How has your network changed the way you learn?
Over time, my personal learning environment has grown and been rearranged by the removal or replacement of certain tools, methods, and people. “…learning doesn’t occur in a vacuum. It is at the intersection of prior knowledge, experience, perception, reality, comprehension, and flexibility that learning occurs (Edmonds and Bateman, 2008). Technology plays a big role in how my network influences my learning process more so today than during my lower level learning. As a child, my network was somewhat limited by what environments I was exposed to and the tools available within those environments. My parents and siblings, schoolteachers and peers, and school texts, dictionaries, encyclopedias, so foreign today, along with childhood adventures within my neighborhood, were the connections or network available to assist with my learning.
As an adult learner, my network, in its newest form, has changed the way I learn. It is more complex and vast. The inclusion of technology has presented an available abundance of information, through social mediums (social networking, email, cell phones, etc.), websites, online journals, online universities, and online learning tools (Wikipedia, search engines like Google, e-libraries). George Siemens put it plainly, “The ability to recognize and adjust to pattern shifts, therefore, becomes a key learning tasks” (Edmonds and Bateman, 2008). I have incorporated the ability to research questions and topics through multiple sources in real time, and the ability to connect with multiple individuals for discussions, conversations, or information processing, into my learning strategies to encode, retain, and assist with recalling data, from my network.
Which digital tools best facilitate learning for you?
The digital tools that best facilitate learning for me, are those that easy to use and understand. Where would I be without my pc or the ability to log onto the web? The Internet makes a wealth of information available to me within seconds, and software like Microsoft Office has made it easy to capture and save that information for future use. In the past, I’d never leave home without my house keys, but today, it is imperative that I have my cell phone and a flash drive with me at all times.
How do you gain knowledge when you have questions?
When I am challenged or faced with a question, my first thoughts are to who or what within my personal learning environment could best assist me with answering or finding the answer to that question. I have found that my knowledge has come from my search for answers to questions through research or through personal experiences with my network.
In what ways does your personal learning network support or refute the central tenets of connectivism?
The personal learning network I have created is supportive of the tenets of connectivism. It consists of a very diverse group of individuals, from various ethnicities, ages, learning backgrounds, and social experiences. They present very varied opinions, sometimes consistent and shared. The knowledge I have gathered over time has been from various sources or nodes within my network. As an adult learner, I have critically identified the connections within my learning environment that are compatible knowledge sources, and when my network needs updating or rearranging to assist my continued (not stagnate) learning growth.
Lastly, I must reiterate something I mentioned above, my personal learning environment has grown and been rearranged by the removal or replacement of certain tools, methods, and people. Learning today is greatly impacted by the advancement of technology and how it is incorporated in the learning process, and also impacted by the connections we include within our networks. Effective learning will require that you continuously update your network.
References
Davis, C., Edmunds, E., & Kelly-Bateman, V. (2008). Connectivism. In M. Orey (Ed.), Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology
Video Program: “Connectivism” .George Siemens discusses his theory of connectivism.
No comments:
Post a Comment