A reflection on how my connections facilitate learning

 How has your network changed the way you learn?

As an adult student whose first experience was obtained in face-to-face traditional classes. I didn’t have to do much searching for information since I was heavily dependent on Lecturers and the textbooks from the library, although at certain instances had to use the internet. But this resource was a scarce commodity that in Africa one could access. Moving to an online course has made me see the need to check my learning networks, I had to start realizing the importance of integrating and giving an overhaul to my learning networks. I had to add some other elements which I did not have initially as part of my learning network which includes,

Professional development networks

Social media

Professional learning communities

Formal online studies

Professional development

 

With all these elements in my learning network, a lot of things have changed because I now have enough to use for searching, social media, blogs, and also the professional development community. I  have all information available to build up and reflect on my material on any given topic. This is mainly because my learning network provides more options and makes my exploration of knowledge more flexible hence having more opportunities to explore relevant content and at the same time being able to author my own learning experience as I continue my learning journey.

Which digital tools best facilitate learning for you?

In my network, I have some digital tools that do play a major role in facilitating my learning process. These tools are as follows

Search engines

Social media

Blogs

RSS

With these tools, my learning life has seen great use of them and I have seen that I rely on them so much.

 How do you gain new knowledge when you have questions?

 As an online student, I rely much on researching and making more use of digital tools as a new way of growing in information and knowledge. This has been so because when I get a question on a particular topic or content area. The first thing I normally do is to go to the searching engines to look for the core content that addresses the core content of the topic. Having the core, the theory I then visit the social media looking for some video that explains the content or that solves the problem in the same content. From the social media, I then go to the blogs which normally gives me a lot to chew because a lot has been invested in the same material which I can also find in an RSS as I read the relevant topics or studies that have been presented by other.

In what ways does your learning network support or refute the central tenets of connectivism?

In most  learning theories central tenet  occurs inside a person.“ Connectivism is the integration of principles explored by chaos, network, and complexity and self-organization theories” Simmens. He also said that “Connectivism is the application of network principles to define both knowledge and the process of learning.

We can then say Learning and knowledge rest in a diversity of opinions. is also a process of connecting elements of your network. Apart from that learning may reside in non-human appliances and maintaining connections is needed to facilitate continual learning. It is important to realize that the ability to see connections between fields, ideas, and concepts is a core skill.

My network supports all tenets of connectivism. I can now gather information and process it. A major drawback is the fact of not seeing the need for friends to get information.

References

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Connectivism

Siemens, G. (2014). Connectivism: a learning theory for the digital age. Retrieved from http://www.elearnspace.org/Articles/connectivism.htm