My Second Life Build – a metaphor
My Second LIfe Build to represent Connectivism
Every prim is limited both in shape and size. To create a structure that exceeds the capacity of each prim requires connecting, shaping and directing. In this way though, the dimensions and shape of your strucutre are limited only by your imagination. This for me is a metaphor for connected knowledge.
The choice of play structure is to symbolise lived knowledge with nodes and choices. Whether living is vicarious (as a mother watches her toddler take risks and breathes deeply imagining the fall but celebrating his success) or experienced is inconsequential. The father will live the experience as deeply in his own way when toddler and mother relate the day to him.
The structure is messy, it is chaotic on first impression. But explore deeply enough and a variety of routes to the top become obvious. In addition, there are plentiful opportunities to descend again, both at risk and safely to commence the knowledge construction process from a different perspective.
The platforms represent junctures at which the individual is in a state of knowing, and takes time to reflect, consolidate and operationalise thinking. Some platforms are not yet fully supported – the construction of support is neccessary for it to be secure. The ladder rungs and knots on the ropes are nodes of information (physical, abstract or human) that scaffold and support the learning journey. As stated previously, every journey to each platform is experientially different, therefore the knowing on each platform can be different. Of course, they are large enough to accommodate a number of players, each with their own story to tell.
Inserted here and there are ropes and barriers to prevent the learner from falling, at other places, the danger is real. I wanted to step into the territory of faciliating learning and ways in which teachers can structure and scaffold a connected experience whilst still supporting individually connected pathways.
The original of this playground is constructed on my land – I have lifted it and reconstructed it here. It will not be the same learning journey despite the identical structure, because the ecology, the space, the purpose will be different.
You may note that the structure is incomplete. Yes! Where will it finish? The stretch into the unknown (the top platform) is unsupported – the first people to venture in that direction will have to construct the support themselves, when that is done, their knowledge will support the learning of the next generation of thinkers. But stop! That may not be the place to go or the way to get there. Maybe the platform could be elsewhere, higher, lower, maybe a ladder is not appropriate for this climb?
You may notice that the build is imperfect, the prims not aligned, the bolts not altogether tight. Yes! The builder is relying on the strengths of others and their input to refine and tidy up his/her ideas. Isn’t that part of the underlying story?
