Learning Network Reflection

Looking at the mind map of my learning network, I can see that it has grown over the years as it should for an adult learner, gaining experience as time moves forward. In my network I have people, experience and media as the foundation of my learning network. Everything else branches out from those categories.   Although the people and Experience sections appear larger, they have had more time to develop. I did not grow up with the internet. However, it has become a vital source not only for information and learning but for other aspects of life such as paying bills or planning a vacation. Like anything with high potential, the internet can also be negative. I am constantly monitoring my kids as they enjoy Netflix and Mindcraft, making sure they stay on task. For me the internet has not only opened doors to the opportunity of a Masters degree, it has also helped me to learn just about anything from cooking to programming to sewing, you name it. 

The one tool that has captured my attention is the RSS feed reader. I am currently using Feedly and I really like not having to search for information on various sites. The new information is brought to me in one location. It does save some time. Google Drive has also been a lifesaver. I do not use Google Docs exclusively. But, the ability of saving documents to the cloud and working on them anywhere has given me some freedom in when and where I can work on assignments. It is also nice to have a safe secure, backup of my data. I used to use thumb drive but I would often lose, wash or run them over with my car. It surprisingly still worked, but the use of Google Drive takes the stress out of having the accidents that will inevitably happen.

I have always viewed questions or problems as opportunities to learn something new. It is impossible for anyone one person to know everything. But, it is possible to ask questions from people who are masters of a particular field. For instance, my first teaching job had me teaching automotive. Although I was prepared to teach general automotive after instruction and online research, I wanted to further my knowledge of the industry so that I could give my students a more detailed picture of what it would be like to work in the field. I used my personal network to connect with friends who work in the automotive arena to answer questions that I had of how things were done on the job. Asking questions helped me tie in the theory with the hands-on knowledge of the industry.

Whether connectivism is pedagogical view or true theory, it is an idea that successfully ties in the constant flow of new knowledge and how we use that information (Siemens 2005). I do believe that my learning network supports the central tenets of connectivism as it provides for opinions and specialized information from multiple sources that is constantly evolving.  Using my network, I am able to make clear, educated decisions on what to use for my learning.

References

Siemens, G. (2005). Connectivism: A learning theory for the digital age. International Journal of Instructional Technology & Distance Learning. Retrieved April 5, 2014, from http://www.itdl.org/Journal/Jan_05/article01.htm