Abstract:

Most educational technology at the university takes the standard pedagogy used in the physical classroom and translates it for students and professors to connect on-line. Some features of the standard pedagogy include the view of professor as the central authoritative distributor of knowledge. Students, in contrast are primarily expected to listen, observe and take notes. Their role is usually passive. Within this passive role, students are expected to work individually because knowledge sharing is viewed as cheating or at the least makes comparative assessments difficult. Finally, all university classes start on a certain date and stop about 15 weeks later. One class is not connected to another from a student point of view in that what a student learned in one class is not developed and extended in a following class. These standard pedagogical features are for the most part reinforced and strengthened in the transition from a physical classroom to an on-line platform.

Surely, this standard pedagogy should not be abandoned but something more is needed that is inline with developing Connected Intelligence (CI). CI encourages students to co-create or at least add to the knowledge covered in the university classroom. Not only by suggesting additional readings but also raising questions not just answering them. By doing so, engagement and critical thinking is dramatically increased. Additionally, if students play some role in the construction of their learning when the class ends they can continue to form groups that extend their learning. In this way, students are learning from the differing perspectives found in their learning communities and developing an activist approach to learning that is so needed if our democracies are to be a true representative of the people.

Divvy is an on-line platform that is wired to give students opportunities to develop Connected Intelligence. They can form their own study, project and mentoring groups (with professors), create discussions, connect with students and student allies (past students) worldwide, look at and share knowledge through personal and group galleries and so much more.

Keywords:

Connected Intelligence, technology, education, critical thinking.