Complexity Pedagogy and e-Learning: Emergence in Relational Networks

Abstract

Educators are being challenged to develop new pedagogies and e-learning platforms for engaging students, especially in higher education. Traditional Learning Management Systems (LMS), such as Moodle and Webct, have not, we suggest, offered sufficient innovation consistent with the new pedagogies required for education in the 21st century. Current authors collaborated on a project to develop a new teaching-learning platform inspired by complexity pedagogy. Authors present the story of Daagu (original spelling is Dagu) to situate the e-learning platform within complexity thinking and extant curricular theory. Complexity pedagogy is placed in relationship with androgogy and heutogogy, as well as constructivism and connectivism. We briefly describe the complexity e-learning platform that disrupts traditional e-learning approaches by focusing on patterns of relating, diversity, conversation, reflection, and emergence among groups of learners.