Reflection: How my connections facilitate my learning.
I had never really considered my learning network until recently. The mind map demonstrated to me more connections than I thought, but I should make more. I am not as intrinsically motivated to learn as some and have a tendency to leave work at work. I hesitate to get together with others outside of work time to reflect on things that I could have, should have, or would have done. As I delve back into the world of academia, I am more inspired than I was. I spend a great deal of time reflecting on the learning that is occurring within me and within my students. Now that this fire has been lit, I want it to spread, I want a bigger network.
Blogging and my RSS reader are going to be good sources for me. Hackleman-Good gives some tips for a MOOC which can be applied to a blog. A person must brand themselves, network, cluster, and focus (Hackleman-Good, 2011). I thought about what to call my blog for a good while, I want people to know that I am a student, not an expert. Now, I have to start declaring by posting more often. I cannot network or cluster without followers. I have always enjoyed reading as a hobby and often get ready for the day by drinking coffee and reading silly emails. Now, I read blogs. I am learning constantly.
The digital tools that I find most helpful are the Walden Library, the discussion board, and the world wide web. The discussion board has enhanced my learning greatly. My fellow classmates’ posts help me to give information relevance (Smith, 1999) and the discussion back and forth reinforces ideas within my mind. When I search on the web, I do spend a good amount of time verifying that the sources are accurate and reliable. I know what whatever I find at the Walden Library is valid.
Recently, I have become more dependent on other people for learning. I have found some very useful connections within my work structure. I will continue to nurture and maintain these connections as I seek out others (Davis, Edmunds, &Kelly-Bateman). I used to think it was more efficient to figure things out by myself rather than seek assistance from others when I had a question. I am not patient when I have a problem. Posting a question to a blog or even the discussion board does not satisfy me as I need answers immediately! I do get satisfaction out of hounding out an answer on the internet.
While my learning network needs more connections, it supports the tenets of connectivism. The world has been flattened by technology (Freidman, 2005). We cannot all personally experience everything that we need to know about so we must access one another’s experiences and knowledge; technology makes this possible (Davis, Edmunds, &Kelly-Bateman). I have enjoyed social networking using technology for years, now I exchange information via networking as well (Laureate Education, 2009). I just have to get as hooked on my reader as I am on facebook!
References
Davis, C., Edmunds, E., & Kelly-Bateman, V. (2008). Connectivism. In M. Orey (Ed.), Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved from http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/index.php?title=Connectivism
Friedman, T. (2005, April 3). It's a flat world, after all. The New York Times .
Hackleman-Good, L. (2011, April 15). Re: Institutional and /Versus Connected Learning [Youtube video]. Retrieved from http://leahgrrl.wordpress.com/2011/04/15/cck11-institutional-andversus-networked-learning/.
Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2009). Connectivism. [DVD].
Smith, M. (1999). Learning Theory. Retrieved September 09, 2011, from The encyclopedia of informal education: www.infed.org/bibkio./b-learn.htm
