06 June 2003

So isn't this just viral marketing? Well yes, but deeper. And I'd make no apology for that. I've long thought that marketers could teach learning specialists a lot, particularly in these areas: how to gain and sustain attention, particularly in today's confused, fragmented environment how to get people to feel, think and do things differently without knowing they've been influenced There has been an avalanche of books and sites on viral marketing, but I think that Seth Godin's is still fairly current. His invention of a vocabulary of terms describing the viral spread of ideas provides some clarity and precision around the subject. Here are a few key terms: "Hive" describes the busy, richly interconnected groups of people within which ideas can spread virally. We might call this a Community of Practice, but "hive" just sounds more busy (buzzy) and full of energy "Sneezers" are those who spread ideas; they can be "powerful" (they project their germs a long way) or "promiscuous" (they spread their germs widely). In elearning and KM circles these would be influencers or role models. "Smoothness" is all about how easily an idea is capable of being spread; the degree of friction it has within a group. So Hotmail is completely smooth; explaining double-entry book keeping is less smooth. So when we talk about organisational learning, how can we craft content or learning ideas so that then can transfer effortlessly around an organisation? "Vector" describes the direction and velocity of an idea through a group The problem with concepts of viral marketing is that they lack the depth to sustain learning experiences and support the ongoing construction of new knowledge and skills. To coin a crass phrase, they’re about spreading not embedding. That's why I think there's at least another level to viral learning, one that's all about sharing the substance and process of learning using the web. As our ability to record and share so many of our experiences expands - in moving pictures, audio, stills - so does our ability to help others to learn while we do. (If you're not convinced that realtime sharing of experience is viable, read Smart Mobs). 6:51:44 PM    Any comments?  [] Sims and blogs as viral learning tools I came across Papert’s thoughts on the role of computer programming in constructivist learning again recently, in this book. Basically, he says that by building an executable artefact – a computer microworld or simulation – the learner “teaches” the computer, and thereby learns by teaching. Since the time he wrote this, sims have become far more powerful and much easier to develop. So it should be possible for learners to build sims, microworlds -call them what you will – for their own learning purposes, but which will also spread their learning. Given the buzz about simulation in the learning business, I would have thought that there would be a whole bunch of organisations designing sim-building tools for learners to teach other learners with.  Does anyone know of any? I mentioned this on a discussion board, and John Cleave, from Experience Builders, one of the better learning sim producers, thought it was a neat idea. Blogs are a viral learning tool. On the most basic level, as I type this blog, I reflect and clarify my ideas. (This isn’t new at all: Open Learning practitioners have been building “learning logs” into their products for as long as there’s been open learning). But blogs share this clarification, this learning, with anyone who cares to read it. Of course, it’s only reading – it’s hardly deep, transformational stuff. But it’s a start. Particularly if, as Tom Coates and others are pointing out, the blogs people read start to weave together in an ongoing open conversation and debate. And because of the subjective nature of blogging, (what David Weinberger called intersubjectivity) I get a range of angles on the subject, instead of the traditional, one-dimensional view I used to get in traditional learning environments. So I learn, I share, others learn, share, converse…the virus spreads. Try tracking that on an LMS. 9:50:53 AM    Any comments?  []

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