How has my network changed
the way I learn?
Being able to
have access to other individuals who are credentialed in the ID field and who
have years of experience has truly changed the way I go about learning about
instructional design. Do not
misunderstand me, my co-workers are a group of professionals and are good at
what they do; however, they are not degreed IDers. Most of my co-workers are
individuals who have been trained in other fields, such as pharmacy (like
myself), security forces (military police), aircraft mechanic, and so on, but
have decided to step outside of their primary career field and try their hands
at designing. Other than a 20-day training course, the only experience most
have is on-the-job training (OJT).
My new network has afforded me the opportunity to learn more about ID and
has also ignited a newfound interest in learning more about the field through
formal and informal learning. Prior
to this the master course I am currently taking, Learning Theories and
Instructions, I have never blogged before, and I have found this network very
valuable.
Which digital tools best
facilitate learning for me?
My lifelines to
learning are my Apple MacBook, my iMac desktop, my iPad and my mobile hotspot. These tools allow me to stay connected
to the world of learning 24/7/365.
No matter where I am, I am able to connect to the web and access to
information such as my blog, Walden University facilitators, classroom
discussion board, resources, library, and so on. This is what Siemens (2013)
calls connectivism—a learning theory that integrates technology, social
networks, and information.
How do I gain knowledge
when I have questions?
When
I have questions, I first try to find the answer on my own by conducting a
Google search, looking for videos on YouTube on the subject, or searching the
Walden University library. Once I have exhausted trying to find the answer(s)
to the question(s) I have, I then turn to those who I feel may posses the
answer(s). I know going to others
is the easiest and quickest way to ascertain knowledge on questions I have, but
I believe in the adage “give a man a fish he’ll eat for a day; teach a man to
fish he’ll eat for a lifetime”. I am my own best teacher, thus the reason I
decide to search for information on my own before going to others.
In what ways does my
personal learning network support or refute the central tenets of connectivism?
My
personal learning network supports the central tenets of connectivism in that
although we are on our own individual path of learning, we are not separate for
each other, in that we are forever connected socially, culturally,
electronically, and via information (Davis, Edmunds, & Kelly-Bateman,
2008). For example, I can connect
with a college 5000 miles away via Skype, OoVoo, Facebook, and so on; I can go
to Google and find information on any subject of my choosing whether it is for
pleasure, work or homework.
Davis,
C., Edmunds, E., & Kelly-Bateman, V. (2008). Connectivism. In M. Orey
(Ed.),
Emerging perspectives on learning,
teaching, and technology.
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