iLearner on CCK08

Exformation is a very beautiful expression. You can sense the meaning of the word, when you know: ‘information’. It explains some aspects of what we are exploring about learning in a complex world. In the process of transforming data into information into knowledge, we throw away information. The thrown away context (exformation) give meaning to a more condensed information. Words and concepts are full of meaning, and they make sense for us if we share the same context.

Wikipedia has this example:

In 1862 the author Victor Hugo wrote to his publisher asking how his most recent book, Les Misérables, was getting on. Hugo just wrote “?” in his message, to which his publisher replied “!”, to indicate it was selling well. This exchange of messages would have no meaning to a third party because the shared context is unique to those taking part in it. The amount of information (a single character) was extremely small, and yet because of exformation a meaning is clearly conveyed.

I read ‘Developing Online from Simplicity toward Complexity: Going with the flow of Non-liear Learning‘ one of the papers for this week. I don’t think I find much new stuff. One point is, that complex learning can’t take place in linear ways. Learning complex matters is a complex process. But is the only way to learn to swim to jump into the deep water? You either sink or swim? Can/must we as teachers take away some of the complexity to ease the leaning process?  Or do you have to be in ‘complexity’ to make your own sense of matters? Is that what the network helping you through? Creating exformation in common?

Is poetry exformated information? Do long blogposts need to go through the exformation-machine? See Andreas’ post on that subject.

/Jorgen C