I have always been a visual learner and so I enjoy exercises like concept maps that really help me visualize connections. I believe looking at those connections on paper really makes the link between ourselves and the stimulus and resources for learning much more clear. For example, I do not, on a daily basis, interact with library resource personnel. While I work with databases on a daily basis, I would not consider the interaction between the additional resource staff members without seeing it on paper. I also really see more of the importance of the data that I use to make decisions when I see it in black and white. I do however recognize the importance of tools that I use to smooth and refine the learning (and in my case the teaching) process. Because those resources and platforms are a part of my daily life, I do not take them for granted. I could not work a day without digital tools in my life.
Richardson & Mancabelli (2011) addressed the importance of connections in their book “Personal learning networks; Using the power of connections to transform education”. This text is full of great discussion. One section that I particularly enjoyed was on collaborating, or “collective action” (Richardson & Mancabelli, 2011, p. 74). This concept really seems to strike the heart of what we are talking about in this assignment. Without collaboration through our networks, where would we be? Particularly for me, I have worked online for about 10 years and I would not have survived one of those years without collaboration with people and programs in my “network”. In my case, my connections facilitate learning first by getting me interested in new concepts and then by being resources for me as I struggle to get my feet under me so to speak with setting up a new system or platform of class or exercise, or by making that connection for me to gather data from. Needless to say, network connections are what we also use to move forward in online education or the online workforce. Even websites like “Virtual Vocations” help to make connections between potential staff and organization, which can lead to more connections and increased productivity and resources.
My network has facilitated both simple and complicated changes in the way I learn. First, I have already stated that I am a visual learner, and I must say the ability to see visuals in online education or the online workforce has certainly increased over the last decade. Even the use of dashboards is a change to how we work in a very visual way. Specifically related to my learning though, the tools have certainly changed. Today we have access to multiple online databases. The ability to attend an online college such as Walden is an example of how my network has changed the way I learn.
Digital tools that have facilitated learning for me include search engines, You-tube, Join me, Adobe, Skype, Blackboard and even the very blog we are writing. The world wide web itself is the ultimate example to me of a digital tool. The list is very long of digital tools, which I have used though I must say, I hope there are more to come. The most important online tool I feel I have at present is the online databases, which I can use both to draw data from for my own education and to draw data from for use in the classroom for my students.
The student with questions has never had it easier. As long as I have a network connection, I have answers at the tips of my fingers. I am not sure how we managed to work before there was a computer in every home. Certainly the ability to pull up data from a database or even Google or search You-tube aids today’s learner. I learn new information or clarify information I am unsure of by using research databases many times, google or other search engines at times, you-tube for when I need visuals and online texts when I need more indepth material. What a benefit we have in the internet! With tools such as Second Life, we can see much more on the horizon. At present, Second Life is used in many respects such as holding meetings in a way that allows interpretation for multiple languages. Weiner, McNew, Trangenstein, & Gordon (2010) describe its use in simulation for nursing students. Does it get better than that?! I am adding a few of my favorite networks. What a great exercise that shows us just how many people and places we interact with as we go about our day…and how pieces of those other people, ideas and places go with us to create new information…
Tammy
Richardson, W., & Mancabelli, R., (2011). Personal learning networks: Using the power of connections to transform education. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.
Weiner, E., McNew, R., Trangenstein, P., & Gordon, J. (2010). Using the virtual reality world of Second Life to teach nursing faculty simulation management… MEDINFO 2010: Proceedings of the 13th World Congress on Medical Informatics, Part 1. Studies In Health Technology & Informatics, 160615-619.
Walkedthedog? 
Tammy,
As always, I enjoyed your discussion. I reviewed the Richardson & Mancabelli (2011) text and enjoyed reading it. My favorite was Chapter 2, Becoming a Network Learner. I have to agree with the statement “there is a path for every person into this networked learning space, and all that is required to make a good use of it is a willingness to participate” (Para. 6). I assume that you would also agree.
I found your mindmap interesting. It resembled mine in that you had a lot of networks. I found that I had to stop myself because I would not have been able to fit the entire map on the document. Great job!
Reference:
Richardson, W., & Mancabelli, R., (2011). Personal learning networks: Using the power of connections to
transform education. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.
Jackie
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I agree Jackie about the mind maps. It is a great exercise because as you think of the first few areas…more seem to pop up as you consider the relations and connections we have both as far as people and systems. The one thing I am not satisfied with though is that I want to have a 3-D mind map that allows you to see connections above and below in time and space. Of course, I don’t know that I could actually figure out how to make it all work! I had a hard enough time with the simple mind-map! Thanks for your comments. Tammy
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Tammy,
It is not hard to tell that you are a busy bee if your mind map of network you developed is something to go by. This is because you may tend to contribute to a network you join or get involved with as you become the beneficially of knowledge or rather the information presented in those networks. I also believe that in this chaotic environment filled with all kind of information you have found a way of sieving the unwanted information. How do you deal with this issue of selecting only what is relevant to you or deciding on which network to join and how much you need to engage in? Steinberg et al. (2009) offer some suggestions.
Source: Steinberg, A., Tonkelowitz, M., Deng, P., Mosseri, A., Hupp, A., Sittig, A., & Zuckerberg, M. (2009). Filtering Content in a Social Networking Service. U.S. Patent Application 12/646,865.
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Actually Doc jack– the exercise reminded me a little of those nutrition exercises in nursing school where you write down everything you have eaten for 24 hours or 48 hours. I was wondering how to begin as I sat down with the mind map and then I just started traveling through my day. We really do make a lot of connections! Tammy
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Tammy,
I love your mind map. Compared to you my mind is very empty. I wish that were the case. I am also very visual. Technology has definitely changed what we know about knowing (Siemens, 2004). The uses that technology provide for us as students and educators in unlimited.
Reference
Siemens, G. (2004). Connectivism: A learning theory for the digital age. Retrieved from http://elearnspace.org/Articles/connectivism.htm
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I agree Tonya and I am very, very visual! I have to wonder what education will look like in a short 5 years— or maybe 10. The sky is the limit. I often worry that charges for internet use will change or new restrictions would be placed on it. That would spoil all the fun! Tammy
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