EDUC 6115 Week 5: Mapping My Learning Connections

Yesterday, I posted a visual example of my learning network mind map. Tonight, I would like to reflect upon how my connections facilitate learning by answering the following questions from my instructor, Dr. Weaver.

How has your network changed the way you learn?

I think that technology advancements have made the biggest impact on the way I learn. In the learning network mind map that I posted yesterday, you should notice how the majority of my resources are through electronic learning devices and outlets. Whether I am using my MacBook to log-in to my Walden class, subscribing to a blog about connectivism through the Google Reader App on my phone, or reading through articles emailed to me from my mentor at work; there is not one area of my learning network that is void of technology.

Which digital tools best facilitate learning for you?

Right now I have to say that there is a tie in the battle of the greatest digital tool facilitator. Both Google searches on my MacBook and RSS subscriptions through the Google Reader app on my Samsung Galaxy III phone have been extremely vital in providing me with the digital tools that I need to survive my quest for higher learning. Currently, some of my favorite RSS subscriptions are as follows:

The Writers Gateway - Let's Talk Instructional Design located at:

http://blog.thewritersgateway.com/

The e-Learning Coach located at:

http://theelearningcoach.com/

ASTD Conference Notes from Kapp Notes located at:

http://www.uleduneering.com/kappnotes/index.php/category/astd-conference/

Usable Learning located at:

http://usablelearning.com/

How do you gain new knowledge when you have questions?

The ability to search any subject online through the Internet is possibly the most efficient digital tool in my learning network reservoir. I am convinced that I would be completely lost without Google. There are times that I hate how much I turn to Google to find answers, but there is no denying that it is a wonderful tool. For fun, I searched for Google’s impact on learners. This research brought me to an article by Terry Heick (2012) that sums up my Google dependency efficiently by saying, “it creates the illusion that answers are always within reach even when they’re not.”

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

I believe that connectivism supports my personal learning network, because I am able to form connections between digital sources, teachers, classmates, written materials, colleagues, and social media. I believe my learning network is multi-faceted, and has opened up a two-way channel of information between my resources and myself. It is also diverse, and allows me to interact according to my own knowledge and values.

Reference:

Heick, T. (2012, August 16). How Google Impacts The Way Students Think. Retrieved from http://www.teachthought.com/featured/how-google-impacts-the-way-students-think/