Abstract
Higher education is entering a new, evolutionary phase defined by connections between everything and everyone. Connected learning is rooted in the active participation of students, instructors, advisors, and collaborators, offering the ability to connect courses, people, and resources to develop unique personalized learning pathways. This vision of education is of particular interest to those concerned with learner success and the growing role that collaboration plays in all facets of higher education. Connected learning will reshape both business and learning models in higher education, requiring not just the acquisition of knowledge but also an understanding of how to use connections to find answers, seek out mentors and experts, investigate procedures, experiment with possibilities, and develop competencies.
The 7 Things You Should Know About... series from the EDUCAUSE Learning Initiative (ELI) provides concise information on emerging learning technologies. Each brief focuses on a single technology and describes what it is, where it is going, and why it matters to teaching and learning. Use these briefs for a no-jargon, quick overview of a topic and share them with time-pressed colleagues.
In addition to the 7 Things briefs, you may find other ELI resources useful in addressing teaching, learning, and technology issues at your institution. To learn more, please visit the ELI Resources page.