Reflections On My Learning Network

My network has changed the way that I learn in many ways. I am able to source information from all my connections instead of only those that I meet in person.  I make a point of looking at the Learnist Boards that I follow every evening – they are inspiring and I enjoy reading about all the ideas to be found there. When I am researching a topic for an assignment, I find my online network connections invaluable.

The digital tools that best facilitate my learning are Learnist, the Walden Library and the blogs listed on my mind map. There are a few websites that I find useful for reference, but the majority of my learning occurs through blogs, online libraries and Learnist. I gain new knowledge this way – Twitter is another source of inspiring new technology news.

Connectivism is a learning theory centered on the idea that knowledge exists out there in the World, rather than inside someone’s head. The theory is that we learn by ‘connecting’ with others – with their information and with them. It is by connecting with others and discussing the information and the ideas that we have as individuals that we fully process new knowledge and find a place for it in our brains. While I agree that it is very useful to discuss ideas with others and I am inspired by many of the things I read and discuss within my learning network, I don’t believe that this is the only way that I can learn. I appreciate that learning and teaching as we experienced it in school has changed dramatically – control has moved from the teacher to the student and student centered learning is now the norm. Students use their learning networks and it is becoming more and more apparent that learning is simultaneously individual (a traditional class/teacher setup is no longer needed) and collaborative (the student’s online learning network). I suppose this is truly student centered learning!