop.seeng.knowledge.as.an.entty.that.s.possessed.wthn.a.
person.and.start.to.cast.t.as.a.functon.of.elements.dstrbuted.across.a.
system,.we.notce.a.dramatc.mpact.on.the.educaton.process:.the.
educator.becomes.a.supporter.(not.the.center),.the.content.s.not.as.
crtcal.as.the.connectons,.learners.fnd.value.n.ther.aggregated.
perspectves,.learners.become.content.creators,.and.learnng.s.contnu-
ous,.exploratory,.and.sustaned.(not.controlled.or.fltered.by.only.one.
agent)
In.todays.world,.knowledge.lfe.s.short;.t.survves.only.a.short.perod.
of.tme.before.t.s.outdated.Most.ndvduals.need.to.spend.an.enor-
mous.amount.of.tme.n.contnung.educaton.classes.to.stay.current..
It.s.not.good.for.busness,.and.t.s.not.good.for.an.employees.santy
We.need.to.separate.the.learner.from.the.knowledge.they.hold.It.s.not.
really.as.absurd.as.t.sounds.Consder.the.tools.and.processes.we.cur-
rently.use.for.learnng.Courses.are.statc,.textbooks.are.wrtten.years.
before.actual.use,.classrooms.are.avalable.at.set.tmes,.and.so.on..
The.underlyng.assumpton.of.corporate.tranng.and.hgher.educaton.
centers.on.the.noton.that.the.world.has.not.really.changed
But.t.has.Employees.cannot.stay.current.by.takng.a.course.perod-
cally.Content.dstrbuton.models.(books.and.courses).cannot.keep.
pace.wth.nformaton.and.knowledge.growth.Problems.are.becomng.
so.complex.that.they.cannot.be.contaned.n.the.mnd.of.one.ndvdu-
alproblems.are.held.n.a.dstrbuted.manner.across.networks,.wth.
each.node.holdng.a.part.of.the.entre.puzzle.Employees.requre.the.
ablty.to.rapdly.form.connectons.wth.other.specialized.nodes.(people.
or.knowledge.objects).Rapdly.creatng.connectons.wth.others.results.
n.a.more.holstc.vew.of.the.problem.or.opportunty,.a.key.requrement.
for.decson.makng.and.acton.n.a.complex.envronment.
How.do.we.separate.the.learner.from.the.knowledge?.By.focusng.not.
on.the.content.they.need.to.know.(content.changes.constantly.and.
requres.contnual.updatng),.but.on.the.connectons.to.nodes.whch.
contnually.flter.and.update.content.
45
Ths.model.s.not.wthout.controversy.Many.dsparage.the.work.of.
Wkpeda.as.nformal,.unprofessonal,.and.lackng.authentcty.Whle.a.
vald.complant.n.many.stuatons,
48
.t.s.mportant.to.recognze.that.the.
functon.of.emergng.knowledge.tools.s.to.match.knowledges.pace.and.
adaptablty.To.be.completely.accurate.n.one.nstance.s.to.be.naccurate.
completely.when.core.elements.change.to be adaptive is to be perpetually
current. Wenberger.states.that.some.knowledge.s.smply.good.enough,.
and.as.an.object,.t.s.socalas.flawed.as.we.are
49
connectivism,.as.a.staged.vew.of.how.ndvduals.encounter.and.explore.
knowledge.n.a.networked/ecologcal.manner,.follows.the.followng.path.
(begnnng.wth.the.basc.and.moves.to.the.more.complex):
. awareness. Indvduals.acqure.basc.sklls
. andreceptivity.. for.handlng.nformaton.abundance,
have.access.t.o.resources.and.tools.
connection. . . . Indvduals.begn.to.use.tools.and
. forming and.understandng.acqured.durng.level.one.
to.create.and.form.a.personal.network.They.are.
actve.n.the.learnng.ecology/space.n.terms.of.
consumng.or.acqurng.new.resources.and.tools.
Selecton.(flterng).sklls.are.mportant.Affectve/
emotve.factors.play.a.promnent.role.n.decdng.
whch.resources.to.add.to.the.personal.learnng.
network
contributionand. . . Indvduals.are.farly.comfortable.wthn
. involvement.. wthn.ther.self-created.network.(though.
experts.may.contnue.to.gude.and.drect.ther.
access.to.valuable.resources).The.learner.begns.to.
actvely.contrbute.to.the.network/ecology
essentally,.becomng.a.vsble.node.The.learners.
actve.contrbuton.and.nvolvement.allows.other.
nodes.on.the.network.to.acknowledge.hs/her.
resources,.contrbutons,.and.deascreatng.
recprocal.relatonshps.and.shared.understandngs.
(or,.f.socal.technology.s.used,..collaboratvely-
created.understandng).They.should.also.be.
capable.of.choosng.the.rght.tool.for.the.rght.
learnng.task.For.example,.the.learner.may.opt.to.
take.a.course,.attend.a.conference,.solct.a.mentor,.
46
or.subscrbe.to.news.feedsall.based.on.what.they.
needs.to.know,.do,.or.beleve.Selectng.the.rght.
element.wthn.the.learnng.ecology.s.valuable.n.
ensurng.the.effcency.and.effectveness.of.the.
learnng.process
Patternrecognition Indvduals.are.network.aware.and.competent
As.dynamc.partcpants.n.the.ecology,.they.have.
moved.from.passve.content.consumpton.to.actve.
contrbuton.Tme.n.the.network.has.resulted.n.
the.learner.developng.an.ncreased.sense.of.what.
s.happenng.n.the.network/ecology.as.a.whole.
Havng.mastered.the.bascs.of.beng.a.partcpant,.
they.are.now.capable.to.recognze.emergng.
patterns.and.trends.Experence.wthn.the.
network.has.resulted.n.an.understandng.the.
nuances.of.the.space.(onlne.or.physcal).The.
longer.an.ndvdual.spends.n.the.learnng.space,.
the.more.adept.she/he.wll.become.at.recognzng.
new.patterns.or.changing winds.of.nformaton.and.
knowledge
. meaning-making. Indvduals.are.capable.of.understandng.meaning.
What.do.the.emergng.patterns.mean?.What.do.
changes.and.shfts.n.trends.mean?.How.should.
the.learner,.adjust,.adapt,.and.respond?.Meanng-
makng.s.the.foundaton.of.acton.and.reforma-
ton.of.vew.ponts,.perspectves,.and.opnons
. Praxis. Indvduals.are.actvely.nvolved.n.tweakng,.
buldng,.and.recreatng.ther.own.learnng.
network.Metacognton.(thnkng.about.thnkng).
plays.a.promnent.role.as.they.evaluate.whch.
elements.n.the.network.serve.useful.purposes.and.
whch.elements.need.to.be.elmnated.The.learner.
s.also.focused.on.actve.reflecton.of.the.shape.of.
the.ecology.tself.The.learner.may.engage.n.
attempts.to.transform.the.ecology.beyond.hs/her.
own.network.Praxs,.as.a.cyclcal.process.of.
reflecton,.expermentaton,.and.acton,.allows.the.
learner.to.crtcally.evaluate.the.tools,.processes,.
and.elements.of.an.ecology.or.network
47
Ultmately,.whether.onlne,.face-to-face,.or.blended,.learnng.and.
knowledge.envronments.need.to.be.democratc.and.dverse.A.crtcal.
concept.to.keep.n.mnd:.the.network.and.ecology.must.both.be.
dynamc.and.capable.of.evolvng,.adaptng,.and.respondng.to.external.
change.The.praxs.level.ensures.that.the.personal.learnng.network.s.
relevant.and.current
Learnng.s.contnual.It.s.not.an.actvty.that.occurs.outsde.of.our.
daly.lves.We.have.shfted.from.lfe.stoppng.when.we.learn;.gong.to.
school.for.two-four.years,.whle.not.workngto.learnng.n.synch.wth.
lfe;.constant,.ongongaccreton.level.as.presented.n.Fgure.19
.
Figure 19. Learning in Synch with Life
Unfortunately,.many.of.our.deas,.methods,.and.theores.of.learnng.
mpede.genune.practce.of.the.atttudes.and.actons.that.should.const-
tute.lfelong.learnng
50
48
Figure 20. In Relation to Knowing
49
In Relation
To knowing
Knowledge.exsts.n.publc.and.personal.spaces.Publcly,.knowledge.s.
created.and.shaped.by.the.combned.actvty.of.many.Personally,.
knowledge.has.meanng.when.t.s.somethng.that.we.have.experenced,.
encountered,.or.connected.ourselves.
Vewng.knowledge.as.therapy.or.dagnoss.s.more.holstc.than.
vewng.knowledge.as.a.theory.or.mechancal.model.A.thng.s.revealed.
only.when.we.see.t.for.what.t.s,.not.for.how.we.would.have.t.be
Organzatons.know.how.to.do.thngs.Large-scale.complcated.
projects.cannot.be.known.entrely.by.any.sngle.ndvdual..
The.combned.knowledge.of.many.s.requred:.
. to.buld.machnes.lke.ar.planes,.nuclear.submarnes,.or.
. to.undergo.processes.lke.dscoverng.a.new.pharmaceutcal,.or.
. to.experence.the.challenge.of.explorng.complex.functonalty.lke..
. stock.markets.and.weather.systems.
Figure 21. Personal and Public Knowledge
50
Why do we want Knowledge
and what do we want to do with it?
The.more.we.desre.knowledge.for.our.ntended.purposes,.the.more.
nclned.we.are.to.flter.and.select.based.on.our.goals.The.story.of.
knowledge.becomes.more.about.us.and.less.about.lettng.knowledge.
speak.for.tself
We.know.n.relaton.to.somethng.When.we.encounter.a.vewpont,.we.
brng.the.weght.of.our.recent.experences,.our.establshed.belefs,.and.
the.emotons.of.our.day.to.bear.We.dalogue.and.debate.based.partly.on.
our.prncples,.but.mostly.n.relaton.to.what.s.occurrng.around.us.
Speak.to.me.today,.and.I.may.have.strong.opnons.about.the.role.of.
software.n.democracy.Speak.to.me.tomorrow,.and.I.may.advocate.for.
open-source.software.to.serve.the.collectve.Speak.to.me.next.week,.and.
I.may.advocate.for.centralzed.approaches.to.managng.foundaton-level.
learnng.
I.speak.based.on.where.I.am.stuated.wthn.my.personal.learnng.
networkand.the.context.n.whch.I.exst.It.depends.on.what.I.am.
reactng.to
To.know.s.to.be.n.a.partcular.state.of.relaton.(or.to.share.a.pattern.of.
meanng)organzed.n.a.certan.way.that.now.enables.greater.end-
user.nvolvement.The.organzaton.and.connecton.of.knowledge.does.
not.occur.exclusvely.n.the.actvtes.of.otherswe.can.create/form.our.
own.organzaton.schemes
To know something is to be organized in a certain way,
to exhibit patterns of connectivity.
tcpncn uowncs
t
.Knowledge.tself.s.strongly.relatonalt.connects.to.other.knowledge.
Researchers.suggest.our.brans.are.actually.paned.by.new.nforma-
tona.dsrupton.that.taxes.our.thnkng.(t.s.easer.to.functon.from.
long-term.memory.than.to.actvely.make.sense.and.functon.n.our.
conscous.short-term.memory.(or.workng.area).of.our.bran)
52
.The.
more.connectve.a.knowledge.stream,.the.more.valuable.The.more.we.
know.of.how.a.socety.functonsor.how.computers.work,.the.more.
holstc.our.understandngand.as.a.result,.the.more.complete.It.s.
(obvously).possble.to.know.more.f.we.already.possess.a.large.knowl-
edge.base.
51
Generally,.a.psychologst.can.learn.the.nuances.of.a.new.theory.of.
motvaton.much.more.rapdly.than.a.farmer.What.s.new.connects.
wth.what.s.known.and.s.placed.wthn.a.concept.network.n.the.
approprate.place
To.know.today.means.to.be.connected.Knowledge.moves.too.fast..
for.learnng.to.be.only.a.product.We.used.to.acqure.knowledge.by.
brngng.t.close.to.ourselves.We.were.sad.to.possess.tto.have.t.exst.
n.our.heads.We.can.no.longer.seek.to.possess.all.needed.knowledge.
personally.We.must.store.t.n.our.frends.or.wthn.technology.
Experience has long been considered the best teacher of
knowledge. Since we cannot experience everything, other
peoples experiences, and hence other people, become the sur-
rogate for knowledge. I store my knowledge in my friends is
an axiom for collecting knowledge through collecting people.
. Karen Stephenson
53
The.elements.that.create.understandng.are.scattered.across.many.
structures.and.spaces.We.know.when.we.seek.and.pull.elements.
togetherwhen.we.create.a.meanng-laden.vew.of.an.entty
The.new.value.pont.for.knowledge.s.the.capacty.for.awareness,.
connecton,.and.recombnaton/re-creaton
Elements.have.nherent.characterstcs.Ideas,.theores,.and.knowledge,.
lke.physcal.objects,.possess.trats.that.defne.what.they.are.
Enttes.wth.smlar.trats.possess.the.possblty.of.enterng.an.ex-
change.of.synchronzaton
54
.Ths.s.a.strong.argument.for.some.level..
of.objectvty.n.certan.types.of.knowledge.If.smlar.characterstcs..
are.requred.for.synchronzatonlke.frefles.lghtng.n.unsont.
provdes.an.mpresson.that.nature.sees.as.we.see.It.s.not.only.our.
experence.of.an.entty.that.makes.t,.but.t.s.the.nherent.characterstcs.
t.possesses
Thngs.synch.based.on.nherent.characterstcs.A.network.reflects.on.
tself.to.create.tself.It.creates.ts.own.what.s
52
.
Figure 22. Oscillators Synch Based on Capacity/Similarity
We.attempt.to.synch,.but.largely.our.dalogue.s.n.reacton.to,.or.n.
support.of,.what.s.before.us.The.metrcs.of.logc.are.smlarly.nflu-
enced.by.context,.space,.and.elements.present.If.what.s.before.us.s.too.
unlke.what.s.wthn.us,.we.are.not.capable.of.formng.a.connecton.
The.capacty.for.connecton.formng,.becomng.aware.(of.others.and.
knowledge),.and.sustanng.exchanges,.les.at.the.heart.of.knowledge.
exchange.today.Our.desgn.of.methods,.organzatons,.and.systems.
beneft.most.by.allowng.greatest.opportunty.for.connectvty.The.
capacty.to.connect.produces.the.capacty.to.adapt
We.have.n.the.past.seen.knowledge.as.an.object.and.learnng.as.a.
product.But.knowledge.s.really.more.of.a.streamand.learnng.more.
of.a.process.A product is a stopped processconsder.a.book,.buldng..
a.car,.a.course,.a.tranng.program,.a.marketng.campagn.
53
The.end.of.process.s.the.product.Our.nternet-era.knowledge.s.no.
longer.sutable.as.a.productwe.can.contnue.to.revse,.connect,.and.
alter.ndefntely
Figure 23. Knowledge as a River, not Reservoir
Certan.types.of.knowledge.may.stll.pool.(much.lke.types.of.knowl-
edge.are.hardened.through.expert.valdaton.and.publc.consensus).
Wth.ongong.development.of.technology,.cross-ndustry.collaboraton,.
global.connectedness.and.compettveness,.more.and.more.knowledge.
moves.wth.rver-lke.propertes
anypieceofknowledgeiacquiretodayhasavalueatthis
momentexactlyproportionedtomyskilltodealwithit.
markvandoren
55

54
Our.knowledge.spaces.consst.of.lbrares.(ndexes).and.encyclopedas.
(archves),.wth.varyng.dmensons.of.dssemnatng.tools.(journals,.
books,.conferences).We.are.currently.carryng.the.neffcences.of.
these.spaces.nto.the.dgtal.realm.As.a.result,.we.are.stll.tryng.to.
create.certanty.wth.our.knowledge.We.are.tryng.to.store.knowledge.
for.future.retreval.(Google.ndexes,.Wkpeda.archves).We.do.not..
yet.have.the.tool.that.permts.steppng.nto.the.stream
Lbrary.catalogues.and.encyclopedas.attempt.to.put.knowledge.nto.a.
reservorto.categorze.and.structure.t.n.a.manner.that.makes sense.
Ths.s.rooted.n.tradtonal.conceptons.of.knowng:.ontology.and.
epstemology.
theissueisdeeper.
Could.knowng.be.far.more.a.functon.of.context.than.constructs.of.
evaluaton.created.n.advance.of.use?.A.catalogue.system.determnes.the.
shape.of.a.feld.When.new.nformaton.s.added,.t.s.placed.nto.a.
prevously.created.fle/folder/categorzaton.When.knowledge.becomes.
flud,.categores.are.less.useful.Indvduals.create.a.network.of.the.
knowledge.space.durng.the.process.of.knowledge.emergng,.not.n.
advance.Ths.s.a.sgnfcant.dstnctonone.that.wll.have.substantal.
mpact.on.both.corporatons.and.hgher.educaton.
Indexes.create.an.unconnected.knowledge.space.that.requres.ntegra-
ton.and.effort.on.our.part,.n.order.to.answer.questons.and.tackle.
problems.The.cogntve.load.s.hgher.n.ths.unstructured.knowledge.
space,.but.the.metrcs.of.what.can.be.known.are.stll.based.on.trad-
tonal.epstemology.Once.we.have.acqured.knowledge.from.ndexes,.
we.put.them.nto.some.manner.of.categorzaton.that.s.reflectve.of.
what.happens.n.Brtannca/Wkpeda.
We.are.too.mpatent.wth.knowledge.We.categorze.t.by.mposng.our.
models.of.organzaton.
Instead.of.experts.and.others.defnng.what.knowledge.s.and.how.t.s.
to.be.organzed,.we.can.organze.and.create.t.n.a.manner.that.suts.our.
needs.(at.that.pont.n.tme)
If.we.perceve.knowledge.to.be.a.stream.(the.daly.knowledge.that.flows.
across.our.desks,.computers,.conversatons,.books),.then.at.certan.
ponts,.we.need.the.ablty.to.access.or.re-fInd.nformaton/knowl-
edge.when.t.s.needed.
55
WHicHtooLs enable.us.to.make.use.of.the.ncredbly.
dverse.nature.of.knowledge.and.applcaton?.
Tools.today.serve.a.purpose.that.s.largely.based.on.the.old.model.of.
lbrary.catalogue.and.encyclopeda.As.categorzaton.(and.fndng).
models,.they.serve.a.purpose.when.we.have.a.one-dmensonal.relaton-
shp.to.knowledge.(namely.that.we.understand.we.need.t.and,.n.the.
process,.seek.to.acqure.t).What.happens.when.software/technology.
does.ths.for.us?.What.happens.when.the.knowledge.we.requre.s.
presented.to.us.wthout.havng.to.conscously.seek.t.(artfcal.ntell-
gence)?
We.manage.the.daly.flow.of.knowledge.n.and.out.of.our.lves.through.
a.sloppy.mx.of.tools.and.processes,.evdenced.by.the.growth.of.blogs,.
wks,.socal.bookmarkng,.and.tags.It.works.for.a.percentage.of.the.
populaton,.but.the.tools.themselves.need.to.be.manstreamed.through.
ease.of.use.and.ntegraton
Dfferent.tools.serve.dfferent.functonaltyan.ndex.s.great.for.non-
connected.knowledge.about.whch.we.can.form.an.opnon.The.or-
ganzed.knowledge.of.an.archve.s.great.when.we.want.to.quckly.
consume.someone.elses.opnon
The.ablty.to.organze.knowledge.as.we.want.t.s.a.defnng.character-
stc.of.our.era.In.the.past,.knowledge.has.been.defned.for.us.through.
edtors,.teachers,.and.experts.Now.we.do.the.organzaton.ourselves.
Tradtonally.(and.Wkpeda.stll.duplcates.the.physcal.model.of.an.
encyclopeda).knowledge.was.crafted/combned/fltered.Wth.the.
predcted.rapd.nflux.of.new.knowledge.(the.era.whch.we.are.just.
enterng),.we.need.a.dfferent.model.The.model.needs.to.be.algned.
wth.knowledge.tself
Knowledge.s.stll.seen.as.somethng.we.hold/possess.based.on.ts.merts.
or.applcaton.Ths.model.wll.change.quckly.Knowledge.wll.be.less..
of.a.product,.and.more.of.a.processan.ntegrated.means.of.updatng.
establshed.knowledge.stores,.so.that.when.somethng.changes,.t.s.
reflected.n.the.repostory.(ndex/archve).The.ntal.context.of.use.that.
requred.an.ndvdual.to.select.the.knowledge.n.the.frst.place.wll.be.
reflected.n.how.they.receve.updated.knowledge.Ths.concept.wll.be.
explored.n.greater.detal.later.n.the.form.of.knowledge reflexivity.
56
Technology.wll.be.ncreasngly.depended.upon.to.medate.the.bulk.of.
our.current.knowledge.seekng.behavor.We.spend.much.of.our.tme.
seekng.and.tryng.to.locate.what.we.needfndablty.s.stll.a.prmary.
knowledge.behavor.Once.knowledge.s.more.tghtly.ntegrated.n.
contexts.of.use,.we.can.shft.more.attenton.to.the.act.of.applcaton.We.
need.to.move.beyond.fndng.and.evaluatng.relevance,.to.use.and.appl-
caton
is serendipity lost?
When.we.flter.knowledge.ourselves,.we.rsk.losng.the.serendpty.of.
random.encounters.The.value.of.personal.control.may.reduce.dverse.
experences.beyond.our.ntenton.So.much.of.what.comprses.new.
knowledge.today.s.actually.transvergencetransferred.from.another.
doman,.but.relevant.and.capable.of.fllng.n.mssng.gaps.Transver-
gence.s.facltated.by.serendptous.collsons.wth.knowledge.outsde..
of.our.conscous.nterests.We.need.those.random.moments.of.beng.
exposed.to.new.thoughts.and.experences.
Serendpty.requres.people.of.dverse.nterests,.nteractng.n.unstruc-
tured.spaces.Structured.systems.perpetuate.(and.favor).structure.
Greater.levels.of.dversty.requre.ndvduals.to.communcate,.share,.
and.be.transparent.wth.each.other.The.combned.voces.nvolved.n.
communcaton.results.n.an.open.space.where.the.voces.of.many.flesh.
out.and.defne.an.ssue,.concern,.or.topc.The.wsdom.of.crowds.only.
works.when.each.member.of.the.collectve.brngs.a.unque.perspectve.
to.the.space
56
.If.we.do.not.permt.ndvdualty,.we.end.up.closng.
doors.of.creatvty.Tools.of.ndvdualty.serve.a.greater.good.to.socety.
than.tools.of.purely.collectve.trats.Collectvty.requres.ndvdual.
vocescombnednot.overwrtten.Unque.ndvduals,.engaged.n.
dalogue,.lay.the.foundaton.for.serendptous.encounters.and.the.ablty.
for.deas.to.germnate.as.they.come.n.contact.wth.other.deas
Knowng.s.a.transitory.state.n.that.what.s.known.changes.durng.the.
nternal.cycle.of.knowng.(caterpllar.to.butterfly).and.through.develop-
ment.and.use
57
.
Figure 24. Knowledge Changes in Practice
Consder.an.ndvdual.who.knows.of.Pars,.France.She.mght.be.ac-
quanted.wth.alternate.termscty.of.lghts,.or.famous.landmarks.and.
tourst.attractonsEffel.Tower.In.practce,.to.vst.France.s.a.very.
dfferent.type.of.knowledge.To.dne.at.LAbsnthe.or.to.vew.Pars.from.
the.Effel.Tower.(sghts,.sounds,.smells).produces.a.deeper,.more.con-
textualzed.form.of.knowledge
We.experence.peceswe.cannot.perceve.the.wholeour.thoughts.
exst.n.space.and.tme.(see.Fgure.12).To.gan.one.perspectve.s.to.
leave.another.When.we.experence.knowledge.n.applcaton,.we.leave.
theoretcal.understandng.of.knowledge
we connect more than we construct.
Connections.create.structures.Structures.do.not.create.(though.
they.may.facltate).connectons.Our.approaches.today.reflect.ths.error.
n.thnkng.We.have.tred.to.do.the.wrong.thng.frst.wth.knowledge.
We.determne.that.we.wll.have.a.certfcaton.before.we.determne.what.
t.s.that.we.want.to.certfy.We.need.to.enable.the.growth.of.connec-
tons.and.observe.the.structures.that.emerge.
Language.s.structural.(you.are.a.pragmatc,.you.are.an.exstentalst).
We.put.thngs.nto.boxes.afforded.by.our.language.and.symbols.
Language.assgns.absolutes.where.shades.exst
58
Connectons.create.structure,.but.only.after.elements.have.been.con-
sdered.(the.elements.contrbute.to.the.formaton.of.the.structure).We.
requre.a.model.that.does.the.reversenamely.forms.structures.based.
on.nteracton.of.elements.and.patterns.Emergence,.not.predefnton,.
reflects.todays.needs
Our.pre-conceved.structures.of.nterpretng.knowledge.sometmes.
nterfere.wth.new.knowledge
Figure 25. Filtering in Advance. . . or . . . Through the Process
We.come.to.know.n.many.ways:
. through.senses,.observaton,.and.experence
. through.thnkng.and.logc
. through.ntuton.(gut.feel)
. through.revelaton.(the.Aha.moment.of.learnng.or.clams.held..
. by.many.relgous.people)
. through.authorty.(valdated,.trusted)
. through.connectons.(our.personal.learnng.network)
Understandng.s.aded.by.the.metaphors.of.learnng.that.exst.n.a.
partcular.culture.or.age.We.evaluate.through.a.framework.(apply.and.
contrast.wth.what.s.known).These.frameworks.sometmes.ncorrectly.
flter.out.needed.knowledge.The.framework.of.knowledge.flterng.n.
tradtonal.ndustres.(lke.musc,.newspaper,.and.moves).largely.
59
excluded.emergng.core.changes,.resultng.n.ndustres.movng.n.
opposte.drectons.from.customers.Declnes.n.these.ndustres.are.
largely.due.to.offerng.a.product.or.servce.msmatched.to.the.needs.and.
nterests.of.a.changng.customer.base
57
.To.perceve.n.relaton.to.actual.
socetal.trends.requres.a.malleable.framework,.capable.of.seeng.what.
exsts,.nstead.of.deselectng.elements.not.n.lne.wth.our.thnkng
Our.experence.and.learnng.nfluence.how.we.see.new.stuatons.and.
problems.We.are.less.sklled.at.analyzng.knowledge.through.a.network.
Herarches.and.lnearty.are.more.famlar.We.do.not.know.how.to.flow.
n.a.network
We.are.a.brcolage.of.cognton,.emoton,.ntuton,.nformaton.con-
sumpton,.doubt,.and.belef.
The.adopton.of.a.partcular.belef.and.mndset.wll.hold.wthn.t.certan.
accompanyng.vews.and.logcal.developments.whch.are.less.a.functon.
of.reasonng.and.logc.and.more.a.functon.of.the.space.we.have.decded.
to.enter.(see.Fgure.26).The.deas.contan.n.themselves.a.germnatng.
process
The.true.pont.of.knowng.occurs.atthestageofcreatingoradoptingan
ideology.or.world.vew.Once.adopted,.ths.vew.serves.as.a.flter.and.
cogntve.off-loadtool.If.our.deology.s.strongly.emprcal,.we.prmarly.
functon.wthn.ths.conceptual.doman.(though.we.wll.hold.contradc-
tory.vew.ponts.at.tmesdue.to.context-games.that.nfluence.what.we.
thnk.and.say.at.varous.tmes).The.deology.strongly.nfluences.the.con-
cluson.The.outcome.s.not.only.set.n.our.daly.actvtes,.but.n.the.
process.of.selectng.a.world.vew
Senstvty.of.ntal.condtonsreasonng.s.not.so.much.where.we.end.
up.n.a.corrdor,.but.the.door.through.whch.we.enter.Once.we.know.the.
door,.we.can.generally.understand.where.we.wll.end.up
60
Figure 26. Perception and Pathways of Tought
we see todays problems
through yesterdays solutions
58
61
ConTexT
gameS
A.conversaton.s.an.object.It.s.formed.and.frameworked.as.negotated.
by.partes.
Attempts.to.defne.who.we.are.and.why.we.do.what.we.do,.err.n.the.
assumpton.that.there.s.an.answer.that.exsts.by.tself.
We.are.able.to.create.a.framework.for.understandng.more.rapdly.than.
at.any.other.tme.n.hstory.Conversaton.spaces.are.readly.avalable.
Breakdown.and.teardown.happens.n.seconds
we are not about logic
we are not only about our drives and desires
We are about context games.
Our.desres.and.logc.are.shaped.n.an.orchestra.of.context:.actng.and.
reactng,.negotatng.and.dalogung
to define context is to frame the solution.
Context.s.not.as.smple.as.beng.n.a.dfferent.spacecontext.ncludes.
elements.lke.our.emotons,.recent.experences,.belefs,.and.the.sur-
roundng.envronmenteach.element.possesses.attrbutes,.that.when.
consdered.n.a.certan.lght,.nforms.what.s.possble.n.the.dscusson.
The.object.s.ted.to.the.nature.of.the.dscusson.(framework.[or.net-
work].of.thought).The.context-game.s.the.formulaton.and.negotaton.
of.what.wll.be.permssble,.valued,.and.the.standards.to.whch.we.wll.
appeal.n.stuatons.of.dspute.The.context-game.of.mplementng.a.
new.corporate.strategy.nvolves.ndvduals,.poltcs,.permssble.ways.of.
seeng.and.percevng,.recent.events,.corporate.hstory,.and.a.multtude.
of.other.factors.
62
Context.games.are.the.attempt.to.clarfy.and.hghlght.factors.that.mpact.
our.comprehenson.of.a.partcular.stuaton.
Consder.two.ndvduals.engagng.n.a.dscusson.of.lberal.and.conser-
vatve.poltcs.The.real.dscusson.s.not.about.a.partcular.poltcal.ssue.
(for.example,.the.degree.to.whch.the.government.should.be.nvolved.n.
socal.programs).Instead,.the.real.dscusson.centers.on.each.party.at-
temptng.to.project.ther.deeper.vews.(based.on.the.pathway.model.
provded.n.Fgure.26)namely.that.by.adoptng.a.vew,.we.often.walk..
to.ts.logcal.outcome).We.do.not.engage.stuatons.neutrally.We.engage.
them.based.on.the.manner.n.whch.we.have.crafted.our.logc.or.how.we.
have.entered.the.corrdors.of.logc.We.do.not.evaluate.a.thng.only.for.
what.t.s.We.evaluate.t.for.how.t.relates.to.our.defned.vews.and.
deologes
Context.games.nclude:
1.. What.we.brng:.Our.exstng.vewponts/deologes
2.. What.mpacts:.The.factors.that.exst.and.mpact.the.dscusson/.
. . knowledge.(recent.events,.news.tems,.networks.nodes.from..
. . whch.we.perceve)
3.. What.exsts:.The.nature.of.the.topct.melds.wth.the.context..
. . and.causes.rpples.of.change.wthn.the.context.tself
4.. Space.of.occurrence:.The.envronment/culture/zetgest.n.whch..
. . the.dalogue/debate.occurs
5.. Who.s.nvolved:.Partes.wth.whom.we.are.famlar.shape.the..
. . context;.we.fll.n.mssng.elements.based.on.prevous.encounters
6.. What.we.possess:.Oratory.or.charsmatc.trats.of.the.partcpant
. 7.. What.we.feel:.Emotons
8.. What.we.communcate:.The.attempt.to.convey.to.others..
. . the.valdty.of.each.perspectve
9.. How.we.negotate:.How.we.determne.measures.of.valdty.and..
. . acceptable.context.(requres.gve.and.take)
10.. What.s.the.doman,.type,.state,.and.level.of.knowledge?
11.. How.we.debate:.The.ponts.of.logc,.emoton,.ncluson/excluson
12.. Context.breakdown.(and.archvng.for.future.smlar..
. . experences)
63
In.a.sense,.the.key.area.seen.as.the.surface.noton.of.the.debate.(n.our.
prevous.example.of.government.nvolvement.n.socal.programs).s.not.
really.an.ssue.It.s.an.openng.through.whch.we.can.express.our.larger.
vews
Wth.regard.to.knowledge.and.learnng,.context.nfluences.our.capacty.
to.convey.our.thoughts.If.knowledge.has.been.hardened.nto.deologes,.
or.f.new.knowledge.s.seen.through.deologes.crafted.n.advance,.the.
outcome.of.the.dscusson.s.essentally.set.Debate.s.largely.an.attempt..
to.project.world.vews
of what value is the act of debate? Debate.provdes.an.addtonal.
dmenson.to.context.that.enables.ndvduals.to.see.enttes.beyond.ther.
own.worldvews.We.categorze.and.box.ndvduals.Ths.presupposes.
how.they.thnk.and.act.By.understandng.context.games,.we.are.better.
able.to.suspend.hard.proclamatons.n.advance.of.understandng.the.
partcular.concept.beng.expressed.by.others.If.both.partes.acknowledge.
context.creaton.actvtes,.the.capacty.to.agree.on.a.partcular.frame-
work.of.debate.and.ncluson.of.perspectves.that.may.challenge.our.
establshed.deologes,.may.be.ncreased.If.our.debate.s.less.about.pro-
jectng.our.world.vews,.and.more.about.explorng.what.s.actually.beng.
sad,.we.open.our.mnds.to.recepton.of.knowledge.that.s.fltered.by.our.
opnons
We.value.what.s.dfferent.more.than.what.s.knownt.pulls.on.logc.
toward.non-logc.drectons
Exstng.mental.models.are.not.loose.enough.to.allow.for.new.structure.
to.emerge.Mental.models.(lke.schema).assume.that.we.are.logcal.and.
structured.n.our.exposure.to.knowledge.We.are.not.always.logcal.
We are contextually holistic. We.act.consstent.wth.how.we.have.
framed.and.determned.our.world.We.flter.out.nformaton.we.feel.s.
not.mportant.Our.behavor.s.consstent.wth.our.context,.though.we.
may.at.tmes.volate.our.actons.of.the.past
We.do.not.exclusvely.subsume,.accommodate,.or.assmlate.We.place.
new.knowledge.n.relaton.to.other.knowledge.If.smlartes.exst.or.
revelatons.occur,.the.element.s.connected.to.our.neural.structure..
We connect more than we construct.
64
What about power?
Is.t.troublng.that.knowledge.s.changng?.For.some.Who?.Those.who.
currently.serve.as.provders.of,.or.gatekeepers.to,.knowledge
What.about.tradtonal.power.structures?.Is.knowledge.power?.Does..
the.free.access.to.knowledge.we.currently.possess.equal.a.greater.shft..
n.power.to.the.consumer?.What.about.the.contnung.wealth.dsparty?.
If.t.s.true.that.power.has.shfted.to.the.consumer,.where.s.t.evdent.n.
our.socety?.Do.we.have.real.powerthe.power.to.change.socety,.to.
remake.the.world?.Or.s.our.power.as.end.users.restrcted.to.remakng.
meda.and.uploadng.mages,.fles,.and.embarrassng.karaoke.vdeos?
If.power.s.shftng.to.consumers,.why.are.corporatons.contnung.to.
expand.ther.nfluence?.Is.t.wshful.thnkng.on.our.part?.Or.are.the.
socal.masses.able.to.balance.corporatons.and.governments?
59
Or.s.t.smply.hype?.Is.technology.changng.poltcs?.Is.t.forcng.deep.
changes.n.our.socety?.Or.s.our.tnkerng.at.the.surface,.whle.the.
hdden.hands.of.power.contnues.to.move.and.shape.socety?.Is.our.
power.but.one.of.percepton.and.not.deep.nfluence?
power, like knowledge, is moving from deep
reservoirs and is flooding the landscape.
The.power.to.speak.exsts.for.everyone.The.power.to.be.heard.stll.pools
Who are the new oppressed?
The.oppressed.n.the.dgtal.dvde:
1. Those.wthout.access.to.tools.of.global.conversaton.
2. Those.wthout.sklls.to.contrbute.to.global.conversatons
What.we.decde.today.creates.rpples.that.wll.change.the.landscape.or.
how.we.decde.tomorrow.The.aggregate.of.the.many.forms.the.new.
power.base
Every.ndustry.wll.be.mpacted.as.power.floods.nto.the.lves.of.nd-
vduals:.marketng,.busness,.school,.publshng,.recordng/move.
ndustres,.churches,.and.relgous.bodes
65
Is.knowng.really.about.thought.constructs?.Internal.representatons?.
Or.do.the.thoughts.themselves.morph.too.rapdly.to.be.perceved.as.a.
construct?.Is.t.more.lke.patterns.held.by.the.aggregate.of.our.neu-
ronswhere.no.one.area.of.our.bran.holds.a.representation? Perhaps.
the.real.concept.that.we.currently.call.representaton.s.actually.the.
rapd.brngng.together.of.dspersed.nformaton.through.neural.
actvty.The.representaton.tself.does.not.exst.n.ts.entrety,.only.n.
peces.Connectng,.or.bndng,.creates.the.whole
In.order.to.brng.the.peces.together,.we.rely.on.patternng.Patternng.s.
the.process.of.recognzng.the.nature.and.organzaton.of.varous.types.
of.nformaton.and.knowledge.The.shapes.created.by.these.structures.
wll.determne.how.readly.new.connectons.can.be.made
Organizations are not systems but the ongoing patterning of
interactions between people. Patterns of human interaction
produce further patterns of interaction, not some thing out-
side of the interaction. We call this perspective complex re-
sponsive processes of relating.
Ralph Stacey
60
The.words.we.use.nfluence.our.ablty.to.thnk,.reflect,.and.react.
Language.creates.structure,.though.not.a.frameworka.framework.s.
too.rgdboundares.formed.through.the.creaton.of.networks.of.deas.
(note,.the.boundares.emerge.as.a.result.of.the.network,.but.once.
establshed.they.shape.future.network.formaton)
Opposton.to.an.dea.s.often.less.of.a.commentary.on.the.dea.tself.
and.more.of.a.reflecton.of.where.the.objector.s.postoned.(space.and.
tme).n.relaton.to.the.dea
We.adjust.our.logc.to.serve.our.conclusons.Only.a.few.tmes.n.our.
lves.do.we.buld.foundatons.(for.example:.evoluton,.creatonsm)..
The.rest.of.our.tme.s.spent.buldng.on.these.foundatons.
Reason itself is a matter of faith. It is an act of faith to assert
that our thoughts have any relation to reality at all.
G.K. Chesterton
61
66
Our.challenge.of.thnkng.s.the.creaton.and.breakdown.of.structures.
for.dalogue.The.content.that.we.debate.s.of.less.sgnfcance,.because.
how.t.s.processed.s.a.functon.of.the.construct.tself.We.must.battle.
aganst.constructs.that.are.created.too.early,.and.as.a.result,.damage.our.
capacty.for.ongong.learnng.and.functonng
Knowledge.possesses.dfferent.states.Knowledge.that.has.hardened.s.
typcally.not.open.for.debate.(we.rarely.enter.conversatons.prepared.to.
alter.our.core.belefs).We.are.prepared.to.create.constructs.to.debate.
knowledge.that.s.malleable.Where.we.have.created.a.frm.perspectve,.
we.are.more.apt.to.desre.to.communcate,.rather.than.dalogue
Strongopinions,weaklyheld.
BobSutton
62
67
changes and Implications
moving
toWard

aPPLication
2
68
Figure 27. Change in Environment
69
Something iS amiSS
changed environments of knowledge
Change.s.happenng.on.two.levels:.
1 . the.context.n.whch.knowledge.occurs,.and
2 . the.flow.and.characterstcs.of.knowledge.tself
The.changng.nature.and.context.of.knowledge.nfluences.everythng:.
scholarshp,.teachng,.research,.corporate.structure,.leadershp,.market-
ng.The.ndustral.age.reconfgured.socety.Cottage.ndustres.gave.
way.to.corporatons.Busness.structure.emerged.as.herarchy.(to.better.
facltate.the.movement.and.organzaton.of.physcal.goods).
We.are.at.a.smlar.place.Our.socety.s.beng.restructured.to.algn.
wth.knowledge.The.barrers,.nhbtors,.obstacles,.and.unnecessary.
structures.are.gvng.away.to.models.whch.permt.effectve.knowledge.
creaton,.dssemnaton,.communcaton,.personalzaton,.and.flow
As.Rchard.Restak.states,.
Yesterdays predictions have become todays reality. And in
the course of that makeover, we have become more frenetic,
more distracted, more fragmentedin a word, more hyper-
active.
63
cycle of change
Change.pressures.arse.from.dfferent.sectors.of.a.system.At.tmes.
t.s.mandated.from.the.top.of.a.herarchy,.other.tmes.t.forms.from.
partcpants.at.a.grass-roots.level.Some.changes.are.absorbed.by.the.
organzaton.wthout.sgnfcant.mpact.on,.or.alteratons.of,.exstng.
methods.In.other.cases,.change.takes.root.It.causes.the.formaton.of.
new.methods.(how.thngs.are.done.and.what.s.possble).wthn.the.
organzaton.(see.Fgure.28).
Intally.these.methods.wll.be.nformal.as.those.aspects.of.the.orga-
nzaton.nearest.to.the.change.begn.to.adapt.Over.tme,.the.methods.
sgnfcantly.mpact.the.organzaton,.resultng.n.the.creaton.of.new.
structures.and.new.spaces.(an.algnment.to.the.nature.of.change).
70
These.structures.and.spaces.then.create.new.affordances.enablng.the.
organzaton.to.change.and.adapt.The.new.affordances.create.a.new.
cycle.of.change.pressures
Figure 28. Change Cycle
The.fault.of.many.schools,.unverstes,.and.companes.s.the.unwll-
ngness.to.lsten.to.the.voces.of.those.closest.to.change.pressures.and.
emergng.methods
Distributed control means that the outcomes of a complex
adaptive system emerge from a process of self-organization
rather than being designed and controlled externally or by a
centralized body.
Zimmerman, Lindberg, & Plsek
64
71
Whentherateofchangeoutsideexceeds
therateofchangeinside,
theendisinsight.
JackWelch
65

Change.s.shapng.a.new.realty.under.the.fabrc.of.our.daly.lves.Seven.
broad.socetal.trends.are.changng.the.envronment.n.whch.knowledge.
exsts:
1. The.rse.of.the.ndvdual
2. Increased.connectedness
3. Immedacy.and.now
4. Breakdown.and.repackagng
5. Promnence.of.the.condut
6. Socalzaton
7. Blurrng.worlds.of.physcal.and.vrtual
Figure 29. Changes in Environment of Knowledge
72
the Rise of the Individual
Indvduals.have.more.control,.more.capacty.to.create.and.to.connect.
than.n.any.era.n.hstory.
Relatonshps.are.defned.by.convenence.and.nterest.not.geography.
We.can.work.wherever.and.whenever.Tme.and.space.no.longer.lmt.
global.conversatons
People.are.able.to.connect,.share,.and.create.We.are.co-creators,.not.
knowledge.consumers.Content.generaton.s.n.the.hands.of.the.many.
Co-creaton.s.an.expresson.of.selfa.sense.of.denttyownershp..
We.own.who.we.are.by.the.contrbutons.we.make.
We.are.no.longer.wllng.to.have.others.thnk.for.us.We.want.to.read.
what.concerns.us.Lsten.to.what.we.want.We.want.only.the.peces.that.
nterest.us,.and.we.want.to.repackage.t.so.that.t.makes.sense.to.us.
Repackaging is the personalization of the knowledge
created by others.
identitywe.know.and.can.be.known.We.scatter.our.lves.and.
thoughts.across.the.web.Each.queston.n.a.forum,.each.thought.n..
a.blog,.each.podcast,.each.comment.to.an.artclethese.dstrbuted.
peces.are.splashed.across.the.nternet.They.form.who.we.are,.how..
we.thnk.(at.a.certan.tme),.and.the.thngs.we.beleve.We.are.known..
by.what.we.have.done.and.sad,.and.what.others.have.sad.about.us..
We.are.lad.bare
Surprsngly,.the.rse.of.the.ndvdual.creates.the.capacty.for.collabora-
ton,.socalzaton,.and.dong.thngs.together.We.expect.to.co-create.
and.experence.the.two-way.flow.models.of.knowledge.sharng.and.ds-
semnaton.Our.denttes.are.exposed,.revealed.for.anyone.to.explore
Wenberger.recognzed.ndvduals.are.able.to.complexfy.the.smple
66
.
Instead.of.seeng.knowledge.from.only.one.perspectve.(the.flter),.we,.
as.ndvduals,.can.contrbute.our.opnons.and.vews.to.extend.the.
depth.(dversty).of.our.understandng.Knowledge.can.now.be.ex-
pressed.through.the.aggregate.of.the.ndvdualsa.deafenng.crescendo.
of.contrastng.and.complementng.opnons.and.vews
73
connectedneSSthe World has Become Whole
Connectons.rase.the.potental.for.adaptaton.The.power.of.the.human.
bran.s.derved.from.the.capacty.of.each.neuron.to.form.many.connec-
tons.Enttes.capable.of.connecton-formng.are.capable.of.adaptng.
The.greater.the.number.of.connectons.possble,.the.more.adaptve.the.
organzaton
We.are.beng.remade.by.our.connectvty.As.everythng.becomes.con-
nected,.everythng.becomes.transparent.Technology.llumnates.what.
was.not.dscernable.to.the.human.eye
We.can.connect.where-ever.(space.breakdown).We.can.connect.when-
ever.(tme.breakdown)
Connectedness.allows.ndvduals.to.create.and.dstrbute.ther.own.
materals.and.dentty.Instead.of.seeng.a.whole,.we.see.the.many.peces.
that.comprse.the.whole,.and.as.ndvduals,.we.can.create.the.whole.
that.suts.our.needs.and.nterests
Everythng.ntegrates.wth.everythng.Bologsts.use.the.language.and.
concepts.of.physcsts.Psychologsts.use.the.language.of.neurologsts.
Dscoveres.n.one.doman.rpple.across.the.network.of.human.knowl-
edge.Doors.pred.open.n.one.dscplne.reveal.corrdors.sought.by.
others
When.knowledge.stops.exstng.n.physical spaces,.we.can.duplcate.
(or.connect).enttes.n.multiple spaces..Knowledge,.when.dgtal.
(not.n.physcal.enttes.lke.paper-based.journals.and.books),.can.be.
combned.(or.remxed).readly.wth.new.knowledge.Brngng.together.
deas.from.two.dfferent.books.requres.effort.to.brng.the.enttes.
together.(buy.both.books.or.go.to.the.lbrary).Wth.dgtal.knowledge,.
we.can.lnk.(as.Davd.Wenberger.famously.wrote:.hyperlnks.subvert.
herarches
67
).and.brng.two.deas.together.wth.ease
74
ImmedIaCy
Everythng.s.now.Knowledge.flows.n.real.tme.Global.conversatons.
are.no.longer.restrcted.by.physcal.space.The.world.has.become.mme-
date.New.nformaton.changes.markets.n.mnutes.New.programs.are.
wrtten.n.hours,.buldng.on.the.openness.and.work.of.others.Leaders.
must.know.what.happened.fve.mnutes.ago,.not.only.what.happened.
yesterday.Our.flters.of.nformaton.and.knowledge.assume.delays.and.
stoppng.ponts,.so.we.can.assess.mplcatons.
The.flow.does.not.stop.today.We.must.develop.real-tme.processng.
tools,.so.we.can.make.sense.of.the.unabated.flow.We.must.develop.
sklls.to.select.what.s.mportant,.store.what.s.needed.for.the.future,.and.
ensure.our.decsons.are.based.on.knowledge.that.s.current.Interpreta-
ton.and.decson-makng.need.to.happen.n.the.same.speed.and.sprt.
as.the.knowledge.flow
refLection.(the.act.of.thought.on.our.actons,.motvatons,.experenc-
es,.and.world.events).s.becomng.a.lost.art.Dervng.meanng.no.longer.
happens.at.a.pause point..Meanng.s.derved.n.real.tme.
The.beauty.of.lfe.always.resdes.below.the.surface.of.busyness.How.can.
we.apprecate.the.quetness?.Has.our.generaton.moved.beyond.contem-
platon.and.slence.to.dstracton.and.moton?.How.s.our.humanness.
changed?.
Does.mmedacy.cause.us.to.be.drven.not.by.prncples,.but.by.exstng.
context?.Whle.context.s.sgnfcant.n.every.knowledge.nteracton,.s.
t.a.good.leader?.What.are.our.gudes.today?.Have.hgher.deals.yelded.
to.the.now?
Our.lves.are.beng.consumed.by.now.
Breakdown and repackaging
It.s.all.n.peces.Knowledge.s.unmoored.The.selecton,.flow,.and.
dscusson.of.knowledge.have.all.moved.from.controlled.spaces.(at.the.
pont.of.creaton.or.flterng).to.the.doman.of.the.consumer.We.take.
small.peces.We.mx.them.We.create.personal.understandngs.
Shared.understandngs.happen.only.when.we.absorb.smlar.patterns.as.
othersor.when.we.create.shared.patterns.Today,.we.receve.our.news,.
our.entertanment,.our.learnng,.from.dstrbuted.means.Two.people.n.
75
the.same.household.sttch.together.dfferent.understandngs.based.on.
the.peces.each.used
We.have.centerng.spaces.where.we.share.understandngscommun-
tes,.but.we.all.belong.to.dfferent.communtes.We.all.absorb.dfferent.
nformaton.We.all.see.dfferent.knowledge.qults.
Howcanwerelate?
In.order.to.make.sense,.we.extract.patterns.Whle.the.world.of.knowl-
edge.has.gone.to.peces,.knowledge.at.pont-of-use.requres.wholeness.
We.stll.requre.centralzaton.The.clearer.the.am,.the.more.crtcal.the.
central.model.s
mediadevelopsconversations.conversationsdevelopreality.
The ConduIT Is KIng
Content..Context..Condut:..These.shape.the.meanng.of.knowledge.
. ConTenT. begns.the.knowledge.cycle
. ConTexT. makes.t.meanngful
. ConduIT. makes.t.relevant,.current,.and.avalable
Figure 30. Content/Context/Conduit
76
Our.percepton.of.content.s.too.promnent.n.the.knowledge.process.
When.we.talk.knowledge.and.learnng,.we.thnk.of.contentbooks,.
artcles,.audo.fles,.and.vdeo.clps.
But.knowledge.today.changes.that.Connectons.are.possble.wth.any-
one,.almost.anytme.Emergng.collaboratve.technologes.are.contnu-
ng.to.extend.our.potental.to.connect.to.content.and.people,.but.n.the.
process,.t.also.alters.content.Content.development.pace.ncreases.
What iS the impact?
Due.to.rapd.changes,.we.need.to.contnually.reference.orgnal.con-
tent.But.ths.s.a.bg.challenge.Our.tools.and.approaches.are.not.very.
frendly.toward.quckly.changng.content
Learnng.and.knowledge.networks.are.correctng.the.exstng.defcency.
of.connectons,.n.relaton.to.content.In.part,.connectons.need.to.take.
a.promnent.role,.because.connectons.permt.the.formaton.of.new.
content.(content.s.sub-servant.to.connectons)
Learnng.s.not.content.consumpton.Learnng.happens.durng.some.
process.of.nteracton.and.reflecton...Content,.then,.can.be.a.lead.nto.
learnngor.t.can.be.a.by-product.of.the.learnng.process.
We MUSt blend content with context and conduits.
connections,.on.the.other.hand,.are.a.more.drect.lead.nto.learnng,.
smply.because.connectons.are.more.vbrant.than.content.Connectons.
are.more.socal.and.acton-orented.than.content.
Transfer.ths.thnkng.to.corporate.envronments:.What.s.more.m-
portant?.What.s.currently.known.(exstng.content/knowledge)?.Our.
capacty.to.contnue.to.know.more.(connectons)?.
Connecton-formng.tools.wll.always.create.content,.but.ther.value.les.
n.our.ablty.to.reflect.on,.dalogue.about,.and.nternalze.content.n.
order.to.learn.Content.s.knowledge.frozen.at.a.certan.tme.(a.maga-
zne.artcle),.whereas.a.connecton.s.a.ppelne.to.contnue.to.flow.new.
knowledge
77
Socialization
socializationisanaffordanceofconnectedness.
We. are. now. able. to. socalze. our.
actvtes. to. an. unprecedented. lev-
el. Technology. s. openng. doors. to.
conversaton. Every. nuance,. every.
characterstc,.can.be.dssected.and.
represented. n. multple. ways. and.
perspectves. The. noton. of. what.
s.known.s.confused.wth.lmtless.
vewponts.Certanty.s.clouded.by.
multplcty
We. socalze. wth. others. of. lke. n-
terest. from. around. the. world. Ev-
eryone,.no.matter.how.out.of.place.
physcally,.has.a.mrrored.compan-
on. dgtally. These. mrror. dent-
tes. and. nterests,. however,. are. not.
wthout. fault. We. can. buld. closed.
spaces.where.we.dalogue.wth.oth-
ers.who.share.our.vewpontsand.
we. are. no. longer. forced. to. thnk.
crtcally. as. we. casually. encounter.
contrastng. vews. (whle. watchng.
a. televson. newscast. or. readng. a.
journal. artcle). We. smply. echo.
our.belefs.to.each.other
68
Everyone. bulds,. produces,. cre-
ates,.talks.Have.we.merged.talkng.
wth. lstenng?. When. we. create. on.
the. work. of. others,. s. lstenng. the.
act. of. speakng. how. we. nterpret.
ther. perspectve?. In. an. age. where.
everyone. has. a. voce. to. broadcast,.
our. need. to. lsten. and. understand.
becomes.more.promnent
The.ablty.to.connect.wth.those.of.
lke-mnds. and. belefs. compresses.
dversty. We. must. now. ntenton-
ally.seek.vews.that.are.unlke.ours.
We.can.now.exst.n.our.own.spac-
es. and. hear. only. those. thngs. wth.
whch.we.agree
Polarizationisintensified.
Blurring WorldS
Physcal. and. vrtual. realtes. are.
blurrng.Our.space.of.exstence.has.
been. defned. by. dualty:. PhySI-
CaL.and.dIgITaL (vrtual).Those.
dstnctons. are. rapdly. changng.
We. buy. wth. dgtal. money. We.
buld.dgtal.spaces.We.exst.n.on-
lne.worlds.
We.can.collaborate,.run.busnesses,.
fnd. romance,. share. deas,. cre-
ate. new. software,. and. shape. a. new.
worldall. wth. people. we. have.
never. seen. We. are. developng. our.
collectve. ablty. to. functon. under.
a.new.skll.set
When.we.meet.face-to-face,.we.are.
sklled. at. nterpretng. and. analyz-
ng. meanng;. a. furrowed. brow.
a. smrk. a. rased. eyebrow. We.
know.how.to.functon.n.the.phys-
cal. We. are. learnng. how. to. func-
ton. n. the. vrtual. Tone. of. voce.
blended. wth. the. message. Frst.
text,.then.audo,.now.vdeo.We.can.
come. to. know. each. other. wthout.
touchng.
78
We.blend.our.vrtual.nteractons.wth.face-to-face.Our.water.cooler.
conversatons.drven.by.last.nghts.newscast,.the.comc.strp.n.the.
mornng.paper,.are.replaced.wth.dscussons.of.vdeo.logs,.or.content.
presented.onlne.(personalzng.the.nternet.wth.our.vews).
The.creator,.the.consumer.have.become.one
the membrane between real and virtual is thinning.
We.are.startng.to.exst.smultaneously.n.each
69
.
Figure 31. Knowledge Change
79
changed characteristics &
Flow oF Knowledge
The. clmate. n. whch. knowledge. occurs. has. changed,. but. so.
have.the.characterstcs.and.flow.of.knowledge.
Changes. n. the. context. of. knowledge. run. parallel. to. change. n.
knowledge.characterstcs.The.physologcal.and.chemcal.pro-
cess. of. recallng,. storng,. dervng. meanng. are. lkely. the. same.
as.they.were.n.decades.past,.wth.some.evdence.emergng.that.
technology. s. changng. the. manner. n. whch. we. thnk. Earl.
Mller,.Massachusetts.Insttute.of.Technology,.states:.We.phys-
cally.rewre.our.bran.so.we.process.our.envronment
71
.Other.
researchers. share. the. vew. of. bran. rewrng. through. technol-
ogy.use:.Ths.clearly.mples.a.drect.relatonshp.between.our.
brans.organzaton.and.operaton.and.what.we.can.learn.about.
the.world.and.about.ourselves.as.part.of.that.world
72
Whle. we. may. only. be. at. the. begnnng. stages. of. chemcal.
changes.or.rewrng.of.our.mnds.(and.research.s.stll.contnu-
ng. to. emerge),. the. characterstcs. of. knowledge. are. changng.
notceably.
8.broad.factors.defne.the.characterstcs.of.knowledge.today:
. 1.. Abundance
. 2.. Capacty.for.recombnaton
. 3.. Certantyfor.now
. 4.. Pace.of.development
5.. Representaton.through.meda
. 6.. Flow
. 7.. Spaces.and.structures.of.knowledge.organzaton..
. . and.dssemnaton
. 8.. Decentralzaton
a
n
d

f
a
c
e

t
h
e

s
t
r
a
n
g
e

d
a
v
i
d

B
o
w
i
e
7
0
Turn
80
Figure 32. Changes in Knowledge
abundanCe
In.one.generaton.we.have.moved.from.knowledge.as.value.ponts,.to.
our.ablty.to.manage.the.abundance.as.the.value.pont
It has exploded.
73
.We.have.always.had.access.to.more.knowledge.than.
we.were.able.to.handle.It.has.ntensfed.n.our.generaton.Increased.
global.connectedness,.socalzaton,.and.other.factors.dscussed.prev-
ously,.are.acceleratng.change.and.knowledge.growth.We.can.not.keep.
up.Our.ablty.to.pay attention.s.overwhelmed
Why is our attention so valuable? Because it is so scarce or,
more accurately, because its relative scarcity has been rapidly
increasing. Attention is a constant resource for each of us
we only have 24 hours in the day. It is up to us how we use
those 24 hours. Whats changed is that we have more and
more options competing for our attention. We face increas-
ing abundance both in the production and distribution of
goods and information about those goods.
John Hagel
74
81
Knowledge.deprecates.rapdly.when.new.knowledge.s.constantly.beng.
created.The.lfe-span.of.knowledge.s.shrnkng.An.expectancy.of.rel-
evance.and.currency.of.knowledge.for.a.cycle.of.years.and.decades,..
has.now.been.reduced.to.months.and.years.for.many.dscplnes.Ffty.
years.ago,.educaton.prepared.an.ndvdual.for.a.lfe-long.career.n.a.par-
tcular.feld.Formal.educaton.created.the.person,.the.opportunty.Now,.
lfelong.learnng.creates.the.opportunty.
Dealng.wth.knowledge.abundance.requres.new.sklls.Hitting a station-
ary target requires different skills of a marksman than hitting a target in
motion..Our.work.requres.trackng.targets.n.moton.We.assume.that.
knowledge.s.a.statonary.targetnamely.a.status.that.we.acheve.or.a.
product.that.we.acqure

Figure 33. Half Life of Knowledge
The.half-lfe.of.knowledge.s.the.tme.requred.for.half.of.the.knowledge.
n.a.feld.to.be.rendered.obsolete.due.to.new.developments,.research,.n-
novatons,.or.changed.clmate
75
.Dfferent.types.of.knowledge.wll.have.a.
dfferent.half-lfe.(physcs.and.mathematcal.formulas.have.a.longer.lfe.
than.dscoveres.wthn.nanotechnology)
76
82
ReCombInaTIon
The.ablty.to.connect,.recombne,.and.recreate.are.hallmarks.of.knowl-
edge.today.Small.peces,.whch.stand.on.ther.own,.can.be.recreated.n.
dfferent.meda,.contexts,.and.used.to.create.more.personalzed,.complex.
structures.The.materal.used.to.buld.a.car.must.be.put.together.n.a.pre-
cse.manner.n.order.for.the.vehcle.to.functon.Knowledge.can.be.woven,.
connected,.and.recombned.n.lmtless.wayscreatng.the.possblty.of.
personalzed.networks.of.knowledge.
BuiLdingBLocKsBecomeBuiLdingBLocKsBecomeBuiLdingBLocKs.
Knowledge.has.hooks.It.can.be.organzed.and.arranged.n.a.myrad.of.
ways.Recombnaton.occurs.n.the.spaces.of.debate.and.dalogue.An.
ndvdual.wth.a.computer.and.nternet.connecton.can.access.MITs.
OpenCourseWare
77
.resourceslearnng,.buldng,.creatng,.blendng,..
and.extendng.Knowledge.can.be.connected.(combned,.recreated).as..
s.desired.by.the.ndvdual
No.longer.s.convergence.the.cry.of.knowledge.transvergence.(the.
transfer.and.applcaton.of.knowledge.from.one.feld.to.another).s.the.
new.realty.The.world.s.connected.We.are.becomng.aware.of.actvtes.
outsde.of.our.own.spaces.
RelaTIon To CeRTaInTy
Knowledge.s.not.drectly.related.to.certanty.We.thnk.that.to.know.
means.to.abolsh.doubt.But.knowledge.s.often.more.about.knowng.that.
we.do.not.knowwhere.not knowing is held in context.
Certan.thngs.we.can.know.wth.certanty,.but.only.for.now.The.pres-
sures.of.change.form.quckly.from.non-tradtonal.corners.Developng.
countres,.the.masses,.the.oppressedall.can.be.partakers.n.shapng..
the.drecton.the.wnd.of.knowledge.blows
Our.quest.for.certanty.(s.that.not.why.we.seek.knowledge?).s.challenged.
today.When.we.dscover.somethng.new,.someone.else.wll.buld.on.and.
extend.t.(transvergence),.or.new.research.wll.prove.t.untrue.Or.founda-
tonal.condtons.wll.change,.requrng.the.dscovery.to.be.updated
Contnual.suspended.certanty.s.todays.realty.States.of.not.knowng.
are.healthy
Does all knowledge change? Is nothing certain?
83
develoPmenT PaCe
Books.take.years.to.publsh.Conferences.take.months.to.plan.Maga-
znes.take.weeks.to.wrte.TV.newscasts.take.hours.to.produce.End.user.
created.meda.takes.mnutes.to.produce.and.crculate.
The.flter.of.tme,.to.take.the.edge.off.of.reactonsm,.s.torn.away.
Events.are.decphered.n.real.tme.The.ferocty.of.responses,.vews,.and.
dssemnaton.walks.a.path.of.passon,.not.cold.reason
What.s.a.leader.to.do?.How.do.we.stay.current,.but.sane,.when.the.buf-
fers.on.emoton.are.loosed?.
tofunctioninthedevelopmentpaceofsocietytoday,
wearerequiredtorethinkourskillsandprocesses.
Is.t.possble.to.consume.and.assmlate.the.deluge.of.knowledge.n.our.
felds?.Is.t.possble.to.stay.nformed.of.other.felds.that.mpact.our.
own?.How.can.we.shft.our.capacty.(ndvdual,.collectve,.organza-
tonal,.and.socetal),.to.embrace.a.world.n.flux?.How.can.we.match.our.
habts.of.functonng.to.the.pace.of.knowledge?
The.ppe.s.more.mportant.than.the.content.wthn.Our.ablty.to.learn.
what.we.need.for.tomorrow.s.more.mportant.than.what.we.know.to-
day.When.knowledge.s.needed,.but.not.known,.the.ablty.to.plug.nto.
sources.to.meet.the.requrements.becomes.vtal.As.knowledge.contn-
ues.to.grow.and.evolve,.access.to.what.s.needed.s.more.mportant.than.
what.the.learner.currently.possesses
rePresenTaTion

Any understanding of social and cultural change is im-
possible without a knowledge of the way media works as
environments.

Marshall McLuhan
78
Ours.s.a.world.shaped.by.dverstytext,.vdeo,.audo,.games,.and.
smulatons.represent.deas,.concepts,.and.emotons.The.power.of.text.
fals.to.cast.ts.shadow.as.broadly.as.prevously.The.creators.of.knowl-
edge.do.well.to.thnk.beyond.text.
the passivity of text is disturbed by media.
84
Images,.vdeo,.and.audo.now.communcate.the.breadth.of.our.expe-
rence.wth.emoton.and.lfe.A.pcture.released.by.an.observer.n.a.
dsaster.zone.(war,.hurrcane,.earthquake).s.worth.many.tmes.more.
than.the.commentary.of.an.expert.An.mage.sears.the.bran.lendng.
mmedacy.to.mages.of.dsaster
79
Knowledge.s.amplfed.n.the.multplcty.of.representaton.choces.
The.multplcty.nherent.n.knowledge.s.now.expressed.by.many.n-
dvdualsn.dfferent.ways.Organzatonal.vews.of.knowledge.must.
algn.wth.our.new.complexty.Is.an.essay.as.effectve.as.a.podcast?..
Is.a.memo.as.effectve.as.a.vdeo.log?.Context,.resources,.and.needs.
determne.the.sutable.approach
Vared.meda.representatons.are.penetratng.our.daly.lves.We.are.
the.constantly.watched.Camera.phones,.onlne.socal.spaces,.dgtal.
thoughtsour.lves.are.archved.Mystery.s.strpped.away
Flow
feedback shapes original knowledge sources.
We.have.moved.from.herarchcal.to.network.It.s.end.user.drven..
A.rght.decson.today.may.not.be.rght.tomorrow.
In.a.knowledge.economy,.the.flow.of.knowledge.s.the.equvalent.of.the.
ol.ppe.n.an.ndustral.economy.Creatng,.preservng,.and.utlzng.
knowledge.flow.should.be.a.key.organzatonal.actvty.
Knowledge.flow.can.be.lkened.to.a.rver.that.meanders.through.the.
ecology.of.an.organzaton.In.certan.areas,.the.rver.pools.and.n.other.
areas.t.ebbs.The.health.of.the.learnng.ecology.of.the.organzaton.
depends.on.effectve.nurturng.of.flow
How.then.does.knowledge.flow.wthn.a.network.(keepng.n.mnd..
our.dscusson.that.networks.may.be.nternal.(neural).or.external.
(nodes.we.have.connected).see.p29)?.Whch.factors.mpact.the.process?.
If.we.tentatvely.ascrbe.lfe-lke.propertes.to.our.learnng.networks,.we.
can.partly.answer.ths.challenge.Any.lvng.organsm.seeks.two.prmary.
functons:.replcaton.and.preservaton.Nodes.wthn.our.networks.
follow.smlar.aspratons.Establshed.belefs.and.learnng.often.ensure.
that.new.nformaton.s.routed.through.the.exstng.network.New.
nformaton.s.evaluated.and.coded.reflectve.of.the.exstng.learnng.
network.
85
A.smple.llustraton:.f.one.beleves.that.people.cannot.be.trusted,.the.
actvtes.of.those.around.wll.be.nterpreted.through.ths.framework.
(routed.through.our.neural.network.and.coded.wth.meanng.reflectve.
of.ths.larger.vew).Meanng.s.attached.as.an.add-on.to.the.knowledge.
source,.ensurng.that.the.exstng.network.replcates.tself.If.the.entre.
network.s.subsequently.reconfgured.accordng.to.a.new.meme,.the.
knowledge.tself.stays,.but.the.meanng.s.reconfgured.
In.a.smlar.sense,.when.knowledge.s.ntroduced.to.a.learnng.network.
that.s.contradctory.to.the.establshed.structur,.the.exstng.network,.
n.an.effort.to.preserve.tself,.attempts.to.route.around.or.push.the.new.
node.to.the.frnge.Ths.results.n.lmted.connectons.beng.formed,.
and.as.a.result,.the.new.node.does.not.gan.sgnfcant.status.wth.the.
larger.network.If.the.node.does.acqure.a.certan.level.of.status,.new.
knowledge.may.route.through.the.node,.permttng.the.node.to.begn.
replcatng.tself,.encodng.meanng.to.knowledge.Consder.the.mpl-
catons.when.we.acqure.new.understandng.about.a.subject.matter
The.text.you.are.readng.presents.a.certan.context.gamea.manner.of.
seeng.the.world.As.a.reader,.you.may.fnd.some.concepts.enlghten-
ng.and.adopt.them.as.key.attrbutes.of.how.you.vew.knowledge.Other.
concepts.may.not.be.relevant.or.nsghtful.Relevant.concepts.wll.form.
a.pathway.that.wll.route.(explan).new.deas.and.knowledge
FloW inhiBitorS.are.elements.nternal.to.a.network.that.reduce.the.
possblty.of.nformaton.and.knowledge.flow.Ths.mght.nclude.ele-
ments.lke.bases.or.preconceved.notons.Our.own.cognton.and.emo-
tons.can.be.legtmate.flow.nhbtors.External.nhbtors.also.mpact.
the.flow.of.nformaton.between.learners.The.physcal.desgn.of.a...
space,.the.bureaucracy,.or.knowledge-sharng.culture.of.an.envron-
ment,.wll.nfluence.and.determne.how.well.knowledge.flows.between.
networks
fLoWacceLeratorsare.elements.and.condtons.nherent.n.a.net-
work.that.permt.the.rapd.formaton.and.dstrbuton.of.knowledge.
Receptvty.and.motvaton.are.two.key.accelerators.External.attrbutes.
of.an.ecology.or.network.also.nfluence.how.well.knowledge.flows.
A.culture.of.openness,.recognzed.value.of.cooperaton,.and.tools.and.
tme.allotted.for.collaboraton.all.contrbute.to.accelerate.network.
formaton
86
Spaces and Structures of Knowledge
Todays big companies do very little to enhance the productivi-
ty of their professionals. In fact, their vertically oriented orga-
nization structures, retrofitted with ad hoc and matrix over-
lays, nearly always make professional work more complex and
inefficient.
Lowell Bryan and Claudia Joyce
80
Spaces.and.structures.are.the.organzatonal.elements.of.socety.We.
dalogue.and.functon.wthn.these.elements.Spacesschools,.onlne,.
museums,.corporate.boardroomsprovde.the.envronment.n.whch..
we.do.our.conversng,.meetng,.knowledge.sharng,.and.dalogung..
Structuresclassfcaton.systems,.herarches,.command.and.control,..
lbrares,.governmentprovde.the.process.and.manner.n.whch.dec-
sons.are.made,.knowledge.flows,.and.thngs.get.done
Structures.and.spaces.drect.affordances.New.structural.approaches.
permt.the.formaton.of.organzatons.prepared.to.manage.dverse.and.
rapd.knowledge.growth.Buldng.a.baseball.damond.enables.compettve.
baseball.(or.an.mpromptu.soccer.game).Creatng.a.concert.hall.permts.
performances.and.concerts.
Our.corporate.structures.generate.product-based.affordances.Is.ths.what.
s.needed.n.our.era.today?.It is time to restructure our structures to ensure
more relevant connections with the nature of knowledge today. What.affor-
dances.do.we.seek:.nnovaton,.adaptablty,.holstc.actons,.systems-vew.
percepton,.tolerance.of.chaos,.emergence,.and.self-formaton?
Instead.of.beng.desgned.and.controlled.through.central.means,.a.dstrb-
uted.structure.generates.outcomes.through.the.act.of.self-organzaton
What are the spaces and structures of knowledge today?
What.should.a.busness.look.lke?.How.should.an.organzaton.functon?.
How.should.we.make.decsons?.Manage.our.resources?.Acheve.our.
strateges?
ecologiesandnetworksprovidethesolutiontoneeded
structuresandspacestohouseandfacilitateknowledgeflow.
87
Figure 34. Knowledge Spaces
Spaces are themselves agents for change.
Changed spaces will change practice.
81
Ecologes.permt.dverse,.mult-faceted.conceptsand.meanng.to.
emerge.based.on.how.tems.are.organzed.or.self-organze.Ecologes.are.
capable.of.managng.rapd.growth,.adaptng.to.new.competton,.df-
ferng.perspectves,.and.enablng.nnovatve.concepts.and.deas.to.gan.
tracton
An.ecology,.a.knowledge.sharng.envronment,.should.have.the.follow-
ng.components:
82
informal, . The.system.should.not.defne.the.learnng.and
.notstructured dscusson.that.happens.The.system.should.be
flexble.enough.to.allow.partcpants.to.create..
accordng.to.ther.needs.
. tool-rich. Many.opportuntes.for.users.to.dalogue.and.
connect.Vdeo,.audo,.text,.face.to.face.Too.much.
choce,.however.s.not.always.desrable,.as.t.can..
overwhelm.the.end-user
83
. consistency . New.communtes,.projects.and.deas.start.wth.much.
. andtime hype.and.promoton.and.then.slowly.fade.To.create
a.knowledge.-harng.ecology,.partcpants.need.to.see.
consstent.actvty
. trust . Hgh,.socal.contact.(face-to-face.or.onlne).s.needed
to.foster.a.sense.of.trust.and.comfort.Secure.and.safe.
envronments.are.crtcal.for.trust.to.develop
. simplicity . Other.characterstcs.need.to.be.balanced.wth.the
need.for.smplcty.Great.deas.fal.because.of.com-
plexty.n.expresson.Smple,.socal.approaches.are.
often.most.effectve.The.selecton.of.tools.and.the.
creaton.of.the.communty.structure.should.reflect.
ths.need.for.smplcty
.decentralized, . Instead.of.centralzed,.managed,.and.solated,.the
fostered, . ecology.should.allow.ndvduals.to.defne.and.form
. connected.. connectons,.functonng.as.separate.nodes.n.an.
aggregated.whole.
88
.Hightolerance. . Innovaton.s.a.functon.of.expermentaton,.
. forexperi- . accdents,.and.falure.To.foster.knowledge.growth,
. mentation. . .nnovaton,.and.sharng,.organzatonal.processes
. andfailure . must.be.supported.by.an.envronment.of.tolerance.
and.a.sprt.of.nqury
89
.
Figure 35. Learning and Knowledge Ecology
90
These.ecologes.possess.numerous.characterstcs.that.need.to.be.attend-
ed.to.n.the.desgn.process.The.followng.are.requred.n.an.effectve.
ecology:
. a.space.for.gurus.and.begnners.to.connect,.
. a.space.for.self-expresson,.
. a.space.for.debate.and.dalogue,.
. a.space.to.search.archved.knowledge,.
. a.space.to.learn.n.a.structured.manner,.
. a.space.to.communcate.new.nformaton.and.knowledge..
. ndcatve.of.changng.elements.wthn.the.feld.of.practce..
. (news,.research),.and.
. a.space.to.nurture.deas,.test.new.approaches,.prepare.for.new..
. competton,.plot.processes
Ecologes.are.nurtured.and.fosterednstead.of.constructed,organized,
and.mandated
An.ecology.provdes.the.specal.formatons.needed.by.organzatons.
Ecologes.are:.loose,.free,.dynamc,.adaptable,.messy,.and.chaotc.In-
novaton.does.not.arse.through.herarches.As.a.functon.of.creatvty,.
nnovaton.requres.trust,.openness,.and.a.sprt.of.expermentaton
where.random.deas.and.thoughts.can.collde.for.re-creaton
But.corporatons.requre.structure,.consstent.functonng,.clear.out-
comes.Ecologes.and.corporatons.repel,.because.processes.have.been.
crafted.that.favor.structure.at.the.expense.of.nnovaton.and.creatvty.
We.seek.certanty.nstead.of.opportunty
How can organizations adopt ecologies when their goal
is to drive out chaos and messiness (not embrace it)?
Beyond.a.change.of.organzatonal.mndset.(whch.would.not.hurt),.
networks.provde.the.new.structural.model.The.cause-effect,.top-down,.
mandated.flow.of.herarches.s.replaced.wth.the.emergent,.loosely.con-
nected,.adaptve.model.of.networks.
Hierarchy adapts knowledge to the organization;
a network adapts the organization to the knowledge.
91
Figure 36. Knowledge Structures
table2. hierarchies and networks
. Statc. Dynamc
. Structured.. Flowng.structure.
. (n.advance)
. Stable. Equalty.(n.theory)
. Managed. Connected.enttes
. Boundares. Partcpant.&.process-.
. . defned.structure
. Centralzed. Decentralzed
. Certanty. Adaptve
. Managed.and.created. Nurtured.and.fostered
. Pre-fltered. Emergent.
thenetworkedworldcontinuouslyrefines,reinvents,and
reinterpretsknowledge,ofteninanautonomicmanner.
. morris,mason,robson,Lefrier,&collier
84

92
networks occur within ecologies.
.Nodes.and.connectors.comprse.the.structure.of.a.network.In.con-
trast,.an.ecology.s.a.lvng.organsm.It.nfluences.the.formaton.of.the.
network.tself.For.example,.each.learner.n.an.organzaton.possesses.a.
personal.learnng.network.The.health.of.ths.network.s.nfluenced.by.
the.sutablty.of.the.ecology.n.whch.the.learner.exsts.If.the.ecology.
s.healthy,.t.wll.permt.networks.to.floursh.and.grow.If.the.ecology.s.
not.healthy,.networks.wll.not.develop.optmally.A.healthy.knowledge.
ecology.allows.ndvduals.to.quckly.and.effectvely.enhance.ther.exst-
ng.learnngenablng.better.decsonsbetter.performance
deCenTralizaTion of knowledge.
Things fall apart; the Center cannot hold.
. William Butler Yeats
85
Peces.are.held.everywheresttchng.together.realty.s.n.the.hands.of.
many
Marvn.Mnsky.presents.ntellgence.as.the.functon.of.many little
parts, each mindless by itself.
86
When.these.parts.connect.or.jon,.they.
create.ntellgence.The.decentralzaton.of.knowledge.reverses.the.
jonng.formed.by.others.(experts,.edtors).and.permts.ndvduals.the.
capacty.to.connect.knowledge.n.a.manner.they.fnd.useful.
Steven.Johnson.bulds.on.Mnskys.thoughts,.and.detals.emergence.as.
a network of self-organization, of disparate agents that unwittingly create
a higher-level order.
87
.These.agents.can.create.dverse.structures.(ant.
colones,.brans,.ctes).through.the.process.of.connectng.by.followng.
smple.rules.Does.ths.relate.to.learnng?.Is.a.new.entty.brought.nto.
our.cogntve.network.a.mndless.agent?.
Perhaps.the.bgger.opportunty.here.s.to.consder.the.amplfcaton.ef-
fect.of.jonng.ndvdual.enttes.(regardless.of.whether.we.classfy.them.
as.mndless.or.mndful).Landauer.and.Dumas.tackle.the.concern.of.
people.havng.more knowledge than appears to be present in the infor-
mation to which they have been exposed.
88
.They.suggest.that.the.answer.
to.the.mystery.of.excessve.learnng.s.found.n.the.weak.nterrela-
tons,.whch.exst.n.certan.domans.of.knowledge.When.we.brng.a.
new.element.nto.the.knowledge.space,.t.can.serve.as.an.amplfer.for.
knowledge.that.s.currently.known,.much.lke.Mnskys.agents.combne.
to.form.hgher-order.ntellgence
89
.
93
Fllng.a.gap.n.our.neural.networks.creates.new.pathways
So what does this have to do with decentralized knowledge?
Know where.s.replacng.know what.and.know how..The.
rapd,.contnual.knowledge.flow.cannot.be.contaned.and.held.n.the.
human.mnd.To.survve,.we.extend.ourselves.through.our.networks:.
computers,.humans,.databases,.and.stll.unfoldng.new.tools
Our.co-workers.no.longer.st.at.a.dfferent.desk.They.st.n.a.dfferent.
country
How.does.theory.(construct.n.advance).shape.knowledge.spaces?..
To.what.degree.should.knowledge.emerge.and.nfluence.theory?
Aggregaton.of.knowledge/nformaton.sources.has.really.changed.over.
the.last.few.years.Untl.recently,.most.of.our.nformaton.was.delvered.
through.a.centerng.agenta.televson,.newspaper,.magazne,.or.rado.
In.ths.model,.our.prmary.task.was.to.absorb.or.consume.the.structure.
of.nformaton.created.by.a.thrd.party.
The.centerng.agents.have.come.undone.Knowledge.agents.contnue.to.
connect.and.form,.but.not.accordng.to.the.vews.of.others.We.have.be-
come.actve.organzers.of.individual agents..We.weave.our.networks
But I thought you said that our role was one
of allowing knowledge to emerge?
True. We.wade.nto.the.rver.of.knowledge,.not.to.drect.ts.flow.to..
a.predefned.purpose,.but.to.recognze.the.patterns.that.are.emergng..
and.to.base.our.actons.on.changed.context.and.characterstcs.of.
knowledge
We.no.longer.exclusvely.read.newspapers.or.watch.the.evenng.news.
We.used.to.go.to.one.source.of.nformaton.to.get.a.thousand.ponts.of.
nformaton.Now,.we.go.to.a.thousand.sources.of.nformaton.to.create.
our.one.vew.We.have.become.the.flter,.medator,.and.the.weaver..
Aggregaton.amplfes.knowledge.and.learnng
Whle.ths.process.s.effectve.on.many.levels,.t.has.ts.challenges.
Gong.to.one.source.of.nformaton.s.much.smpler.than.attemptng.
to.consume.many.dfferent.elements.It.s.less.stressful.It.requres.less.
thought.and.foragng.for.needed.knowledge.Questons.of.valdty.and.
trust.are.answered.wth.each.nformaton.source.(at.least.untl.a.rela-
tonshp.has.been.developed)
94
Figure 37. Filters
centeringagentsprovde.sgnfcant.value.n.creatng.focal.ponts.
for.members.of.socety.These.agents.serve.a.dverse.base.and.are.struc-
tured.to.provde.appeal.to.many.dfferent.ndvduals.(race,.relgon,.
poltcs).People.of.dfferent.poltcal.strpes,.for.example,.are.able.to.
dalogue.because.of.the.common.language.and.understandng.created.
by.centerng.agents
What happens when we no longer share centering agents?
What.happens.when.all.of.my.nformaton.comes.only.from.sources.that.
promote.vew.ponts.I.already.hold?.
It.s.easer.to.accessand.to.gnore.dverse.vewponts.Ths.process.
s.creatng.a.serous.dvde.n.the.ablty.of.people.to.dalogue.and.
share.common.understandngs.We.can.now.lsten.only.to.perspectves.
already.n.lne.wth.our.own.The.breakdown.of.common.understand-
ng.and.dalogue.poses.a.rsk.to.the.cvlty.of.socety.The.moderatng.
nfluence.of.dversty.s.not.promnent.when.we.can.shape.our.dalogue.
spaces.to.sut.our.vews.Accdental.dversty.must.now.gve.way.to.
ntentonal.dversty.We.must.seek.the.vewponts.of.others.to.create.a.
unfed.whole
95
It.s.to.our.health.that.we.consume.nformaton.from.dfferng.spec-
trums.of.thought.Whatever.our.vew.or.perspectve,.as.actors.on.a.
global.stage,.we.need.to.move.(at.mnmum).to.dalogue.wth.those.
around.us.
closingspacesequalsclosingminds.
Clear aims through decentralized means is The..
challenge.for.organzatons.today.Organzatons.need.to.acheve.
goals,.objectves,.targets,.but.they.need.to.acheve.them.n.non-lnear.
ways.The.assumpton.that.control.determnes.outcome.s.a.mndset.
that.was.questonable.n.the.ndustral.eraand.laughable.n.the.knowl-
edge.era
Even.when.we.understand.the.value.of.decentralzaton,.the.famlarty.
of.centralzed.and.controlled.processes.and.outcomes.are.mpedments.
In.the.end,.the.appeal.of.control.often.exceededs.the.prospect.of.value.
from.decentralzaton.The.msleadng,.and.false.assumpton.of.many.
leaders.s:.How.can.I.make.sure.that.thngs.are.happenng.the.way.I.
want.them.to?.It.presupposes.control.as.a.requrement.for.effectve.
functonng
Are you saying that all centralization is ineffective?
Absolutely.not.Centralzaton.s.effectve.when.matched.to.the.appro-
prate.task.In.our.earler.dscusson.of.learnng,.we.pursued.holstc.
models.n.order.to.attend.to.the.dverse.and.complex.nature.of.learnng.
No.one.sngle.model.meets.the.needs.of.all.possble.stuatons.Our.ap-
proach.to.workng.wth.knowledge.requres.a.smlar.holstc.vew.
frst.we.need.to.understand.a.stuaton.for.what.t.s,.and.then.we.move.
forward.wth.our.response.Centralization.s.not.always.the.answer.
Nether.s.decentralization
We.have.a.mndset.of.knowng.before.applcaton.We.feel.that.new.
problems.must.be.tamed.by.our.prevous.experence.When.we.encoun-
ter.a.challenge,.we.vst.our.database.of.known.solutons.wth.the.objec-
tve.of.applyng.a.template.soluton.on.the.problem.Many.organzatons.
are.not.comfortable.wth.suspendng.judgment.The.moment.a.problem.
takes.an.ntal.known.shape,.the.solutons.begn.to.flow.
The.act.of.labelng.s.an.attempt.to.provde.order.where.order.does..
not.exst.(at.least.n.the.mnd.of.the.lstener).Labelng.s.a.cogntve..
off-loadng.process;.once.we.can.put.someone.or.a.concept.nto.a.box,.
96
we.do.not.have.to.be.as.actve.n.makng.meanng.Instead,.we.can.rely.
on.memory.to.provde.meanng.and.understandng.Whle.natural,.t.s.
the.root.of.much.harmracsm,.prejudce,.and.msunderstandng
The.assumpton.that.order.does.not.exst.unless.we.enforce.t,.s.false.
We.feel.that.we.must.suffcently.grapple.wth.an.dea.or.stuaton.untl.
we.have.extracted.value.or.meanng.It.s.dffcult.to.accept.that.order.
and.meanng.can.emerge.on.ts.own.Chaos,.we.feel,.requres.our.hand.
for.order.Randomness.may.conceal.order,.and.actng.too.quckly.may.
result.n.mssng.the.true.meanng
...and yet...
the.pnnacle.of.human.actvty.s.one.of.order.makngctes,.socetes,.
books,.vehcles,.buldngs.We are order-makers. Perhaps.n.todays.
complex.knowledge.space,.our.role.of.order-makng.requres.perods.of.
suspenson,.where.we.assess.knowledge.frst.(for.what.t.s).and.apply.
order.second.(once.we.know.the.characterstcs.of.the.entty.we.are.
orderng)
Instead.of.tryng.to.force.the.new.nature.of.knowledge.nto.organza-
tonal.structures,.let.t.exst.for.a.whle.See.what.happens.Do.not.decde.
the.entre.soluton.n.advance.See.the.process.as.more.of.a.dance.than.
a.structured.enactment.of.a.soluton.React.as.the.envronment.adjusts.
Allow.feedback.to.shape.the.fnal.product.Let.the.process.brng.ts.own.
lessons.before.applyng.structured.approaches.Perhaps.the.real.value.
exsts.n.the.knowledge.patterns.that.emerge.
Centralzng.decentralzed.processes.results.n.kllng.the.value.nherent.
n.decentralzaton.Relaxng.on.control.s.vtal.for.sustaned.knowledge.
growth,.nnovaton,.sharng,.and.dssemnaton.Centralzaton.works.
well.for.organzed.knowledge.or.establshed.structures.Decentralzaton.
s.effectve.when.thngs.change.rapdly,.dverse.vewponts.are.requred,.
and.knowledge.has.not.settled.nto.a.knowable,.defned.state
The.vews.that.we.must.know.before.we.can.do,.and.that.problems.
requre.clear.solutons,.can.be.lmtng.n.certan.nstances.(especally.
nstances.of.hgh.complexty.or.uncertanty).
97
F
i
g
u
r
e

1
1
.

C
o
m
p
o
n
e
n
t
s

o
f

K
n
o
w
l
e
d
g
e

D
a
n
c
e
Snowdens 4 Ontologies
. Complex CompliCated
UnKnOWaBLe KnOWaBLe
. Pattern Management Analytical/Systems Thinking
The Approach Methodologies
Matriarchal/Patriarchal Oligarchic
leadership Leadership
Probe, sense, respond sense, analyze, respond
Chaos simple
Turbulent and Unconnected KnOWn
Charismatic or Tyrannical Legitimate Best Practice

Leadership
Feudal Leadership
. act, sense, respond. sense, categorize, respond
Figure 38. Snowdens Ontology
90

Knowng.often.arses.n.the.process.of.dong.Solutons.are.contaned.
wthn.the.problems.themselves.(not.external,.templated.responses),.and.
problems.always.morph.as.we.begn.to.work.on.them.As.Snowden.nd-
cates,.dfferent.stuatons.present.themselves.at.dfferent.levels.of.clarty.
Some.elements.are.knowableothers.are.complex.The.nature.of.the.
stuaton.determnes.our.response.We.cannot.effectvely.mpose.order.
on.chaotc.or.complex.spaces.Instead,.we.must.probe.and.sense
IftheonlytoolyouhaveisaHammer,
youtendtoseeeveryProblemasanail.
abrahamMaslow
91
The.real.value.of.a.new.tool.s.not.the.tool.tself..
It is what the tool enables.
A.hammer.s.not.only.useful.for.httng.nals.Obvously.that.s.the.task.
at.ts.most.basc,.but.what.does.t.mean?.In.the.case.of.the.hammer,.t.
means.we.can.buld.a.doghouse,.a.bookshelf,.or.a.house.
98
Untl.we.look.past.the.task.and.functonalty.of.a.toolto.what.the.tool.
enableswe.largely.mss.the.beauty.of.why.t.s.so.useful
But.understandng.the.tool.s.only.part.of.the.challenge.We.must.also.
understand.the.nature.of.the.task.n.whch.we.are.engaged.Frst.we.see.
the.task.Then.we.select.the.tool.Then.we.adjust.and.acqure.new.tools.
(and.processes).as.the.experence.warrants.
We.often.apply.our.thnkng.at.the.wrong.stagewe.thnk.plannng.s.
the.key,.but.fal.to.recognze.that.the.rapd.pace.of.knowledge.develop-
ment.s.movng.more.emphass.to.adaptng.durng.the.process.Bus-
ness.and.learnng.are.not.about.followng.a.map.or.preplanned.route.
Functonng.n.a.knowledge.stream.s.a.gve-and-take.experence.wth..
the.envronment.and.factors.that.arse
Tools.and.approaches.possess,.n.themselves,.nnate.attrbutes.for.opt-
mal.functon.(saw.for.cuttng.wood,.hammer.for.buldng)
Books,.lke.the.one.you.are.readng,.are.most.often.a.one-sded.vew.of.
the.knowledge.of.a.partcular.space.(and,.n.certan.felds,.they.can.be.
dated.by.the.tme.they.are.publshed).Content is something that is cre-
ated in the process of learning, not only in advance of learning.
Figure 39. Tools and Affordances
99
.Content is the codification.of.our.knowledge,.our.art,.our.vson,.
our.dreams,.and.our.aspratons.As.lttle.as.fve.years.ago,.content.came.
pre-packaged.You.could.get.your.content.fx.n.the.form.of.a.textbook,.
a.CD,.a.newscast,.a.newspaper,.or.a.classroom.
We.can.now.acqure.our.resources.n.any.manner.that.we.desre..
We.are.re-packagers.Learners.weave.together.(connect).varous.content.
and.conversaton.elements.to.create.an.ntegrated,.though.at.tmes.con-
tradctory,.network.of.ssues.and.concerns.We.take.peces,.add.peces,.
dalogue,.reframe,.rethnk,.connect,.and.ultmately,.we.end.up.wth.
some.type.of.pattern.that.symbolzes.what.s.happenng.out.there..
and.what.t.means.to.us..
Learnng.and.knowng.occur.n.networks.and.ecologies,..
not.herarchcal,.pre-organzed.structures..
The.central filtering agent s.no.longer.the.newspaper,.teacher,..
manager,.or.nsttuton.It.s.the.IndIvIdual..
Thnk.about.what.that.means.to.our.organzatons.today..
It.changes.everythng
The.center.has.broken.apart.n.other.ndustresmoves,.musc,.
software;.we.can.expect.knowledge.and.learnng.wll.not.be..
mmune.
What.does.t.mean.to.us?.
What.should.we.be.dong.now.to.prepare.our.nsttutons?.
Ourselves?
Knowledge.s.about.a.certan.type.of.organzaton.When.the.capac-
ty.to.organze.s.n.the.hands.of.others,.we.are.passve.consumers.
Whenweourselvesorganize(re-package),
webecomeknowledge conduits, not containers.
People.do.not.want.to.vst.your.content.They.want.to.pull.your.content.
nto.ther.stes,.programs,.or.applcatons.Sense-makng.needs.to.hap-
pen.n.ther.context.Ths.s.a.profound.change.
We.are.stll.fxated.on.the.noton.of.content.We.thnk.we.are.makng.
great.concessons.when.we.gve.ndvduals.control,.and.start.to.see.
them.as.co-creators.That.msses.the.essence.of.the.change:.ndvduals.
want.control.of.ther.space.They.want.to.create.the.ecology.n.whch.
they.functon.and.learn.
100
Sense-makng.happens.n.ther.context.Today,.t.s.about.pullng.con-
tent.from.numerous.stes.and.allowng.the.ndvdual.to.repurpose.t.
n.the.format.they.prefer.(allowng.them.to.create/recognze.patterns).
Much.lke.the.musc.ndustry.had.to.learn.that.people.do.not.want.to.
pay.for.a.whole.album.when.all.they.want.s.one.song,.content.provders.
(educaton,.museums,.and.lbrares).need.to.see.the.end.user.does.not.
want.the.entre.experencethey.want.only.the.peces.they.want
Dalogue.and.learnng.wll.happen.on.ther.tme,.n.ther.space,.on.ther.
devce.We.must.create.the.ecology.that.allows.for.maxmum.nnova-
ton,.so.that.the.greatest.number.of.recombnatons.are.possble
One.of.the.most.obvous..
learnng.ecologes.s.the.internet.tself.It.s.a.wonderful.example.of.a.
space.where.we.can.learn.from.experts,.nformally,.formally,.or.n.com-
muntes.
Didnt you do away with experts in your discussion
of how end-users now have access and control?
Experts.do.provde.a.valuable.role.and.source.of.gudance.Holstc.per-
spectves.are.mportant.Context.games.create.a.loose.structure.to.a.con-
versaton,.but.fal.to.capture.an.entre.perspectve.As.an.author,.n.order.
to.make.useful.statements.such.as.Knowledge is now at the disposal of
the many, I.leave.thngs.unsad.(but experts play a key role, and when
experts are the focus of the discussion, I will attend to their role). Thor-
ough.context.gamesas.an.effort.to.elmnate.msunderstandngsare.
tme.consumng.When.we.dalogue,.t.s.n.relaton.to.somethngto.
an.event,.a.person,.or.some.stuaton.before.us
When.we.take.one.approach,.we.are.leavng.many.other.factors.unat-
tended,.but.mpacted.When.we.pursue.knowledge.on.one.level,.we.are.
makng.choces.that.change.thngs.But.that.choce.does.not.happen.n.
a.vacuum.Other.parts.of.our.organzaton.wll.also.need.to.change.It.s.
mportant.to.be.aware.of.what.we.are.leavng.behnd.n.our.choces
and.that.one.vew.(systems thinking is.useful in determining intercon-
nection of actions) does.not.lead.to.unversal.applcaton.(systems think-
ing should be used for.everything).
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101
Ths.one-dmensonal.vew.s.lazy.thnkng.Each.tool.provdes.affor-
dances.for.certan.tasks.To.advocate.for.socal.technologes.(or.nformal.
learnng),.s.not.to.deem.all.herarchy.as.rrelevant.It.s.relevantbut.
not.n.all.stuatons.and.for.all.tasks.Herarches.have.a.role,.but.at.a.
much.dmnshed.leveland.always.wthn.the.approprate.context
choice = deSelection...
When.we.pursue.one.drecton,.we.are.sayng.no.to.many.others.What.
we.do.not.choose.s.often.as.mportant.as.what.we.do.choose.We.need.
to.look.at.where.the.energy.s.expended,.not.where.t.s.soldfed
Categorzng.offloads.cognton.to.establshed.vewsbut.what.are.the.
costs?.
When.we.rely.on.outdated.knowledge.(due.to.classfcaton.n.advance.
of.all.elements.beng.known),.we.encounter.naccurate.nformaton,.
wrong.judgments,.and.un-acknowledged.changed.foundatons
Even.the.mages.and.proposed.ways.of.lookng.at.knowledge.provded.
n.ths.book.are.an.attempt.to.provde.some.organzaton.How.can.we.
act.f.we.do.not.soldfy.knowledgeeven.slghtly?.Often,.our.acton.
for.volatle,.rapdly.changng.knowledge.needs.to.be.one.of.watng.for.
patterns.to.emerge.The.most.effectve.model.for.categorzaton.and.
classfcaton.s.the.one.that.enables the greatest potential.for.connec-
ton,.recombnaton,.dversty,.knowledge.to.speak.for.tself,.and.stua-
tons.and.elements.to.emerge.accordng.to.ther.characterstcs,.not.our.
organzatonal.schema
102
.
.
Figure 40. Emotions
103
emoTions&
CreaTiviTy
We.exst.n.multple.domans.We.have.spent.centures.attemptng.to.
understand.cogntve,.physcal,.and.sprtual.domans.The.emotonal.
space.of.lfe.has.been.relegated.to.the.status.of.nconvenent.What.role.
do.emotons.play.n.knowledge.creaton.and.dssemnaton?.The.error.
of.assumng.we.exst.only.n.one.space.at.a.tmefor.example,.that.we.
are.logcal,.wthout.emotonal.nfluenceresults.n.neffectve.vews.of.
knowledge
.We.do.not.functon.accordng.to.formulas.and.rules.We.exst.n.a.rch.
nterplay.of.multple.domans,.expressed.as.context.gameswhere.our.
emotons,.desres,.and.logc.are.expressed.n.dalogue.and.debate.wth.
others.The.way.n.whch.we.nteract.wth.knowledge.s.nfluenced.by.
our.emotons.We.are.at.tmes,.unwllng.(even.unable).to.see.vews.and.
perspectves.that.are.not.algned.wth.our.own.The.use.of.logc.as.a.tool.
for.swayng.opnons.s.neffectve.when.core.belefs.are.challenged
emotionismessy,complicated,primitive,andundefned
becauseitsallovertheplace,
intertwinedwithcognitionandphysiology.
. JohnJ.ratey
92
How.are.emotons.to.be.rghtly.perceved.to.the.overall.process.of.
knowledge?.What.are.the.emotonal.factors.nvolved.n.learnng.and.
knowledge.acquston/creaton?
What.about.the.beautful.thngs.of.lfe:.love,.justce,.truth,.honor?.Our.
noble.desres.to.shape.a.better.world,.when.our.contrbuton.of.tme.and.
effort.goes.aganst.the.nvsble.hand
93
.of.self-nterest?
We.advance.humantys.potental.through.knowledge.We.advance.
humanty.through.emotion
But.what.of.the.hgher.good?.What.of.our.quest.to.be.moreto.be.be-
yond.humanty?.What.are.the.narratves.that.we.are.servng.today?.
104
Is.t.true.that:
Withoutanarrative,lifehasnomeaning.
Withoutmeaning,learninghasnopurpose.
NeilPostman
94
What.s.the.greater.purpose.of.beng.human?
What.about.faith?.
God.and.technology...God.and.humanity...God.and.knowledge.
What.are.we.to.make.of.these?.What.are.these.to.make.of.us?
How.do.we.aspre.to.the.hgher.good.of.lfe.whle.engaged.n.the.daly.
flow?.How.can.we.retreat.to.reflect,.medtate,.pray?
Technology is an exacting master.
ever requiring more, promising hope anew.
Or.does.technology.make.us.more.human?.A.grandparent.vdeo-chattng.
wth.a.grandchld.A.granddaughter.teachng.her.grandfather.how.to.nav-
gate.the.web.A.student.learnng.from.an.expert.a.thousand.mles.away.A.
communty.formed.through.need,.not.geography.
Perhaps.the.queston.s.not.about.technology.It.s.about.us
Figure 41. Self, Collective, Cognition, Emotion, Physical, Spiritual
105
Great are they who see that spiritual is stronger than any
material force, that thoughts rule the world.
Ralph Waldo Emerson
95
Emotons.nfluence.our.ablty.to.see.knowledge.They.act.as.gatekeep-
ers.to.our.neural.network.Logc.cannot.begn.unless.emotons.are.held.
n.balance
Knowledge pace.outruns.our.ablty.to.capture,.hold,.and.analyze.
We.ht.a.scatter.pont.
do we:
Accept.chaos.and.ambguty?.
. or
Desre.to.mantan.control?.(whch.n.turn.requres.more.complex.
structures.of.organzaton)
Figure 42. Scatter Point of Coping
We.exst.n.dmensons.beyond.pure.cognton.We.are.shaped.by.socal.
nteractons.We.are.nfluenced.by.our.emotons,.our.motvatons.We.
requre.transformatve.(sprtual).knowledge.for.novel.recombnatons.
(to.rethnk.and.recast.nformaton).
106
Context.shapes.our.actons,.our.belefs,.our.moralty.Ths.s.not.to.say.
that.t.s.rght.It.just.s.We.are.dfferent.people.at.work,.at.home,.at.a.
ball.game,.wth.parents,.wth.frends,.wth.co-workers
Pascal.has.apparently.stated.that.all of mans problems stem from his
inability to sit in a quiet room alone.
96
.In.a.learnng.sense,.we.have.a.
smlar.challenge.It.seems.that.we.wll.utlze.any.tool.of.dstracton.to.
prevent.a.quetng.of.our.mnds.Save.a.few.mnutes.by.usng.a.search.
engne,.spend.more.tme.searchng.other.resources.Save.tme.by.hav-
ng.technology.manage.part.of.our.knowledge,.mmedately.set.out.to.
experence.even.more.
Learnng.has.a.reflectve.component.Most.people.wll.trust.a.bad.dea.
they.read.n.a.book.sooner.than.a.good.dea.they.arrve.at.through.rea-
sonng.and.reflecton.Our.restlessness.s.a.challenge.to.learnng..
We.rarely.slow.down.enough.to.begn.to.use.our.advanced.thnkng.
sklls.Instead.we.skm.the.surface.of.knowledge,.learnng.to.dstrust..
our.own.ntuton.and.cognton
When.a.learner.sts.down.and.thnks,.she/he.s.engagng.n.a.reflec-
tve.process.Nebulous.thoughts.and.feelngs.are.put.to.words.External.
deas.are.scrutnzed.The.natural.capacty.of.harmonzng.our.emotons.
and.thoughts.wth.deas.and.concepts.s.evokeda.small.cogntve.and.
emotonal.oass.n.the.desert.of.busyness,.and,.I.magne.more.learnng.
occurs.n.only.a.few.mnutes.here.than.hours.anywhere.else
Contentment.wll.not.come.through.knowledge.Knowledge.s.lke.an.
errant.appette.wth.short.sataton.What.s.the.mssng.pece?.Or.s.the.
angst-flled.pursut.of.knowledge.the.nature.of.our.exstence?.
There.s.somethng.rewardng.about.havng.an.deaownng.t,.beng.
recognzed.for.t.Even.when.we.share,.we.attach.dentty.to.what.we.
have.created.In.creatng.knowledge,.we.experence.lfe,.dentty,.hope.
To.contrbute.to.the.publc.space,.to.be.recognzed,.to.be.a.part.of.some-
thng.bggerthese.motvatons.drve.us
We. want. to. belong. We. want. to. be.
a. part. of. the. many,. but. only. f. we.
are. ourselves. We. do. not. want. to.
fade. and. cease. to. exst. as. we. meld.
wth.the.crowd.Our.tools.are.about.
ndvdualzaton. and. personalza-
ton,. but. we. ndvdualze. so. we. are.
a.(unque).part.of.the.crowd.
We. answer. questons. dfferently.
at. dfferent. tmes. because. we. are.
n. dfferent. connecton-formng.
(or. neural. pathway). states. We. stll.
possess. the. same. key. trats. and.
concerns,. but. we. see. the. network.
structure. from. a. dfferent. relatonal.
dmenson.
107
But perhaps more importantly, the focus on utility and conve-
nience distracts us from questions of greater significance. If
our ability to cope with future crises depends upon our reflec-
tive depth, our powers of self-recollection, our inner quiet, our
ability to invest a few words with profundity rather than many
words with shallowness, our sensitivity to the subtle qualities
of things and not merely their superficial logicwell, then, we
have to recognize that the ease with which we commandeer
unrooted and decontextualized information from all sides
can be as much a distractive threat as a ground for hope.
. Steve Talbott
97
Danel.Pnk
98
.suggests..that.we.are.movng.from.an.age.defned.by.
logc.to.an.age.defned.by.creatvty.Creatvty.s.the.ablty.to.see.new
associations between existing ideas or concepts
99
and.to.brng.new.re-
altes.nto.beng.Creatvty.nvolves.the.ablty.to.form,.reform,.create,.
breakdown,.and.rebuld.
The.creatvty.of.chldren.(as.parents.can.attest).comes.from.ther.
wllngness.to.put.thngs.together.and.take.them.apart,.to.blur.contexts.
(does.ths.tem.belong.here.or.there?).and.to.engage.tems.for.what.they.
are.(not.how.they.have.been.defned.n.advance)
Our.organzatonal.actvtes.(whether.nstructng.students,.or.conduct-
ng.a.busness.meetng).are.domnated.by.structure.and.consistency.
Creativity dies in those environments. Creatvty,.as.random.play,.requres.
an.envronment.of.trust
Why.s.creatvty.mportant.today?.The.process.of.creatvty.(connec-
tons,.sense-makng,.creaton,.re-creaton).s.very.much.lke.the.charac-
terstcs.of.knowledge.and.learnng.today.(see.connectvsm,.page.16)
Scientist versus Artist
What is the evidence? s.promnent.queston.when.dscussng.
knowledge.and.learnng.approaches.Evdence.n.ths.case.s.almost.
always.defned.emprcally.(scentfcally).What.s.the.Return.on.Invest-
ment.(ROI)?.Where.s.the.magc.and.beauty?.Are.emprcal.measure-
ments.of.learnng.our.only.opton?
108
It.s.mportant.to.understand.and.measure.(though.measurement.
should.extend.beyond.smple.dollars).the.mpact.of.tranng.and.learn-
ng.Unfortunately,.the.scientists of learning.have.the.domnant.voce.n.
the.learnng.space.The.artsts.are.not.beng.heard.
The.scentsts.role.s.one.of.determnng.best.approaches.to.knowledge.
dscovery,.creaton,.and.dssemnaton.(through.emprcal.research,.
qualtatve.and.quanttatve.analyss).What.s.the.role.of.the.artst.(or.
more.broadly,.creatvty).n.the.learnng.space?.
The.artst.s.the.ndvdual.who.sees.the.magc.n.learnng.They.may.
not.know.exactly.why.somethng.worked.well,.but.can.see.(and.dare..
I.say,.feel?).that.the.learners.are.changng,.growng,.and.developng..
The.artst.of.learnng.sees.beauty.n.the.dalogue,.n.the.nteracton,..
n.the.connectons.formed.between.what.s.known.and.what.s.becom-
ng.known.The.artst.sees.(and.accepts).the.beauty.of.uncertanty.and.
values.learnng.as.both.a.process.and.a.product.In.creatng.a.knowledge.
envronment,.the.artst.splashes.the.magc.of.learnng.across.the.entre.
canvas.of.lfe.Tools.are.used.lke.pant.brushes.to.create.the.desred.
pantng.of.learnng.
We.need.the.voces.of.both.the.scentst.and.the.artst.Nether.one.s.
necessarly.better.than.the.other.In.some.cases,.a.busness.may.requre.
the.metrcs.and.method.of.a.clearly-defned,.scentfc.model.In.other.
cases.(especally.when.pursung.nnovaton.and.creatvty),.they.may.
desre.the.beauty.of.learnng.created.by.the.artst.Both,.held.n.balance.
and.for.the.approprate.task,.are.needed.for.learnng.and.knowledge.
sharng
109
Figure 43. Implications
110
imPliCaTions
Structural/Spatial impact
Society, community, family are all conserving institutions. They
try to maintain stability, and to prevent, or at least to slow down,
change. But the organization of the post-capitalist society of or-
ganizations is a destabilizer. Because its function is to put knowl-
edge to workon tools, processes, and products; on work; on
knowledge itselfit must be organized for constant change.
Peter F. Drucker
100
What.does.t.mean.to.have.technology.tghtly.ntegrated.wth.lfe?.Our.
tools.are.extensons.of.ourselves
101
.We.desre.to.extend.our.competence.
by.creatng.tools.that.cover.our.weaker.attrbutes.What.happens.when..
we.stand.at.the.doorway.to.re-wrng.humanty?.What.happens.when..
we.become.ntegrated.(mplanted).wth.technology?.
What.becomes.of.our.humanness?.We.are.enterng.an.era.where.scence,.
technology,.and.bology.wll.push.at.the.boundares.of.our.conceptons.of.
beng.human.Capacty.to.do.runs.ahead.of.our.understandng.of.mplca-
tons.The.moralty.that.has.shaped.human.knowledge.s.replaced.by.the.
raw.urge.to.KNOW.Pragmatcs.and.possblty.regn.
What are the human costs?
freedOm?
SanITy?
Can.an.entre.speces.retool.tself.as.rapdly.as.new.technology.requres?.
We.are.no.longer.drvng.technology.Technology.s.drvng.our.race..
Our.challenge.exsts.on.a.contnuum.anchored.by.two.pont:.(a).keep up.
or.(b).resist.and.provde.alternatves.Moralty.and.ethcal.dscussons.are.
tralng.behnd.progress.of.scence.and.technology
Tght.human.and.technology.ntegraton.Prophetc.declaratons.of.new.
utopas.New.solutons.New.realtes.To.date.these.have.dsapponted.
Will technology be different?
Technology.smultaneously.permts.ncreased.ndvdual.control.and.
power,.whle.enablng.more.complex.control/survellance.
111
The.nervous.system.carres.pan.and.pleasure.through.the.same.recep-
tors.Decentralzaton.opens.doors.for.centralzaton
Do we have the wisdom to use freedom for freedom?
102
What.s.the.mpact.of.changes.to.knowledge?
overloadofQuantity.. We.can.no.longer.manage.the.quantty.of
knowledge.ourselves.We.cope.by.relyng.on.
networks.of.people.and.technology
. overloadofdiversity.. Knowng.resdes.n.the.collectve.of.many
dfferng,.dverse.vewponts.Ths.requres.
new.sklls.of.nteractng.and.functonng,..
especally.snce.our.schools.are.stll.teachng.
bascs.for.an.era.that.no.longer.exsts
. skillsoutdated.. The.sklls.that.have.served.us.well.for.nav-
gatng.herarchcal,.structured.knowledge.no.
longer.serve.our.needs.We.requre.sensng.
sklls.(to.sense.what.s.happenng,.how.thngs.
are.changng)and.mproved.capacty.to.
respond/react
. dehumanizing.. We.have.yet.to.learn.how.to.be.human.n.ths
space.We.need.to.learn.how.to.communcate.
our.emotons.(empathy,.courtesy).n.vrtual.
spaces.
validation/authenticity. . How.s.authorty.created?.How.do.we.know
who.we.can.trust?.How.do.we.know.an.dea.
has.value?.Is.the.valdaton.of.peers.n.a.
dstrbuted.envronment.as.sgnfcant.as.the.
valdaton.of.knowledge.through.establshed.
models.by.experts?.
. identity.. What.s.happenng.wth.dentty?.How.do.I.
know.you.are.who.you.say.you.are?.thrd-
party.voces.can.speak.nto.the.process;.they.
can.valdate.and.comment.on.our.authorty.
and.dentty
.
112
To.msjudge.the.velocty.and.ferocty.of.change.s.to.rsk.obsolescence.
Today,.more.rapdly.than.any.era,.kngdoms.rse.and.fall.Promnent.
corporatons.experence.compettve.pressures.from.corporatons.n.
prevously.consumer-only.countres.Adaptaton.s.constant
Attemptng.to.do.more.of.what.has.been.done.n.the.past.s.not.the.an-
swer.We.need.to.do.new things in new ways. It.makes.lttle.sense..
to.become.more.effcent.n.thngs.that.serve.yesterdays.model.
Organzatons.are.awakenng.to.a.changed.worldthey.sense.t,.but.the.
language.s.stll.ensconced.n.the.mndset.of.herarchy.and.control.New.
technology.s.stll.appled.n.tradtonal.meanswth.the.ntent.to.man-
age,.control,.and.drect.actvtes.or.outcomes
The.desre.for.centralzaton.s.strong.Organzatons.want.people.to..
access.ther.stes.for.content/nteracton/knowledge.People,.on.the.other.
hand,.already.have.ther.personal.onlne.spaces.As.a.customer,.they..
want.to.experence.your.company.through.ther.medum.As.an.employ-
ee,.they.want.to.experence.your.company.through.ther.larger.dentty.
The.desre.to.control.and.manage.communtes.expresses.the.vew.that.
control.equates.to.better.prospects.of.achevng.ntended.outcomes,.s.
evdent.Communtes.have.tradtonally.been.conceptualzed.to.func-
ton.n.herarchcal.structurespockets.of.nnovaton.(wth.horzontal.
ndustry/ntra-ndustry.connectons).n.structured.envronments.
When.we.try.to.create.communtes.onlne,.we.take.the.same.approach
come.to.our.communty.The.communty.should.come.to.the.user.The.
true.value.n.the.conversatons.s.the.connectons.formed.between.nd-
vduals.Essentially, a community is a connection-forming space.
Most.ndvduals.have.created.a.scattered.dentty.and.presence.I.have.
peces.of.my.thoughts.scattered.across.numerous.artcles,.webste,.pod-
casts,.and.presentatons.I.do.not.really.want.to.jon.a.communty.I.want.
the.connecton.values.of.communtes.to.be.avalable.to.me.n.my.own.
onlne.space.and.presence.
Today,.communtes.are.about.end-user.control.We.stll.acheve.cen-
tralzed.ams.(dalogue.about.learnng.and.technology),.but.we.do.so.
through.decentralzed.means
We.lke.to.make.decsons.on.what.s.knownwhat.s.the.skllset.re-
qured.when.knowledge.moves.too.fast?.We.make.decsons.by.sensng,.
not.by.knowng.n.advance
complexity corrodes clear pathswe.now.hold.thngs.n.suspended.
states.untl.more.s.revealed
113
Do.we.aspre.to.certanty.as.an.end?.How.can.we.functon.when.our.
choces.are.not.based.on.certanty,.but.nstead.on.a.best shot.vew.of.the.
space?
What types of skills do our learners need?
103
. anchoring. Stayng.focused.on.mportant.tasks.whle.
undergong.a.deluge.of.dstractons
. filtering. Managng.knowledge.flow.and.extractng.
. . mportant.elements
connectingwith . . . Buldng.networks.n.order.to.contnue.to
. eachother stay.current.and.nformed
BeingHuman . . . Interactng.at.a.human,.not.only.utltaran,.
. together levelto.form.socal.spaces
creatingand . . . Understandng.mplcatons,.comprehendng.
. derivingmeaning meanng.and.mpact
evaluationand . . . Determnng.the.value.of.knowledge
. authentication and.ensurng.authentcty
alteredProcesses . . . Valdatng.people.and.deas.wthn.
. ofvalidation approprate.context
criticalandcreative . . . Queston.and.dreamng
. thinking
Patternrecognition. Recognzng.patterns.and.trends
. navigateKnowledge. Navgatng.between.repostores,.people,.
. Landscape technology,.and.deas.whle.achevng.
. . ntended.purposes
acceptance . . . Balancng.what.s.known.wth.the.unknown
. ofuncertainty to.see.how.exstng.knowledge.relates.to.what..
. . we.do.not.know
contextualizing . . . Understandng.the.promnence.of.context
. (understanding. seeng.contnuumsensurng.key.contextual.
contextgames). ssues.are.not.overlooked.n.context-games
Nowthatwehaveseenthingsbreakapart,
weneedbetterwaysofputtingthembacktogether.
How.do.we.acheve.larger-scale.socetal.understandngs,.f.we.are.all.creat-
ng.our.personal.structures?.
114
how do we pull the pieces together? We.are.scattered.across.
physcal.and.vrtual.worlds.Our.knowledge.sources.are.global.(and.con-
stant).How.do.we.blend.our.knowledge-seekng.actvtes?.How.much.do.
we.rely.on.technology.to.seek.and.present.knowledge.for.our.use?
We.need.new.sklls.and.tools.We.have.duplcated.the.functonng.of.
physcal.actvtes.n.the.vrtual.space.Our.encyclopedas.and.archves.
mrror.physcal.propertes.of.knowledge.We.need.tools.that.permt.us.to.
step.nto.the.knowledge.stream.and.capture.ponts.of.nterest.for.m-
medate.use.and.future.reference,.and.a.connecton.to.nform.us.f.the.
knowledge.source.tself.has.changed.We.need.the.ablty.to.capture.and.
express.our.knowledge.n.a.manner.that.permts.others.to.see.what.we.
are.all.about.The.capacty.for.shared.understandng.today.does.not.arse.
from.beng.exposed.to.the.same.resources.It arises from being trans-
parent with each other. A.tool.s.requred.that.allows.us.to.manage.our.
dentty.and.share.what.we.wsh.wth.those.we.wsh
The.cogntve.load.of.functonng.wthout.boundares.(networks.or.
frameworks).s.ntense.We.requre.the.sklls.and.a.means.to.make.sense.
n.order.to.keep.up.wth.how.knowledge.flows.today.We.used.to.make.
sense.through.newspapers,.books,.and.journals.How.s.sense-makng.
dfferent.when.t.occurs.through.numerous,.small,.often-unconnected.
experences?
The.greater.the.amount.of.nformaton,.the.more.the.value.pont.shfts.
from.the.nformaton.tself,.and.on.to.structures.that.permt.the.creaton,.
dssemnaton,.valdaton,.access,.co-creaton,.and.use.of.knowledge.(as.
presented.n.Fgure.3)

115
Figure 44. Designing
116
designing
Businesses are themselves
a form of design. The design of a business
encompasses its strategy, organizational structure,
management processes, culture, and a host of other factors.
Business designs evolve over time through a process of
differentiation, selection, and amplification, with the market
as the ultimate arbi ter of fitnessthe three-way co-
evolution of physical technologies, social technologies, and
business designsaccounts for the patterns of change and
growth we see in the economy.
Eric Beinhocker
104
How.should.we.desgn.our.organzatons.to.algn.wth.the.changed.
context.and.characterstcs.of.knowledge?
The.designoforganizationsshould.permt.the.creaton.and.dstrbuton.
of.value.In.the.ndustral.era,.value.was.defned.by.the.transport.of.raw.
goods.to.factores,.whch.created.the.fnal.products.Organzatons.were.
created.to.permt.effectve.flow.of.goods.As.physcal.enttes,.herarchy.
permtted.optmal.flow.and.plannng.Knowledge,.todays.value.pont,.
requres.we.sutably.redesgn.our.organzatons.We.need.to.permt.ef-
fectve.flow.and.utlzaton.of.knowledge
When.we.focus.on.desgnng.ecologes.n.whch.people.can.forage.for.
knowledge,.we.are.less.concerned.about.communcatng.the.mnutae.
of.changng.knowledge.Instead,.we.are.creatng.the.condut.through.
whch.knowledge.wll.flow.What.s.the.dfference.between.our.current.
organzatonal.desgns.and.networks.and.ecologes?.
We.have.desgned.our.corporatons.for.stablty.Plannng.cycles,.bud-
getng,.strategc.goals,.msson.statementsall.operate.from.an.assump-
ton.of.knowledge.as.a.stable.entty.
Our.organzatons.should.not.be.stable.They.should.be.adaptable
105

117
able.to.react.and.respond.to.core.changes.n.a.feld.or.socety.They.
should.change.and.morph.as.requred.An.ecology.s.dynamc,.rch,.and.
contnually.evolvng.The.entre.system.reacts.to.changesnternal.or.
external.
Functonng.at.ths.level.requres.adherence.to.the.followng.prncples:
. transparency. . . . Decson.processes.need.to.be.clear.and.detaled,.
allowng.others.to.jon.n.the.conversaton.Have.
open.conversatons.Allow.crtcsm,.but.answer.
honestly
. diversity. . . . Opnons.and.vewponts.from.broad.perspectves.
need.to.be.avalable.Gan.enough.nformaton.to.
see.as.much.of.the.pcture.as.possble
distribution. . . . Decson.makng.happens.across.the.network.
. ofdecisions Let.nodes.n.the.know.make.decsons.that.mpact.
ther.functonng.Brng.decson.makng.as.close.
to.the.pont.of.mpact.as.possble.If.front-lne.
staff.wll.be.mpacted.by.a.polcy,.nvolve.them
. suspend. . . . Knowledge.s.able.to.present.tself.as.s,.rather.
. Knowledge than.forcng.nto.pre-formed.contaners.
. Hardening Resst.the.urge.to.classfy.prematurely.or.to.
approach.new.knowledge.exclusvely.through.
exstng.contaners.of.knowng
What.does.a.corporate.or.organzatonal.ecology.and.network.structure.
look.lke?.It.balances.content.wth.context.and.conduts.Instead.of.seek-
ng.to.make.decsons.based.on.what.s.known.wth.certanty,.decsons.
are.made.much.lke.a.dagnoss.or.therapy.What.s.currently.known.
drves.decson.makng,.but.the.decsons.are.lke.hypotheses..
The.capacty.for.core.condtons.to.change,.thereby.alterng.the.valdty..
of.the.decson,.drves.awareness
The.ecology.fosters.connectons.to.orgnal.and.knowledge.sources,.
allowng.for.currency.(up-to-date).The.ecology.fosters.rch.nteracton.
between.dsparate.felds.of.knowledge,.allowng.growth.and.adaptaton.
of.deas.and.concepts.(the edge)..Each.partcpant.n.the.ecology.pursues.
hs/her.own.objectves,.but.wthn.the.organzed.doman.of.the.knowl-
edge.of.a.partcular.feld.After.all,.some.form.of.learner.competence.
should.emerge.as.a.result.of.exstng.n.the.ecology.
118
nodes.(content.and.people).and.connections.are.the.basc.elements.
of.a.network.An.ecology.should.permt.these.networks.to.develop.and.
floursh.wthout.hndrance
Decsons.are.made.n.a.transparent.manner,.where.knowledge.s.consd-
ered.based.on:
1. type:to.know,.to.do,.to.be,.to.know.where,.to.transform.(see.Fg.5)
2. domain:.physcal,.socal,.emotonal,.sprtual.(see.Fg.6)
3. State:.contnuum.of.hardsoft.(see.Fg.8)
Once.ascertaned,.the.dalogue.and.debate.surroundng.the.concern.
should.be.open.and.transparent,.seekng.to.nclude.varous,.dverse.
vewponts.A.feedback.loop.needs.to.be.ncluded.to.allow.for.ongong.
dalogue.after.a.task.has.been.ntated.
Many hands create a vision. Many hands monitor the vision.
notHingisaLLeach.for.a.proper.concept.and.proper.mplementaton.
When.we.let.go.of.solutons.n.advance,.and.nstead.embrace.a.therapy.
vew.of.functonng,.we.dscover.that.many.of.the.problems.we.encounter.
are.solved.smply.by.seekng.to.understand.When.we.understand.our.
solutons,.but.not.the.problem,.we.often.ntensfy.the.stuaton.Most.of.
our.problem-solvng.s.more.about.enactng.a.pre-confgured.soluton.
We.are.more.about.applyng.solutons.than.attendng.to.the.nature.of.the.
concern.before.us.
In.ths.envronment.of.chaos.and.shftng.core.elements.(note.the.chang-
ng.felds.of.meda,.musc,.and.news),.what.we.know.(usually.thought.
of.as.possesson.of.content-based.knowledge).s.replaced.wth.how.we.
contnue.to.stay.current.and.nformed
engagetHesituation..What.s.t?.How.does.t.relate.to.the.tools.we.
have.based.on.our.experence?.Where.do.our.prescrbed.solutons.fal?.
How.do.we.engage.wthout.forcng.the.stuaton.nto.our.solutons.and.
methods?.How.do.we.enable.the.stuaton.to.teach.us?
Many.organzatons.do.not.focus.on.the.value.of.nformal.learnng
106.
Even.companes.who.are.advanced.n.ths.area.often.do.lttle.more.than.
provde.software.for.communtes,.and.try.and.access.the.tact.knowledge.
of.others.n.the.organzaton
When.we.have.a.knowledge.need,.we.often.assume.that.the.soluton.wll.
be.found.n.takng.a.formal.course,.but.most.of.our.learnng.s.self-orga-
nzed,.not.organzed.by.a.desgner.The.most.sgnfcant.sklls.we.possess.
are.acqured.through.tral,.error,.and.expermentaton.
119
We.learn.foundatonal.elements.through.coursesbut.we.nnovate.
through.our.own.learnng
Informallearningistooimportanttoleavetochance.
Why.do.we.not.have.theores.that.provde.gudelnes.to.desgnng.n.
these.envronments?.Or.s.the.noton.of.nformal.learnng.too.vague..
(free.sprted?).and.applyng.ncreased.desgn.s.an.effort.n.futlty?
Perhaps.the.challenge.wth.nformal.learnng.s.the.many.dfferent.
approaches.a.learner.mght.take.(how.can.we.plan.and.desgn.for.t?).
Perhaps.even.our.noton.of.desgn.s.worth.rethnkngdo.we.desgn.
learnng?.Or.do.we.desgn.envronments.n.whch.motvated.learners.
can.acqure.what.they.need?.Yet.f.we.cannot.mpose.some.type.of.order.
on.the.process,.s.t.really.desgn?.Wll.corporatons.nvest.n.a.learnng.
theory.that.s.not.strongly.ted.to.strategc.goals?
Learnng.s.usually.vewed.as.somethng.that.happens.to.a.person..
A.person.learns.how.to.solve.a.physcs.problem,.how.to.skate,.or.how.to.
communcate.The.assumpton.s.that.we.are.farly.autonomous.bengs,.
and.that.we.can.acqure.wthn.ourselves.what.we.need.to.know.to.do.
the.thngs.we.want.to.do.Ths.model.works.well.n.areas.where.one.can.
know.everythng.wthn.a.feld.of.knowledge.The.model.breaks.apart.as.
complexty.and.abundance.of.knowledge.ncreases.For.many,.ths.s.a.
very.real.problem.today.It.feels.that.we.smply.can.not.stay.on.top.of.our.
own.felds.Forget.tryng.to.stay.aware.of.occurrences.n.other.felds.How.
do.we.learn.n.such.an.envronment?.
aBundance=dysfunctionaLity.n.a.slo.learnng.model.Supermans
Learning Theorythe.noton.that.I.can.know.n.myself.what.I.need.to.
knows.obsolete.today.
Why?.Desgnng.learnng.s.a.smple.example.No.one.person.can.be.
subject.matter.expert,.nstructonal.desgner,.meda.specalst,.and.
graphc.desgner.It.takes.a.combnaton.of.specalzed.sklls.(connected.
specalzaton).Take.that.concept.to.more.complex.felds.lke.medcne,.
astronomy,.physcs,.or.launchng.a.space.shuttle.It.mmedately.becomes.
obvous.that.we.need.to.create.a.network.to.hold.the.ponts.of.knowledge.
Our.knowledge.resdes.n.a.network-model.The.very.act.of.cognton.has.
socal.dmensons.that.exst.outsde.the.skull.of.an.ndvdual
107
.Cogn-
tve.processng.may.be.somethng.whose.functonng.cuts.across.the.su-
perfcal.physcal.boundares.between.bran,.body,.and.envronment
108
The.aggregaton.of.network.nodes.s.the.learnng.structure.If.any.crtcal.
nodes.are.removed.from.a.learnng.network,.the.entre.organsm.loses.
effectveness.
120
Learnng.s.evolutonary.It.s.not.an.event.or.end.goal.Learnng.s.a.
process.Our.personal.network.s.contnually.beng.augmented.and.en-
hanced.by.new.nodes.and.connectons
Figure 45. Distributed Knowledge Representation
We are all something, but none of us are everything.
Blaise Pascal
109
We.can.not.stand.alone.on.our.own.knowledge.We.have.to.aggregate.
wth.other.nodes.(people,.content,.knowledge).n.order.to.meet.the.
challenges.of.a.complex.nformaton.clmate.Unfortunately,.educaton.
(K-12,.hgher,.and.corporate).s.bult.on.the.model.that.we.can.ft.what.
s.mportant.nto.one.persons.head.The.network.becomes.valuable.once.
we.combne.and.connect.separate.nodes.of.knowledge
The micro model of.how.our.bran.creates.connectons.s.represented.
by.the macro model.of.how.we.create.personal.learnng.networks.wth.
others
KnoWledge reFlexivity.s.a.means.of.ensurng.that.as.the.orgnal.
knowledge.source.changes,.we.have.a.connecton.whch.ensures.we.
reman.current
110
121
The.way.most.learnng.s.desgned.today.makes.ths.very.mpractcal.
The.ssue.stems.from.the.left.over.remnants.of.learnng.desgn.from.a.
socety.and.era.of.greater.stablty.But.realty.has.changed.for.learners..
If.we.take.a.course,.we.should.have.some.level.of.reflexvty.for.some.
perod.of.tme.
Rather.than.requrng.an.employee.to.contnually.access.a.resource.to.
determne.f.t.has.changed,.an.aggregator.(pullng.knowledge.nto.our.
spaces)
111
.automatcally.performs.the.functon.It.s.a.tme-savng.pro-
cess,.but.more.mportantly,.ensures.that.the.ndvdual.remans.current.
and.aware.on.a.partcular.subject
Figure 46. Current Knowledge
Rather.than.beng.excted.that.we.can.partcpate.n.the.rch,.dverse.
world.of.dfferng.perspectves.and.opnons,.we.pull.back.because.we.do.
not.know.It.s.not.that.we.fear.the.state.of.not.knowng.We.fear.others.
seeng.that.we.do.not.know.How.do.we.teach.learners.to.accept.(and.
value).not.knowng?.
From.an.early.age,.we.vew.not.knowng.as.a.short.comng,.rather.than.
a.revelaton.Perhaps.t.s.n.our.nature.to.desre.to.bansh.the.uncomfort-
able.feelngs.of.not.knowng.somethng.
122
We.lke.clear,.black.and.whte,.always.true.answers.We.need.to.step.
outsde.of.the.destnaton.vew.of.learnng.and.embrace.the.journey.
vew.In.many.stuatons.the.answers.do.not.exstor.they.exst,.but.the.
context.changes.so.rapdly.that.we.need.to.contnually.evaluate.what.we.
know.and.how.t.apples.to.what.s.happenng.around.us.
It.s.okay.to.not.know.It.s.healthy.to.accept.confuson.as.part.of.the.
learnng.and.knowledge.processes.The.presence.of.certanty.s.not.the.
am.of.knowledge.We.often.learn.most.through.confuson.It.s.at.the.
pont.of.confuson.that.are.we.actvely.tryng.to.create.connectons.
between.varyng.vewponts.and.perspectves.We.thnk.crtcally.of.new.
knowledge;.we.seek.to.buld.a.neural.network.that.represents.the.phys-
cal/conceptual.elements.we.are.encounterngwhle.contrastng.those.
elements.wth.prevous.experences.and.establshed.conceptons
.
123
Figure 47. Implementing
124
ImplementIng
A little knowledge that acts is worth infinitely more than
much knowledge that is idle. Kahlil Gibran
112
It.s.not.not.knowng.that.s.the.problem.It.s.the.lack.of.dong..
Dong.s.a.form.of.knowng
the great end of life is not knowledge but action. t.H. Huxley
113
The.pragmatcs.of.mplementaton.s.mportant.n.our.socety.today.
The.days.of.academc.theorzng.no.longer.exst.outsde.of.mplemen-
taton.The.work.of.the.philosopher.gave.way.to.the.scientist.The.
work.of.the.scientist.s.gvng.way.to.the.dOer
Our.challenge.les.n.focusng.our.nsghts.Dstracton.from.what.s.
mportant.s.a.contnual.obstacle.
The.quantty.of.knowledge.overwhelms.wsdom.Choces,.choces,.
choces.Knowng.what.n.the.knowledge.stream.s.mportant.and.
what.wll.be.mportant.tomorrow.s.a.monumental.challenge.It.can.be.
a.paralytc.experence.to.step.nto.the.knowledge.stream
pattern recognition is the new critical skill We.need.tools.to.
socalze.around.knowledge.We.need.tools.to.store.contextualzed.
knowledge.We.need.tools.to.retreve.knowledge.when.needed.(and.n.
other.cases,.to.brng.t.to.our.attenton.when.we.do.not.know.that.t.s.
needed).We.requre.the.sklls.of.a.masterwhere.one.look.can.reveal.
nsghts,.patterns,.and.opportuntes.not.avalable.to.those.new.to.the.
feld
The.pattern.reveals.the.value.of.knowledge.The.pattern.helps.to.gude.
elements.requred.for.future.use.Pattern.recognton.s.a.skll.reserved.
for.those.wth.a.strong.base.n.a.feld.or.dscplne
We.are.stll.learnng.how.to.be.human.n.ths.envronment.We.do.not.
yet.fully.understand.how.to.manage,.navgate,.and.create.connectons.
We.have.spent.our.hstory.dalogung.and.communcatng.n.prmar-
ly.physcal.means.
What.do.we.need.to.do.n.order.to.communcate.n.vrtual.spaces?.
How.do.we.become.human.n.ths.sphere?
K
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125
Lack of structure s.a.consstent.concern.for.partcpants.n.ths.space.
We.want.to.control,.often.forgettng.that.the.new.space.s.for.conversa-
ton.and.connectons
We.spend.most.of.our.tme.n.debate/dalogue.defnng.the.space.of.the.
conversaton,.not.the.content.Creatng.the.space.determnes.the.adms-
sble.content
Knowingisnotenough;wemustapply.
Willingisnotenough;wemustdo.
JohannWolfgangvonGoethe
114
Value s.n.the.ablty.to.create.new.connectons.based.on.exstng.and.
changng.envronments
We.can.no.longer.create.certanty.Instead,.we.create.patterns,.reflectve.
of.a.partcular.pont.n.tme,.then.we.act,.but.we.must.reman.connected.
to.the.orgnal.source.n.order.to.stay.current.(and.we.should.actually.
feed.back.nto.the.orgnal.source.so.that.both.learn)
Figure 48. Pattern Recognition
tounderstandistoperceivepatterns.IsaiahBerlin
115
126
feedBaCK s.the.key.element.n.all.healthy.systems.The.absence.of.
feedback.results.n.a.lack.of.potental.to.adjust,.acclmate,.and.adapt
The.addton.of.feedback.allows.the.nstructor.to.measure.student.prog-
ress,.the.organzaton.to.understand.customer.concerns,.and.management.
to.understand.employee.needs.When.appled.to.knowledge,.t.results.n.
the.progressve,.spral-lke.development.of.creaton.and.co-creaton.
Figure 49. Knowledge Feedback

Organizations thrive on routine and the status quo. Profession-
als in organizations rely on the established systems in order to
carry out their jobs with minimal resistance and stress. As a re-
sult, most people in companies today have not challenged
themselves to learn something really different for a long time.

Daniel Goleman
116
127
Change forces Change. The.external.pressure.on.envronment.and.
characterstcs.of.knowledge.requres.new.processes.and.models.To.
ths.end,.ecologes.and.networks.have.been.presented.as.new.spaces.and.
structures.But.change.s.only.valuable.when.t.can.be.absorbed.by.an.
organsm.Attemptng.too.rapd.a.change.process,.whle.not.preparng..
the.organzaton.to.adapt.and.cope.n.the.new.envronment,.s.a.setup..
for.dsaster
As.presented.through.context-games.and.connectvsm,.the.entre.space.
of.knowledge.must.be.consdered.based.on.the.pressures.that.nform.and.
mpact.the.whole.structure.Isolatonst.or.monochromatc.vews.fal.to.
unearth.hdden.concerns.or.potentally.negatve.factors.for.organzatons.
Movng.forward.wthout.accurately.assessng.the.landscape.may.result.
n.future.falure.Movng.forward.whle.assumng.the.landscape.has.not.
changed.(falng.to.buld.n.reflexvty).presents.smlar.prospects
Traditional industrial corporations concentrate power in top
management; yet many of the most successful corporations in
recent years have implemented radical changes in governance
systems...self-contained global enterprises, owning every part
of the value chain from raw materials to retail, are giving way
to networked organizations; enterprises that operate at high
speeds.
Senge et al.
117
.Attackng.the.problem.(or.opportunty).of.organzatonal.change.wth.
pre-planned.solutons.s.nsuffcent.Ths.s.deeper.than.hrng.a.consul-
tant.Our.change.plan.needs.to.account.for.changes.that.occur.as.we.be-
gn.to.ntate.change.The.organzaton.may.be.a.very.dfferent.structure.
md-way.through.a.change.ntatve.Adapt.and.react.as.changes.occur.
To.pre-plan.too.far.s.to.fal
An.ntegrated,.holstc.understandng.of.the.organzatons.functonng.
s.requred.How.does.knowledge.flow?.What.types.of.knowledge.do.we.
encounter?.How.do.we.meet.our.goals?.How.can.we.decentralze.our.
communcaton?.How.can.we.open.the.doors.of.percepton.to.enable.an.
understandng.of.our.deep.belefs.(where.we.assume.we.are.debatng.a.
concept.on.the.surface,.but.are.really.battlng.deeper.deologesforcng.
the.ssues.nto.establshed.structures.of.understandng.and.belef)?
128
How.do.we.attend.to.the.growng.development.from.fxed.answers.to.a.
robust,.context-senstve.focus.of.each.stuaton?.Some.questons.have.
rght.answers.Others.have.answers.that.reshape.the.queston.as.t.s.
beng.answered.The.concept.beng.consdered.morphs.as.we.come.to.
know.t.and.the.envronment.(context).n.whch.t.exsts,.also.changes
The arts of doing and knowing, the valuation and the understand-
ing of meaning, are thus seen to be only different aspects of extend-
ing our person into the subsidiary awareness of particulars which
compose a whole.
. Michael Polanyi
118
Practcal.mplementaton.of.the.concepts.addressed.n.ths.book.re-
qures.a.mult-faceted.approach.The.most.effectve.approach.s.one.
whch.s.adaptve.and.malleable,.and.holstc.n.scope
thenextseveralpagesexploresafive-domainimplementationmodel
(eachwithmultiplestages)andnumerousimpactingfactors.
Ths.model.s.ntended.for.system-
wde. applcaton. to. corporate. and.
educatonal. spaces. and. structures.
Connectvsm. mplementaton.
begns. wth. creaton. of. new. orga-
nzatonal. structures. New. orga-
nzatonal. structures. then. drect.
or. allow. for. new. affordances. (see.
Fgure. 28). The. combnaton. of.
new. spaces. and. structures. and. af-
fordances. permt. the. mplementa-
ton. of. connectvst. approaches. to.
learnng. and. knowledge. flow. n.
learnng,.communcatng,.collabo-
ratng,. marketng,. and. other. orga-
nzatonal.actvtes.
The. concepts. expressed. n. ths.
book. can. certanly. be. mplement-
ed. outsde. of. the. nvolved. process.
on.the.followng.pages.As.present-
ed.throughout.the.textthe.capac-
ty.for.small.scale,.end-user.drven.
actvtes. are. drvng. much. of. our.
socetal. change. Implementaton.
can. occur. on. a. small. scale,. wthn.
ndvdual. classrooms,. depart-
ments,. or. busness. unts. A. sub-
stantal. challenge. exsts,. as. I. have.
argued,. wth. the. structures. of. our.
organzatonswhch. are. smply.
not.conducve.to.the.changed.char-
acterstcs. and. context. of. knowl-
edge. today. Optmal. knowledge.
sharng. wthn. an. organzaton,.
and. greater. capacty. for. ndvdu-
als. to. learn,. requres. a. large-scale.
redesgn.of.the.system.tself.
Tnkerng. around. the. edges,. n.
constant. conflct. wth. the. balance.
of.the.organzaton,.s.a.taxng.and.
frustratng. process. For. these. rea-
sons,. I. have. chosen. to. present. a.
wde-scale.mplementaton.of.con-
nectvsm,. nstead. of. smaller-scale.
vews
129
Figure 50: Connectivsim Development Cycle
Fgure.50.presents.the.elements.of.the.connectivism implementation cycle,.
wth.subsequent.mages.provdng.a.detaled.exploraton.of.components
130
The.COnneCTIVISm deVeLOPmenT CyCLe (CdC).ncludes.the.
followng.dOmaInS (aeaSI):
1 . . . . analysisandvalidation
2 . . . . ecologyandnetworkdesignandfostering
3 . . . . adaptivelearningandknowledgecycle
4 . . . . systemreviewandevaluation
5 . . . . Impactingfactors
domain 1:
analySiS and validation
Analyss.and.valdaton.nvolves.an.organzatonal.(or.departmental).re-
vew.of.exstng.knowledge.processes,.habts,.and.employee.competence.
The.ntal.analyss.may.nclude.a.broad-scale.organzatonal.analyss,.
as.well.as.a.locally-focused.socal.network.analyss.The.analyss.s.then.
presented.to.a.broad.base.of.stakeholders.(managers,.employees,.cus-
tomers).to.determne.how.accurately.the.analyss.reflects.the.vews.of.
those.who.experence.the.organzaton.n.dfferent.ways
Organzatonal.knowledge.s.profled.accordng.to.doman,.type,.and.
state.(see.Fgures.4,.5,.and.8).Exstng.knowledge.habts.are.contrasted.
wth.the.manner.n.whch.knowledge.should.move.through.the.organ-
zaton.(based.on.ts.characterstcs)
131
Figure 51.
Analysis and Validation
132
domain 2:
netWorK and ecology deSign
The.next.stage.of.mplementaton.nvolves.the.desgn.and.fosterng.of.
ecologes.and.networks.The.creaton.of.an.ecology.(see.Fgure.18).per-
mts.a.broad-scale.mplementaton.of.dfferng.knowledge.and.learnng.
experences,.permttng.employees.to.acheve.knowledge-based.needs.n.
a.mult-faceted.manner.(through.learnng.model),.multple.ways.(just-
n-tme,.course-basedsee.Fgure.17),.and.through.multple.devces.
(computer,.moble.devce,.classroom).
The.four-stage.process.of.desgn,.develop,.plot,.and.deploy.ensures.that.
multple.factors.and.concerns.are.attended.n.advance.of.the.learnng.
gong.lve
Learnng.networks,.however,.cannot.be.created.n.the.same.manner.
as.an.ecology.A.network.s.a.structure.that.ndvduals.create.on-
ther-own.Networks.are.external.(nodes.of.nformaton),.and.they.are.
nternal.(how.we.represent.knowledge).An.organzaton.can.create.a.
detaled.external.network.(ensurng.access.to.needed.nformaton),.but.
the.nternal.networks.must.be.fostered.and.guded
Ths.doman.can.be.mplemented.by.traners.or.educators.wthn.classes.
or.courses.Whle.much.of.the.connectvsm.development.model.(CDM).
s.geared.for.creatng.systemc.change.(wthn.a.department.or.an.entre.
organzaton),.ndvduals.can.mplement.the.second.doman.wthn.
teachng,.learnng,.or.knowledge-sharng.envronments.
133
Figure 52. Ecology and Network Design
134
domain 3:
adaptive KnoWledge and learning cycle
After.knowledge.resources,.ecologes,.and.networks.have.been.devel-
oped.(roughly.shaped.and.hopefully.co-created),.each.ndvdual.n.the.
organzaton.should.create.a.personal.knowledge.plan.to.hghlght.the.
nature.of.the.knowledge.wth.whch.they.work.Ths.knowledge.plan.
s.not.a.rgd.document,.but.more.of.a.therapeutc.evaluaton.of.the.
factors.mpactng.knowledge.for.the.ndvdual.The.organzaton.needs.
to.provde.an.envronment.that.wll.nurture.the.ecology.and.network.
formaton.actvtes.for.each.employee.(connected,.obvously,.to.ther.
personal.knowledge.plan).
In.the.doman.of.adaptve.learnng,.organzatons.assst.n.buldng.the.
skll-sets.of.employees.so.they.are.able.to.functon.n.ths.new.envron-
ment.(dgtal,.network,.and.ecologcal.lteracy.are.mportant.sklls.to.
develop.and.foster)
Many.spaces.for.knowledge.sharngwhether.dgtal.or.physcalsuf-
fer.from.lack.of.adopton.To.foster.adoptonand.utlzatonof.
ecologes.and.networks,.organzatons.need.to.embed.desred.actvtes.
wthn.organzatonal.actvtes.Seven.crtcal.elements.are.requred.n.
healthy.knowledge.and.learnng.ecologes:..
. PurPose . . .Why.does.the.space.exst?
What.problem.s.t.ntended.to.solve?..
Or.what.deal.state.s.t.ntended.to.create?
. idenTiTy . . .Can.each.member.create.and.control.ther.
own.dentty?.Do.ndvduals.stay.ndvdual.or.
do.they.blend.wth.the.group.(slencng.unque.
contrbutons)?
. relevanCe . . .Do.members.of.the.knowledge.space.see.the.
value.of.nvolvement.n.ther.daly.work.or.lfe?.
Does.the.purpose.of.the.ecology.algn.wth.ther.
current.nterests,.challenges,.and.opportuntes?
.ease of use & . . .Is.the.space.easy.to.use.for.people.who.smply.
. inTegraTion want.to.connect.wth.others,.learn,.and.share.
knowledge?.Are.actvtes.wthn.the.ecology.
ntegrated.wth.regular.work.habts.(access.on.
a.moble.devce,.or.help.con.on.the.desktop,.or.
socalzaton.bult.nto.exstng.nstant.messagng.
habts)?
135
soCial . . .Does.the.ecology.allow.ndvduals.to.form
relatonshps.wth.others?.Are.denttes.dscover-
able.(are.partcpants.able.to.fnd.others.of.smlar.
nterests.or.workchallenges)?
life & aCTiviTy . . .Does.the.ecology.possess.lfe?.Is.new.knowledge.
explored,.shared,.expressed?.Are.new.resources.or.
functonalty.added?.Do.thngs.change?
diversiTy . . .Does.the.ecology.provde.access.to.dverse.vew-
ponts,.opnons,.and.perspectves?.Are.ndvdu-
als.able.to.express.ther.opnons.honestly?.Are.
frnge.deas.consdered.and.valued?
Figure 53. Adaptive Learning and
Knowledge Cycle
136
domain 4:
SyStemS & patternS
revieW and evaluation
Ongong.assessment.and.evaluaton.s.requred,.as.the.organzaton.
adapts.and.adjusts.knowledge.approaches.to.reflect.ongong.and.core.
changes.evaluation.falls.nto.broad.categores:.
1. theeffectivenessoftheecologyn.achevng.ntended.outcomes.
(nnovaton,.ncreased.customer.servce,.ncreased.knowledge.shar-
ng,.qualty.of.learnng),.and.
2. returnoninvestment(reduced.expenses,.ncreased.revenue,..
ncreased.personal.effectveness.of.members.nvolved.n.the.ecology,.
organzatonal.capacty.to.meet.new.challenges,.organzatonal.abl-
ty.for.adaptaton.and.transformaton).
The.feedback.generated.through.assessment.and.evaluaton.s.used..
to.revse.and.adjust.the.knowledge.and.learnng.ecology.wthn.the..
organzaton
137
Figure 54. Systems Review and Evaluation
138
domain 5:
impacting FactorS
The.knowledge.and.learnng.development.cycle.s.nfluenced.by.many.
factors.whch.requre.consderaton.pror.to,.and.durng.desgn
These.factors.nclude:
. time.avalable.for.development
. Budget.for.development.and.deployment
. intent.of.learnng.(solve.an.organzatonal.challenge,..
. buld.learner.capacty.for.self-learnng,.nnovaton)
. technology.avalablty.of.end-users,.and
. competence.of.staff.members.to.use.new.technology
The.domains of learning (transmsson,.acquston,.emergence,.ac-
creton,.see.Fgure.17).and.the.attributes of learners.are.mportant.
consderatons.at.ths.stage.If.the.learnng.s.ntended.to.ncrease.
employee.ablty.to.nnovate,.but.s.delvered.through.structured.models.
(course-based),.the.needed.knowledge.may.not.be.readly.encountered.
or.acqured.A.better.model.would.be.to.focus.on.a.combnaton.of.
accreton.and.emergence.learnngenablng.employees.to.experence.
needed.knowledge.at.a.meta-cogntve.level.and.through.the.course.of.
ther.daly.work.actvtes.In.order.to.be.of.greatest.value,.the.requred.
knowledge.must.be.matched.wth.the.approprate.learnng.process.or.
method
139
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e

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.

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Figure 55. Impacting Factors (Learning and Knowledge Design)
140
The final set of impacting factors relates.to.broader.organzatonal.
functonng.These.nclude:..
. .Tools Utilized .Readiness .Change Management
.Guiding Principles & Concepts.
Tools Utilized.refers.to.analyss,.evaluaton,.and.ROI.metrcs.These.
nclude.matrces.and.analyss.tools.(to.determne.organzatonal.clmate,.
perceved.need.for.change,.confdence.n.leadershp,.trust.among.ndvdu-
als,.and.other.factors.that.create.the.clmate.and.may.nfluence.the.success.
of.a.knowledge.ecology).Increasngly,.socal.network.analyss
119.
.s.utlzed.
to.provde.organzatons.wth.an.overvew.wth.how.knowledge.flows.
through.the.enterprse
Tools.essentally.facltate.the.gatherng.of.approprate.nformaton.repre-
sentng.the.current.realty.The.tems.assessed.must.be.relevant.(contextu-
ally.approprate).to.the.exstng.ecology,.ntended.outcome.of.a.healthy.
ecology.(learnng.focus),.and..esred.future.state
Readiness.addresses.the.potental.for.change.wthn.a.department,.school,.
unversty,.or.corporaton.If.employees.do.not.feel.change.s.requred,.or.
f.they.recognze.the.need.for.change.but.lack.confdence.n.meetng.those.
needs,.most.attempts.for.change.wll.fal.In.an.deal.clmate,.ndvduals.
must.see.the.value.of.change,.see.ther.own.role.n.the.process,.be.wllng.to.
adopt.new.approaches,.and.possess.the.competence.to.move.forward.wth.
change
Change Management addresses.the.process.and.challenge.of.movng.to.
new.methods.(namely.nteractng.wthn.an.ecology.and.creatng.networks.
for.knowledge.dsperson).Once.an.accurate.mage.of.current.barrers.(and.
opportuntes).for.change.management.have.been.explored,.a.marketing.
process.s.adopted.to.ensure.mnd.share.and.general.understandng.of.the.
role.and.value.of.knowledge.sharng.and.partcpaton.n.the.ecology
The.adopton.of.an.ecologcal.approach.to.learnng.and.knowledge.(shar-
ng,.dssemnaton,.or.creaton).s.guded.by.several.key.concepts:
1. holistic:..Dversely.representng.the.stuaton,.allowng.multple.per-
spectves.and.vews
2. adaptive:..Able.to.adjust.and.change.as.the.envronment.changes.
3. linked..to.exstng.habts,.actvtes,.process,.and.tools
4. results focused:..Ensurng.that.the.ecology.(whch.wll.be.messy.and.
chaotc).acheves.ntended.targets.or.desred.outcomes.As.mentoned.
earler,.our.challenge.today.s.to.acheve.clear.ams.through.decentral-
zed.means
141
Figure 56. Impacting Factors: Implementation
142
Figure 57.
Continuing the Conversation
143
Continuing . . .
The ConversaTion
The.challenge.for.organzatonal.change.does.not.rest.n.technology,.or.
creatng.complex.mplementatons.We.need.a.vson.for.organzatonal.
desgn.that.algns.wth.the.changed.context.and.characterstcs.of.knowl-
edge.Our.organzatonal.spaces.and.structures.have.been.desgned.to.
serve.an.era.that.no.longer.exsts.Knowledge,.unlke.physcal.products,..
s.not.subject.to.paucty.Innovaton.and.contnued.development.requres.
effectve.flow.of.knowledge.throughout.an.organzaton.Instead.of.pre-
servng.(or.hoardng),.sharng,.and.connectng.create.value
We.have.to.unlearn.what.no.longer.serves.us.wellto.jettson.the.mnd-
sets.formed.by.exstng.n.only.physcal.worlds.We.also.have.to.learn..
new.models,.new.concepts,.and.new.vsons.for.what.s.possble.We.are.
stll.usng.our.tools.to.serve.our.old.tasks.We.should.be.about.entrely.
new.tasks
but.the.way.forward.s.not.to.delve.nto.our.toolkt.of.exstng.solu-.
tons.and.applyng.them.to.problems.takng.a.known.shape.We.must.walk.
forward.wth.an.adaptve.mndsetrecognzng.pattern.changes..
and.adjustng.as.the.envronment.tself.adjusts
We.walk.a.balance.between.bendng.knowledge.to.serve.our.organzaton-
al.needs.and.permttng.knowledge.to.emerge.(then.actng.on.the.patterns.
created.by.the.emergence.of.knowledge).As.I.have.tred.to.communcate.
throughout.ths.book,.no.sngle.soluton.and.approach.wll.always.be.
rght.Our.actons.should.be.based.on.a.complete.understandng.of.the.
stuaton.before.us,.not.only.on.an.understandng.of.our.kt.of.templated.
solutons.The.focus.must.shft.from.what.we.know.to.what.the.patterns.
are.as.created.by.the.contnual.process.of.developng.knowledge
The.changes.dscussed.n.ths.book.do.not.apply.exclusvely.to.onlne.or.
technology-enabled.envronments.A.reorderng.of.our.physcal.spaces.
wthn.organzatons.and.schools.s.requred.Whether.onlne,.or.n.phys-
cal.spaces.and.structures,.the.capacty.for.effectve.knowledge.flow,.opt-
mal.opportuntes.for.connecton,.recombnaton,.and.re-creaton.s.vtal
We.want.to.belong.We.want.to.acheve.We.want.to.pull.back.the.curtan.
of.the.unknown.But.we.are.people.We.are.nsecure.We.doubt.ourselves.
Socal.groups.have.power.because.they.cover.our.ndvdual.weaknesses.
144

Knowledge is functioning according to new characteristics in a
changed environment and context..It.forms.rapdly,.dsperses.quckly.
It.s.chaotc,.messy.It.s.shaped.by.many.hands.What.shall.our.vson.be?.
Short-term,.our.organzatonal.vson.needs.to.reflect.a.desre.to.algn.our.
spaces.and.structures.wth.the.nature.of.knowledge.and.learnng
To.functon.n.the.new.world.of.knowledge,.we.need.to.see.the.power.of.
connectonsconnectivism.and.connectiveknowledge..Sense-makng,.
pattern.recognton,.suspended.certantythese.are.our.needed.sklls..
As.our.physcal,.ndustral.era.was.defned.by.the.movement.of.goods.
(from.raw.materal.to.end.consumer),.so.too.knowledge.wll.be.defned.by.
ts.movement.through.our.corporatons.and.socety.The.conduts,.the.gate-
keepers,.the.flters.of.ndustral.mplementatons.of.knowledge.are.losng.
grp.As.knowledge.floods.the.landscape,.we.become.our.own.gatekeepers.
The.opportunty.requres.new.sklls.and.tasks.
Our first work is to equip and prepare ourselves
to handle the new nature and flow of knowledge.
To.know.of.knowledge.changes,.to.under-.
. stand.technologcal.and.socetal.trends,.provdes.lttle.value..
.....unless.t.leads.to.acton.I.recommend.the.followng.as.steps.toward..
usng.the.content.of.ths.book:
1. Jon.Knowng.Knowledge.newsletter.(or.subscrbe.to.the.blog..
. . feed).and.contrbute.to.the.re-wrtng.of.ths.book.n.the.wk
. wwwknowngknowledgecom
. 2.. ...Become.actve.n.the.conversaton.of.organzatonal.(spaces.and..
. . structures).change.(wthn.your.company,.ndustry,.and.socety)
.3.. Buld.a.personal.network.for.support.as.you.move.toward.change.
. . wthn.your.organzaton.(form.a.global.support.net.work).Focus.
. . on.fosterng.an.ecology.and.developng.sklls.n.network.formaton
. 4.. Focus.on.the.ecologes.(spaces).and.networks.(structures).that..
. . ..form.the.foundaton.of.markets,.meda,.corporatons,.schools,..
. . . and.socety.tself.The.future.belongs.to.the.network.aware..
. . . .. ....Chaos.and.order..tenson.and.harmony...
. . . . centralzaton.and.decentralzatonthese.comprse..
. . . . ......the.whole,.wth.no.one.entty.supercedng..
. . . . . ....the.other.n.all.stuatons.
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145
A.holstc,.ntegral.approach.to.thnkng,.learnng,.and.knowledge.s.
requred.as.our.socety.grows.n.complexty.
The.opportunty.for.change.s.tremendous.Opportuntes.to.restruc-
ture.organzatons.and.socety.are.rare.Yet.perodcallyn.perods.of.
substantal.socal,.technologcal,.or.deologcal.changewe.have.the.
opportunty.to.remake.our.exstence,.to.rewrte.the.neffcences.of.
antquated.modes.of.operaton.Wth.vson,.foresght,.and.awareness.
of.change,.we.can.move.forward.wth.a.model.that.wll.serve.humanty.
well.We.exst.n.such.a.tme.If.we.are.able.to.loose.our.faulty.vew.of.
control-n-advance.and.embrace.an.adaptve,.flow-vew.of.knowledge,.
we.have.the.capablty.to.restructure.our.organzatons.to.best.serve.our.
learners,.employees,.and.customers

146
noteS
. 1
.
Knowledge.Quotes.(2006).Knowledge Quotations: Richard Cecil.
Retreved.Septe.mber.1,.2006,.from.http://wwwwsdomquotescom/cat_
knowledge..html.
.
2
.
Drucker,.P.F.(2003).The.Essental.Drucker:.The.Best.of.Sxty.Years.of.
Peter.Druckers.Essental.Wrtngs.on.Management.New.York:.Harper.
Busness
. 3. Comments.from.revewers.have.been.ntegrated.wth.the.text,.but.
wthout.drect.attrbuton.for.deas.(beyond.menton.of.revewers.n.the.
preface).I.should.note.Stephen.Downes.comments.on.the.ntal.secton.
of.the.text.n.clarfyng.knowledge.(as.subject.to.descrpton,.not.defn-
ton),.as.well.as.the.dscusson.on.nformaton/knowledge.dstnctons
.4. A.blog.s.a.smple.web.page,.wth.thoughts.and.commentary.from.one.
or.more.ndvduals.Entres.are.dated.(n.reverse.chronologcal.order).
and.categorzed.Blogs.are.usually.combned.wth.RSS.(an.XML.format).
to.allow.ndvduals.to.read.blog.posts.n.ther.aggregator,.rather.than.
vstng.each.webste.Stephen.Downes.provdes.a.thorough.overvew.of.
educatonal.bloggng:.http://wwweducauseedu/pub/er/erm04/erm0450
asp..A.basc.overvew.of.bloggng.tself.s.avalable.from.George.Se-
mens:.http://wwwelearnspaceorg/Artcles/bloggng_part_1htm.
. . Both.lnks.retreved.September.1,.2006
. . Wll.Rchardson.has.produced.an.excellent.text.for.educators.Rchard-
son,.W.(2006).Blogs, wikis, podcasts and other powerful web tools for
classrooms. Thousand.Oaks,.CA:.Corwn.Press
. 5. A.wk,.loosely.defned,.s.a.web.page.that.anyone.can.edt.One.of.the.
most.popular.wks.s.the.user-created.Wkpeda.(wwwwkpedaorg).
Bran.Lamb.provdes.an.excellent.overvew.of.wks:.
. . Lamb,.B.(2004,.September/October).Wde.open.spaces:.Wks,.ready.
or.not.EDUCAUSE Review, 39(5),.3648.Retreved.September.1,.2006,..
from.http://wwweducauseedu/pub/er/erm04/erm0452asp
. 6.. Tags.are.essentally.end-user.created.metadata.Instead.of.an.author.or.
publsher.provdng.a.descrpton.or.classfcaton.of.a.resource,.tags.al-
low.end.users.to.descrbe.resources.n.ways.they.themselves.fnd.mean-
ngful.Socal.book.markng.s.a.related.concept.where.the.combned.
book.markng.actvtes.of.many.are.presented,.revealng.patterns.of.
mportance.(based.on.how.popular.a.resource.s.n.the.publc.mnd).
. . Mathes,.A.(2004).Folksonomies - Cooperative classification and commu-
nication through shared metadata..Retreved.September.1,.2006,..
from.http://wwwadammathescom/academc/computer-medated-.
communcaton/folksonomeshtml.
147
. . Clay.Shrky.provdes.a.thorough.overvew.of.tags.and.socal.book.
markng.n.relaton.to.tradtonal.classfcaton.schemes:.
. . Shrky,.C.(2005).Ontology is overrated: Categories, links, and tags.
Retreved.September.1,.2006,.from.http://shrkycom/wrtngs/ontol-
ogy_overratedhtml
.7. A.podcast.s.an.audo.fle.avalable.for.download.to.a.desktop.or.au-
do.player.(MP3.or.Pod).Audo.clps.can.range.from.a.few.mnutes.
to.mult-hour.lectures.or.ntervews
.8. Vdeo.logs.are.based.on.smlar.phlosophy.as.blogsthe.ablty.for.
anyone.to.affordably.publsh.meda.A.vdeo.log.s.generally.a.short.
vdeo.fle.(fve-ten.mnutes).avalable.for.download.or.vewng.on-
lne.For.example,.Ze.Frank.(wwwzefrankcom/theshow).produces.a.
regular.podcast,.havng.acqured.sgnfcant.vewer.base.n.only.a.few.
months
. 9. Harrs,.K.(1995).Collected quotes of Albert Einstein..Retreved.
September.1,.2006,.http://rescompstanfordedu/~cheshre/Ensten-
Quoteshtml
.10. I.am.well.aware.of.the.rony.of.rantng.aganst.structure.and.her-
archy,.and.then.subjectng.readers.to.statc,.lnear.graphcs.Beyond.
producng.Knowing Knowledge.as.a.mult-meda.resource,.ths.
seemed.lke.a.necessary.compromse
.11. Kuhn,.T.S.(1962) The structure of scientific revolutions..Chcago:.
Unversty.of.Chcago.Press.
.12. Bederman,.I,.&.Vessel,.E.A.(2006).Perceptual.pleasure.and.the.
bran.Amercan.Scentst,.94(3),.247.Irvng.Bederman.and.Edward.
A.Vessel.suggest.vsual.nput.actvates.receptors.n.the.parts.of.the.
bran.assocated.wth.pleasure.and.reward,.and.that.the.bran.assoc-
ates.new.mages.wth.old.whle.also.respondng.strongly.to.new.ones.
Usng.functonal.MRI.magng.and.other.fndngs,.they.are.explorng.
how.human.bengs.are.nfovores.whose.brans.love.to.learn.Our.
bran.appears.to.crave.nformaton.(1).
.13. Benkler,.Y.(2006).The wealth of networks.(p.1).New.Haven,.CT:.
Yale.Unversty.Press.
.14. Adorno,.T.W.(1984).Mnma.morala:.Reflections from damaged life..
London:.Verso
.15. Bandura,.A.(1985).Social foundations of thought and action: A social
cognitive theory (p.23).Upper.Saddle.Rver,.NJ:.Prentce.Hall.Of-
fers.tradc.recprocalty.of.nteracton.He.ncludes.the.domans:.
behavor,.cogntve,.and.personal.factors,.as.well.as.envronment.
nfluences..
148
The.three.elements.work.together,.nfluencng.and.shapng.each.
other..
In.a.smlar.sense,.the.four.domans.provded.n.ths.text.(cogntve,.
socal,.emotonal,.and.sprtual).exst.n.an.nterplay.of.nteracton.
and.functonng.
.16. Watts,.D.(2003).Sx.degrees.(p.273).New.York:.W.W.Norton
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ber.1,.2006,.from.http://wwwhelcal-structuresorg/great_thoughts
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.18.Durkhem,.E.(1995).Elementary forms of the religious life.(trans.
Karen.Felds).New.York:.Free.Press
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Unversty.Press.
.20. Ackoff,.R.L.(1989).From.data.to.wsdom.Journal of Applied Systems
Analysis, 16,.3-9
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.24. QuoteWorld.(2006) Joseph Joubert Quotes..Retreved.September.1,.
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sty.Press
.26. Semens,.G.(2005).Connectivism: A learning theory for a digital age.
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2006,.from.http://wwwdownesca/cg-bn/pagecg?post=33034.
.28. Bloor,.D.(1983).Wittgenstein: A social theory of knowledge.(pp.23-
49).New.York:.Columba.Unversty.Press
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complex.adaptve.systems.Ther.mandate:.The.Santa.Fe.Insttute.s.
devoted.to.creatng.a.new.knd.of.scentfc.research.communty,.one.
emphaszng.multdscplnary.collaboraton.n.pursut.of.under-
standng.the.common.themes.that.arse.n.natural,.artfcal,.and.
socal.systems.Ths.unque.scentfc.enterprse.attempts.to.uncover.
the.mechansms.that.underle.the.deep.smplcty.present.n.our.
complex.world.(1).Retreved.September.1,.2006,.from.http://www
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Vjver,.&.M.Delpos.(Eds),.Evolutionary systems: Biological and epis-
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formaton.of.well.organzed.structures,.patterns,.or.behavors,.from.
random.ntal.condtons.(p.3)
.40. The.concept.of.knowledge.restng.n.non-human.applances.(me-
dated.by.artfcal.ntellgence.or.drected.by.ntellgent.agents).s.
controversal.As.wth.the.dscusson.on.context-games,.how.one.
defnes.knowledge.largely.determnes.whether.one.wll.accept.ths.
defnton.As.mentoned.n.the.preface,.I.have.largely.avoded.the.
use.of.the.word.information.n.ths.text.It.could.be.well.argued.that.
all.knowledge.s.smply.varyng.shades.of.nformaton,.and.nforma-
ton.tself.s.transformed.nto.knowledge.when.we.have.a.personal.
relatonshp.wth.t.(e,.we.nternalze.nformaton).
150
. . Ths.dscusson,.from.my.perspectve,.s.unnecessary.for.the.purpose.
of.ths.book.In.order.to.have.any.practcal.dscusson.of.nformaton.
and.knowledge,.we.need.to.dscuss.t.as.f.t.s.somethng.that.a).de-
scrbes.some.aspect.of.the.world,.and.b).somethng.on.whch.we.can.
act.Ths.smple.defnton.provdes.the.bass.for.vewng.knowledge.
as.beng.able.to.resde.n.non-human.applances
.41. Gates,.B.(2005).Whats wrong with U.S. high schoolsand how we
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acquston,.and.emergence.domans,.(these.terms.do.not.appear.to.
have.a.clear.orgn,.though.they.have.been.used.by.Wlson.(1997).
and.Calhoun.(nd).wthout.clear.attrbuton.to.the.orgnatng.
source):
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mnmally-guded.models.are.mplemented.It.s.worth.notng.that.
mnmally-guded.nstructon.s.stll.better.than.no.nstructon.at.all.
Lke.many.busnesses.have.dscovered,.face-to-face.meetngs.are.su-
peror.to.onlne.meetngs.(the.rchness.of.the.human.space,.contact,.
and.nteracton).In.many.stuatons;.however,.t.s.not.fnancally.
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be.true.(Boghossan,.p.10);.for.example,.the.cause.of.nflaton.n.an.
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1,.2006).s.commonly.vewed.as.a.judgment.or.valuaton.contrastng.
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.72.Swearngen,.K,.Charles,.P,.Good,.N,.Jordan,.L.L,.Lyman,.P,.Pal,.J,.
&.Varan,.H.R.(2003).How much information?.Retreved.September.
1,.2006,.from.http://www2smsberkeleyedu/research/projects/how-
much-nfo-2003.
74..Hagel,.J.(2004,.November.1).Return on attention and infomediaries..
Retreved.September.6,.2006,.from.http://edgeperspectvestypepad
com/edge_perspectves/2005/11/return_on_attenhtml..John.Hagel.
dscusses.attenton.as.the.real.source.of.tenson.n.an.nformaton-rch.
world.We.have.fnte.lmtatons.placed.on.our.ablty.to.pay.attenton
.75..Sahasrabuddhe,.HV.(nd) Half-life of knowledge..Retreved.Septem-
ber.8,.2006,.from.http://wwwttbacn/~hvs/HalfLfe/HalfLfeSldes
ppt.The.concept.of.half-lfe.of.knowledge.s.controversal.The.term.
half-lfe.refers.to.The.tme.requred.for.the.quantty.of.a.chemcal,.
drug.or.radosotope.to.fall.to.half.
. . Knowledge.has.dfferent.propertes.than.physcal.objects.Smlartes.
of.decay.(or.deprecaton),.however,.can.be.noted.n.knowledge-spaces.
where.new.dscoveres.are.beng.made.regularly.The.exstng.knowl-
edge.s.gradually.subject.to.decay.(obsolescence).as.new.research.and.
nnovaton.replaces.exstng.knowledge.
.76. .Knght,.P.T.(1997).The half-life of knowledge and structural reform of
the education sector for the global knowledge-based economy. Retreved.
September.6,.2006,.from..http://wwwknght-moorecom/pubs/halflfe
html
.77. Massachusetts.Insttute.of.Technology.(nd).OpenCourseWare..Re-
treved.September.1,.2006,.from.http://ocwmtedu/ndexhtml.Inta-
tve.provdes.free,.open.access.to.educatonal.materal.for.educators,.
students,.and.self-learners.around.the.world.(1)
154
.78. McLuhan,.M.(1967).The medium is the massage: An inventory of ef-
fects..Corte.Madera,.CA:.Gngko.Press
.79. Noguch,.Y.(2005,.July.8).Camera.phones.lend.mmedacy.to.m-
ages.of.dsaster.Washington Post,.p.A16.Retreved.September.6,.
2006,.from.http://wwwwashngtonpostcom/wp-dyn/content/ar-
tcle/2005/07/07/AR2005070701522html
.80. Bryan,.L.L,.&.Joyce,.C.(2005).The 21st century organization..
Retreved.September.1,.2006,.from.http://wwwmcknseyquarterly
com/ab_gaspx?ar=1628
.81. .Jont.Informaton.Systems.Commttee.(2006).Designing space for
effective learning: A guide to 21st century learning space design.(p.30)
Retreved.September.1,.2006,.from.http://wwwjscacuk/uploaded_
documents/JISClearnngspacespdf
.82. Semens,.G.(2003).Learning ecologies, communities, and networks.
Retreved.September.1,.2006,.from.http://wwwelearnspaceorg/Ar-
tcles/learnng_communteshtm.
.83. Spool,.J.M.(2006).An interview with Barry Schwartz..Retreved.
September.1,.2006,.from.http://wwwuecom/events/uconf/2006/ar-
tcles/schwartz_ntervew/
.84. Morrs,.D.M,.Mason,.J,.Robson,.R,.Lefrer,.P,.&.Coller,.G.(2003).
A revolution in knowledge sharing. Retreved.September.1,.2006,.from.
http://wwweducauseedu/r/lbrary/pdf/erm0350pdf.
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Dal,.1920
.86. Mnsky,.M.(1985).The society of mind.(p.17).New.York:.Smon.&.
Schuster.
.87. Johnson,.S.(2001).Emergence.(p.21).New.York:.Scrbner
.88. Landauer,.T.K,.&.Dumas,.S.T.(1997).A solution to Platos problem:
The latent semantic analysis theory of acquisition, induction and repre-
sentation of knowledge. Retreved.September.1,.2006,.from.http://lsa
coloradoedu/papers/plato/platoannotehtml
.89. Mnsky,.M.(1985).The society of mind.(p.17).New.York:.Smon.&.
Schuster
.90. Kurtz,.C.F,.&.Snowden,.D.J.(2003).The new dynamics of strategy.
Retreved.September.1,.2006,.from.http://wwwresearchbmcom/
journal/sj/423/kurtzpdf.
.91. Thnkexstcom.(1996).Abraham Maslow quotes (1).Retreved.Sep-
tember.1,.2006,.from.http://enthnkexstcom/quotaton/f_the_only_
tool_you_have_s_a_hammer-you_tend_to/221060html
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.92. Ratey,.J.J.(2001).A users guide to the brain..New.York:.Vntage.Books
.93. Smth,.A.(2006).An inquiry into the nature and causes of the wealth of
nations [[EBook.#3300].Retreved.September.1,.2006,.from.http://www
gutenbergorg/etext/3300
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Books
.95.Ralph.Waldo.Emerson:.Progress.of.culture.(1867).Phi Beta Kappa
Address, July 18, 1867
.96. BranyQuote.(2006).Blaise Pascal Quotes.(1).Retreved.September.6,.
2006,.from.http://wwwbranyquotecom/quotes/authors/b/blase_pas-
calhtml
.97. Talbott,.S.(2005).Where we have come to (Part 1)..Retreved.September.
1,.2006,.from.http://wwwnetfutureorg/2005/Oct2505_165html
. 98. Pnk,.D.(2005).A whole new mind: Moving from information age to
conceptual age. New.York:.Rverhead.Books.
. 99. Wkpeda.(nd).Creativity. Retreved.September.1,.2006,.from.
http://enwkpedaorg/wk/Creatvty.
.100. Gurteen.Knowledge.Webste.(2006).Peter.F.Drucker.quoted.on.con-
servng.nsttutons.and.change.Retreved.September.1,.2006,.from.
http://wwwgurteencom/gurteen/gurteennsf/d/X004EA36E/.
.101. McLuhan,.M.(1994).Understanding media: The extensions of man
(MIT.Press.Edton).Cambrdge,.MA:.MIT
.
102
.
RFID.and.prvacy.(2004,.May.28).Retreved.September.6,.2006,.from.
http://wwwnfoworldcom/artcle/04/05/28/HNrfdprvacy_1html..
Rado.frequency.dentfcaton.(RFID).chps.demonstrate.the.battle.
of.prvacy.and.advancement.of.technology.The.ablty.for.RFID.to.
control.and.montor.supples.can.result.n.sgnfcant.advantages.to.
corporatons.and.governments..
Muta,.M.(2006,.July.6).The.promse.and.opportunty.of.RFID.n.
hosptalty.Retreved.September.6,.2006,.from.http://wwwmcrosoft
com/ndustry/hosptalty/busnessvalue/rfdopportuntyartclemspx.
Hotels.are.startng.to.use.RFID.tags.to.track.supples.and.manage.
cashless.purchases.wth.guests.But.wth.ncreased.freedom.comes.the.
threat.of.ncrease.ablty.for.survellance.or.montorng
.
103. Informaton.Lteracy.Competency.Standards.for.Hgher.Educaton.
(The.Assocaton.of.College.and.Research.Lbrares).has.defned.n-
formaton.lteracy.as.ablty.to.recognze.when.nformaton.s.needed.
and.have.the.ablty.to.locate,.evaluate,.and.effectvely.use.needed.
nformaton.Ther.lst.of.standards.provde.a.base.for.specfc.sklls.
surroundng.nformaton.acquston,.evaluaton,.and.use
156
.104. Benhocker,.E.D.(2006).The origin of wealth. Evolution, complexity,
and the radical remaking of economics.(p.17).Boston:.Harvard.Bus-
ness.School.Press
.105. Johnson,.S.(2001).Emergence..New.York:.Scrbner
.106. Cross,.J.(nd) Informal learning blog..Retreved.September.1,.2006,.
from.http://nformlcom/
.107. Hutchns,.E.(2000).Distributed cognition..Retreved.September.1,.
2006,.from.http://eclectcssucedu/~drwhte/Anthro179a/Dstrb-
utedCogntonpdf.
.108. Spvey,.M,.Rchardson.D,.&.Ftneva,.S.(2004).Thnkng.outsde.
the.bran:.Spatal.ndces.to.vsual.and.lngustc.nformaton..
In.J.Henderson.&.F.Ferrera.(Eds),.The Interface of vision language
and action.New.York:.Psychology.Press.
.109. Wsdom.Quotes.(2006).Blaise Pascal quote..Retreved.September.
1,.2006,.from.http://wwwwsdomquotescom/cat_doubtuncertanty
html
.110. Technologes.are.emergng.whch.serve.ths.functon.RSS.feeds.n.
news.stes.and.blogs.provde.a.two-way.flow.that.permts.an.nd-
vdual.to.stay.abreast.of.changes.by.subscrbng.to.an.nformaton.
source.The.potental.of.ths.technology.s.stll.n.the.ntal.forma-
tve.stages,.but.early.ndcatons.suggest.that.t.could.sgnfcantly.
change.how.we.experence.and.relate.to.nformaton.and.knowl-
edge
.111. Aggregators.(lke.wwwbloglnescom).permt.ndvduals.to.brng.
together.varous.nformaton.sources.nto.a.centralze.envronment
.112. In.Ferrs,.A.(translator).(1962).The.voce.of.the.master.In.A sec-
ond treasury of Kahlil Gibran.Englewood,.NJ:.Lyle.Stuart
.113. Bartlebycom.(2006) Thomas Henry Huxley quotations.(7).Re-
treved.September.1,.2006,.from.http://wwwbartlebycom/100/
5307html
.114. BranyQuotes.(2006).Johann Wolfgang von Goethe.quotes.Re-
treved.September.1,.2006,.from.http://wwwbranyquotecom/
quotes/quotes/j/johannwolf161315html
.115. Quotatons.Books.(2006).Sir Isaiah Berlin quotations..Retreved.
September.1,.2006,.from.http://wwwquotatonsbookcom/
quotes/40154/vew
.116. Goleman,.D.(2002).Prmal.leadershp.Realizing the power of emo-
tional intelligence.(p.226).Boston:.Harvard.Busness.School.Press
157
.117. Senge,.P,.Klener,.A,.Roberts,.C,.Ross,.R,.Roth,.G,.&.Smth,.B.
(1999).The dance of change (p.361).New.York:.Doubleday
.118. Polany,.M.(1958).Personal knowledge: Towards a post-critical
philosophy (p.65).Chcago:.Unversty.of.Chcago.Press
.119. Socal.network.analyss.s.the.process.of.dentfyng.(and.n.some.
cases,.measurng).the.socal.connectons.whch.exst.wthn.an.
organzaton.or.group.(Valds.Krebs,.Orgnet.http://wwworgnet
com/snahtml,.How to do social network analysis).Often,.knowl-
edge.flows.through.a.socal.network.very.dfferent.from.the.one.
created.by.management.n.the.form.of.an.organzatonal.chart.Key.
nodes.can.play.a.role.n.knowledge.dstrbuton.well.beyond.what.
ther.poston.n.the.organzatonal.chart.suggests.Rob.Cross.(The
hidden power of social networks, 2004,.Harvard.Busness.School.
Publshng.Corporaton,.p.x).states.that.these.nodes.(people).
add.context,.nterpretaton,.and.meanng.as.they.receve.nforma-
ton.and.pass.t.along.The.antcpated.structure.of.a.corporaton.
(defned.by.organzaton.or.herarchcal.charts).may.not.capture.
the.true.manner.n.whch.work.s.completed.Even.when.knowl-
edge.flows.through.establshed.pathways/herarches,.the.njecton.
of.context,.nterpretaton,.and.meanng.alters.the.message.and.
nterpretaton
taBleS
Table.1.Types.of.Learnng.n.a.Learnng.Ecology. 40
Table.2.Herarches.and.Networks . 91
FigureS
Fgure.1.Overvew.of.Book . x
Fgure.2.Introducton. 2
Fgure.3.Knowledge.Flow.Cycle . 7
Fgure.4.Domans.of.Knowng . 8
Fgure.5.Knowledge.Types. 9
Fgure.6.Our.Structures.of.Exstence. 11
Fgure.7.What.s.Knowledge? . 12
Fgure.8.Knowledge.States. . 18
Fgure.9.Knowledge.Process/Elements.........................19
Fgure.10.Categorzaton. 20
158
Fgure.11.Components.of.Knowledge.Dance. 21
Fgure.12.Tme.and.Space . 23
Fgure.13.Learnng . 24
Fgure.14.Trats.of.Learnng.Today. 28
Fgure.15.Learnng.as.Network.Formng. 29
Fgure.16.Know.Where. 32
Fgure.17.Learnng.and.Knowledge.Domans. 34
Fgure.18.Learnng.Ecology. 39
Fgure.19.Learnng.n.Synch.wth.Lfe. 47
Fgure.20.In.Relaton.to.Knowng. 48
Fgure.21.Personal.and.Publc.Knowledge . 49
Fgure.22.Oscllators.Synch.Based.on.Capacty/Smlarty. 52
Fgure.23.Knowledge.as.a.Rver,.not.Reservor. 53
Fgure.24.Knowledge.Changes.n.Practce. 57
Fgure.25.Flterng.n.Advanceor.Trough.the.Process . 58
Fgure.26.Percepton.and.Pathways.of.Tought. 60
Fgure.27.Change.n.Envronment. 68
Fgure.28.Change.Cycle. 70
Fgure.29.Changes.n.Envronment.of.Knowledge. 71
Fgure.30.Content/Context/Condut . 75
Fgure.31.Knowledge.Change. 78
Fgure.32.Changes.n.Knowledge. 80
Fgure.33.Half.Lfe.of.Knowledge. 81
Fgure.34.Knowledge.Spaces. 87
Fgure.35.Learnng.and.Knowledge.Ecology. 89
Fgure.36.Knowledge.Structures. 91
Fgure.37.Flters. 94
Fgure.38.Snowdens.Ontology . 97
Fgure.39.Tools.and.Afordances. 98
Fgure.40.Emotons. 102
Fgure.41.Self,.Collectve,.Cognton,..
... . Emoton,.Physcal,.Sprtual. 104
159
Fgure.42.Scatter.pont.of.Copng. 105
Fgure.43.Implcatons . 109
Fgure.44.Desgnng. 115
Fgure.45.Dstrbuted.Knowledge.Representaton . 120
Fgure.46.Current.Knowledge . 121
Fgure.47.Implementng. 123
Fgure.48.Pattern.Recognton. 125
Fgure.49.Knowledge.Feedback . 126
Fgure.50:.Connectvsm.Development.Cycle. 129
Fgure.51.Analyss.and.Evaluaton. 131
Fgure.52.Ecology.and.Network.Desgn. 133
Fgure.53.Adaptve.Learnng.and.Knowledge.Cycle. 135
Fgure.54.Systems.Revew.and.Evaluaton.. 137
Fgure.55.Impactng.Factors.(Learnng.and.Knowledge.Desgn . 139
Fgure.56.Impactng.Factors:.Implementaton . 141
Fgure.57.Contnung.the.Conversaton. 142
.
160
index
A
Abundance..79,.80,.119
Accreton.Learnng..35
Acquston.Doman..35
Adaptve.learnng.and..
knowledge.cycle..129
Aggregaton..16,.35,.43
Analyss.and.valdaton..129,.132
Anchorng..113
Archves..v,.54
Artfcal.ntellgence..55
Autonomy..16
Awareness..45
B
Belef..13,.14,.16,.30,.59
Belefs..5,.30,.35,.36,.38,.50,.61,.66
Black.box..26
Blurrng.worlds..71,.77
Breakdown..71,.74
Brtannca..54
Busness.executve,.leader..x
Busness.processes..v
c
Categorzaton..v
Centerng.agents..94
Centralzed..5,.50
Certanty..77,.79,.91
Change.pressures..70
Changes..,.3,.4,.57
Chaos..96,.97,.145
Chaotc..27,.40
Characterstcs..v,.x,.x,.x,.4,.13,.17,.
20,.51
Co-creaton..6,.27
Cogntve..x,.11,.15,.21,.26,.27,.36,.43,.
54,.59
Collaboraton..53
Communcaton..6,.15
Communty..40
Compettveness..53
Complex..v,.v,.x,.5,.11,.17,.27,.33,.
39,.43,.44,.45,.49,.65
Complextes..11
Complexty..27,.28
Computer..v,.26,.37
Conducve..39
Conduts..21
Connected..88,.91
Connectedness..71,.77,.80
Connected.specalzaton..28
Connecton..32,.45
Connectve.knowledge..16
Connectvsm..15,.26
Connectvsm.development.cycle..129
Consstency..88
Constructed..90
Contaners.of.organzaton..23
Content..21,.32,.37,.38,.43,.44
Context..v,.x,.x,.x,.4,.6,.11,.13,.14,.
15,.16,.20,.26,.27,.50,.52,.54,.55,.
59,.61,.62,.63
Contextually.holstc..63
Contnual..27,.28,.40
Contnual.suspended.certanty..28
Contnuums..8,.14,.15,.39
Contrbuton..45
Controllng..3,.41
Corporatons..x,.x,.4,.5,.10,.41,.42,.
54,.64
Culture..5,.11,.14,.20,.58,.62
Currency..31,.43
Cycle.of.Change..69
D
Debate..v,.15,.36,.50,.62,.63,.66,.118,.
125
Decentralzaton..79,.92,.96,.111
Decentralzed..88,.91
Decentralzed..v,.5
Decson-makng..17
Deselecton..101
Desgn..v,.27,.42,.52
Desgnng..115,.116,.119,.149
161
Dalogue..v,.v,.4,.6,.7,.15,.19,.23,.25,.
26,.36,.38,.40,.50,.52,.62,.66
Dferent.types..10
Dgtal..30,.32,.54,.64
Dssemnaton..6
Dstrbuted.control..70
Dversty..13,.16,.28,.31,.40
Doman..118,.129,.132,.135,.136,.143,.
146
Downes..v,.16
e
Ecologes..v,.x,.21,.23,.41
Ecology.and.network.desgn.and.
fosterng..129
Educators..x
Emergence.Learnng..34
Emergng.methods..70
Encyclopedas..4,.23,.54
Engage..118
Evaluaton..v,.6,.25,.36,.54
Excluson..35,.36,.62
Experence..40,.46,.51
Expert..,.18,.22,.40,.53
F
Facts..13
Feedback..84,.126
Flterng..6,.11,.23,.36,.45,.113
Flters..3,.20,.35,.43
Fndable..37
Flow..v,.x,.4,.5,.6,.7,.10,.13,.15,.19,.
33,.38,.39,.43,.55,.79,.86
Flow.Inhbtors..85
Forage..33
Fostered..39,.88,.90,.91,.133
Fosterng..41
Freedom..110
G
Game..40
Google..54
Governance..39
Government..v,.5,.62,.63
Group..,.6,.22
Gudng..41
h
Hard.and.sof.knowledge..18
Herarches..v,.4
Hgh.tolerance..88
Holstc..x,.33,.44,.49,.50,.63
i
Ideologes..3,.62,.63
Immedacy..71,.74
Impactng.factors..129,.136
Implementaton..v,.x,.5,.6,.15,.17,.
41,.42
Implcatons..109,.110
Indexes..54
Indvdual..71,.82,.83,.92,.99,.108,.110,.
119,.121,.128,.135,.140,.152
Informal..v,.40,.87,.119,.151
Informal.learnng..118,.119
Informaton..v,.5
Instructng..x
Interactons..78,.105
Interactvty..16
Involvement..45
J
Just-n-case..37
K
Knowledge..,.v,.v,.v,.x,.3,.5,.6,.
7,.9,.10,.11,.12,.13,.14,.15,.18,.
19,.20,.21,.22,.26,.27,.30,.31,.32,.
34,.37,.38,.43,.49,.50,.51,.53,.55,.
57,.66
Knowledge.creaton..3,.6
Knowledge.refexvty..55
Knowledge.stream..50
Know.where..32
Know.who..32
162
L
Learnng..,.v,.v,.x,.x,.x,.1,.6,.10,.15,.
24,.25,.26,.27,.28,.29,.30,.31,.32,.
33,.34,.35,.36,.37,.38,.39,.40,.41,.
42,.43,.44,.45,.46,.47,.50,.51,.52,.
58,.63,.66
Learnng.Ecology..v,.39,.40
Lbrares..4,.10,.29,.54
Lteracy..x
Logc..27,.52,.58,.59,.61,.62,.63,.65
M
Mandated..69,.90
Marketng..v,.x,.3,.52,.64
Meanng-makng..46
Meda..v,.x,.4,.5,.64
Mentor..40
Model..v,.x,.13,.25,.26,.27,.33,.34,.39,.
42,.44,.45,.49,.55,.62
Monochromatc..14
Multple.defntons..14
Multple.domans..8,.42
n
Networked.learnng..38
Network.Formng..29
Networks..v,.x,.x,.16,.19,.21,.22,.23,.
29,.31,.35,.43,.44,.62,.65
Neural..27,.29,.30,.63,.65,.122
Nodes..84,.92,.118
Not.Structured..87
Nurtured..90
o
Open..39
Openness..16
Opnons..8,.22,.31,.46,.50,.63,.66,.103,.
121,.148
Organzatons..v,.v,.x,.x,.4,.5,.10,.
11,.29,.35,.38,.42,.52
Organzed..82,.87,.90,.96,.99,.110,.117,.
118,.145
Outcome..17,.41,.59,.62,.63
P
Pace.of.development..79
Passvty..83
Pattern.Recognton..46
Patterns..v,.3,.15,.29,.30,.31,.46,.50,.65
Performance..40
Personalzaton..6
Personalzed..5,.7,.42
Phlosophes..3
Physcal..77,.104
Power..,.v,.3,.64,.110,.127,.140,.152
Praxs..46
Preparatory.learnng..25
Preservaton..84
Process..v,.v,.x,.3,.6,.7,.10,.13,.14,.15,.
16,.18,.21,.22,.25,.26,.27,.29,.30,.
31,.33,.35,.36,.37,.38,.39,.40,.41,.
44,.46,.52,.53,.54,.55,.59,.65
Product..v,.v,.7,.14,.16,.22,.38,.40,.
42,.51,.52,.53,.55
Promnence.of.the.condut..71
r
Realty..3,.10,.21,.25,.26,.31,.38,.39,.65
Receptvty..45
Recombnaton..79,.140
Refecton..6,.10,.16,.19,.25,.34,.35,.38,.
46,.65
Relevance..36,.37
Repackagng..71
Replcaton..84
Representaton..79,.83,.120
Reservors..3,.64
S
Santy..110
Schools..v,.x,.3,.4,.5,.31
Self-learnng..40
Serendpty..,.40,.56
Smple.rules..17
Smplcty..88
Socalzaton..71,.77
Socetes..4
163
Soluton..39,.61,.118,.150
Sortng..23
Spaces..,.v,.v,.x,.x,.3,.4,.5,.11,.13,.
15,.23,.39,.41,.43,.49,.51,.54,.61
State..118
Structured..90,.94,.96,.111,.112
Structures..v,.v,.v,.x,.x,.3,.4,.5,.6,.
10,.13,.15,.22,.29,.36,.39,.41,.51,.
57,.64,.65,.66
Structures.of.Exstence..11
Support..40
Synchronzaton..51
System.revew.and.evaluaton..129
T
Technology..25,.30,.31,.33,.41,.42,.45,.
51,.53,.55,.64
Teoretcal..,.x,.1,.57
Teory..x,.3,.21,.30,.35,.49,.51
Tme..72,.88,.136
Tool-Rch..88
Transmsson.Learnng..34
Transvergence..82
Trust..88
Truth..13
Type..11..8
u
Understand..x,.4,.13,.20,.36,.55,.59
Unverstes..x,.4,.10
w
Wkpeda..23,.45,.54,.55
164