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Mapping Your Learning Connections

How has your network changed the way you learn? 

I work right across the Johnson County Central Library here in Overland Park, Kansas. Initially, I was only getting into the library to borrow movies and specific books that had a topic that I could be researching on. One of my physical contacts, Anthony, introduced me to audio books. This really transformed the way I learn. I make a trip to Wichita which is two hours away two times a month. This was 8 hours that I was losing when driving to and from Wichita every month. Now I go by the library and get an audio book which I listen to on the trip. I have been able to listen to diverse topics and have really gained incredible knowledge from these books. Indeed, what used to be a long and boring trip that I initially dreaded now has become one of the “me” times I look forward to.

Which digital tools best facilitate learning for you? 

The laptop and the I-phone are indispensable tools that I wonder how I managed without them. I at times have the feeling that I am gradually becoming a prisoner of this technology. Just recently, I acquired the Amazon kindle in order to access books that would have taken me ages to access if I had to wait for the delivery through the normal shipping and delivery. These digital tools have made information access almost instantaneous. Whenever I get a reference in the posting or from my course resources that I feel warrants further research, I am almost assured one of this tools would provide me with access. The laptop, through the indefatigable Google platform, be it Gmail, Reader, Scholar and search have admittedly transformed and expanded my body of knowledge. The Walden APP in my I-phone makes me keep updated on the discussion posts and quick reviews of the course resources.

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

Connectivism is presented as a learning theory that integrates technology, social networks, and information. B F Skinner presented the “black box” of behaviorism (we don’t know what happens inside, so we just focus on the behavior). Cognitivist presented a computer-processing model (inputs, processing, coding for retrieval and outputs). More recently, constructivism has been presented as a free-floating theory of learning as an individually constructed experience. In all this, something was missing.

Can knowledge and truth exist in other ways?

The digital revolution has transformed the access to information in profound ways. Knowledge centers and capitals are no longer tied by geography but rather by networks. Information processing and retrieval is now maintained in different parts of the networks. I have accessed useful information from scholars in far flung areas in Europe, (especially the UK), the theories and strategies presented by a faculty spread across the US and have even watched video presentation from speakers in Australia. Due to the existing abundance of the existing body of knowledge, this information is being offloaded from individuals and stored in networks. It is from these networks that I have been able to acquire and access new learning.

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