Connectivism Mindmap

My personal network has changed the way I learn. It puts more information at my fingertips at any time. I can easily contact someone in the network and ask questions or request more information. With some of the individuals in my network our main form of communication is digital. The element of time is nonexistent, when the information is needed it is easy to locate the answer, I am not required to wait until the library opens.

The tools that best facilitate learning for me are electronic libraries and the Internet. Google Scholar makes it possible to access scholarly articles without an affiliation with an educational institution library. Siemens (2004) discusses the significance of informal learning and that it is a large portion of our learning. As I have questions about a myriad of topics I can find answers with well worded searches.

I watch my 11 year old son when he is interested in a new topic; he uses a variety of resources to learn. He starts with the Internet (I hear a lot of Mom, how do you spell?) from there he is interested in seeing his topic face-to-face. That may mean a trip to the museum, a park, the woods, the local car garage, the location is determined by the subject. He is incorporating both technology and nontechnology sources to encompass his topic. When I compare what he does with the resources I had available at that age – encyclopedia or if lucky a print book on the topic in the library. What I could learn about something was very limited. His learning borders are essentially limitless.

When I learn new knowledge I use a variety of sources; print and digital books, Internet, other people, to name a few. Really the way I learn about something new is determined by what the topic is. For example, learning about a new plant will involve an Internet search, a talk with the person at the nursery, purchasing the plant, planting it and observing its growth. While technology is a great tool to use to supplement learning actually “getting your hands dirty” is as valid (for some students even more so).

Siemens, G. (2004, December, 12). Connectivism: A learning theory for the digital age. Retrieved from: http://elearningspace.org/Articles/connectivism.htm.