Connectivism and My Learning Network

My Personal Learning Network

By: Jeffrey Harris

This week I have been examining connectivism and how my personal learning network is organized.  In this blog I will discuss how my network has changed the way I learn, which digital tools best facilitate my learning, how I gain new knowledge when I have a question, and how my personal network supports the main principles of connectivism.

Network Learning

Having the ability to connect with multiple nodes on my network allows me to access the knowledge I need when I need it.  No longer is it necessary to wait for a newscast or go to a library for a book on a subject.  Now, I can access multiple sources of information from my home through the use of things such as the internet, email, cell phones, and social sites and I can compare multiple viewpoints on any given topic.  Additionally, I gain information by communicating with friends, relatives, colleagues, and classmates that I am able to assimilate into knowledge for the appropriate areas.  By utilizing all of my available network nodes, I am able to connect quickly and narrow down this information/data to that which is needed at the moment.  Finally, I do not have to maintain all of the information by myself.  By having a network of people and data storage devices, I am able to access information on more topics than I can keep track of alone.

Digital Tools To Facilitate Learning

With the multitude of digital tools that are available to “keep us connected”, it is now possible to go anywhere, anytime and still connect to an outside source.  Personally, the use of the discussion boards has proven to be a very effective digital tool for my learning process.  By reading other classmates posts and engaging in active dialog, I am able to gain insight into different perspectives on the various topics.  Many times a classmate has posted an example relating to the topic that has helped me to clarify my understanding of the subject.  In addition to the discussion boards, I rely heavily on the internet to learn about new topics.  Access to the internet places an abundance of information within easy reach.  Particularly useful are search sites such as Google.  With a Google account, there is access to create websites, blogs, share documents, email, and a variety of other useful tools.  The downside to the internet is that anyone can post anything and present it as factual.  It is up to the individual to separate out opinion from fact where needed and gain the necessary knowledge for the task at hand.

Gaining New Knowledge From Questions

When a new question comes up, I find that I search for answers online as a primary resource of information.  With the advent of blogs and forums, it is just a matter of wading through the available information to cull it down to the information actually needed.  For example, I recently found myself in need of a new grass bag and frame for my lawn mower.  I purchased the mower second hand and have no manuals with it.  Using the internet I was able to search for a manual based on the mower model number.  From there, I found the appropriate part numbers and then searched for a discount place to purchase the items.  In addition to searching for answers online, I will seek advice and information from people that I know.  If I do not know a subject area expert I ask the people I do know if they know anyone that is better versed on the topic.  By doing so I build a web of support that is able to provide information on a variety of topics.  According to Siemens, “Information abundance requires that we offload our cognitive capacity onto a network of people and technology” (Siemens, nd).  Essentially, I no longer need to know and store everything in my memory.  Instead, I need the ability to access the data through some network node, whether it is another person or a storage device/medium.

My Personal Learning Network And Connectivism

My personal learning network seems to support some of the principles of connectivism.  I gain “diversity of opinion” from the multiple personal nodes on my network.  At times, these opinions differ and I must determine which I support through reasoning on my own.  There are also multiple specialized nodes on my network that allow for organization of content and better discussions on the topics to which they are specialized.  However, these nodes will occasionally cross relate to each other and present knowledge from areas where I was not expecting it.  For example, I may find myself learning something about searching for lawn mower parts from one of my musician friends.  The use of modern internet resources assists me to keep connected and current with the available knowledge in multiple areas.  This is the main principle of all connectivist learning activities.

Conclusion

In conclusion, I would surmise that my learning network supports the principles of connectivism as described by Davis, Edmunds, and Kelly-Bateman:

• Learning and knowledge rest in diversity of opinions.
• Learning is a process of connecting specialized nodes or information sources. 
• Learning may reside in non-human appliances. 
• Capacity to know more is more critical than what is currently known. 
• Nurturing and maintaining connections is needed to facilitate continual learning. 
• Ability to see connections between fields, ideas, and concepts is a core skill. 
• Currency (accurate, up-to-date knowledge) is the intent of all connectivist learning activities (Davis, Edmunds, & Kelly-Bateman, 2008).

With these principles in mind, my learning map supports the ideas of connectivism.  Learning is definitely a complex series of actions and reactions, which involves many people and “nodes” to go beyond my own personal knowledge.  As I continue to learn, being aware that I use network connections will assist me as I evaluate and assimilate information from the multiple network connections.  Additionally, as an Instructional Designer I will be aware that there are connections that each individual needs to make and assist them so that they can be as successful as possible.

References:

Davis, C., Edmunds, E., & Kelly-Bateman, V. (2008). Connectivism In M. Orey (Ed.). Retrieved May 30, 2011, from Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology: http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/index.php?title=Connectivism

Siemens, G. (nd). Connectivism. [Video]. Laureate Education, Inc.