Connectivism

This week's assignment is a reflection on how our network connections facilitate learning. Connectivism is the nature of sufficient information, of primary use of technology, the increasingly sophisticated systemic-based environments that we face today (Laureate Education Inc., 2016). Below is an image of my network connections.

This network that I am continually building includes academic learning in the field of instructional design and technology, my Discount Tire co-works, blogs that relate to my field of study, and also my personal interest.

Each part of my network allows me to gain answers to questions I may have. Either through socializing through discussion board participation with fellow students, working collaboratively with fellow co-works, or finding how to videos from sites like Pinterest or YouTube. 

I find through these connections that interest I may have had but was too fearful to try, like crocheting a Christian gown for a baby, doesn’t seem so daunting anymore. I find myself picking up my iPad and searching for a video that can show me how to do a stitch I do not know how to do or searching information on a new delivery method I may want to try.

Working with my co-workers as a team always turns into some new learning experience especially with many of us continuing our education. Everyone loves to share what they are working on at school or show you something they learned with a new code or piece of software. I find that my online education at Walden works a lot in the same way as it does with my co-works. Such a wealth of information and different viewpoints you may never have considered before.

The one thing though that I have noticed with the abundance of information out there you need to be picky on how you take it in and process the information when it comes to further educating yourself on topics. An example of this is all the miss information that is flooding the Internet on our Presidential candidates. Don’t take things at face value do your diligence to learn the truth.

George Siemen reflects that we are seeing a significant explosion in how we start to connect with other people but also how we connect with data sources. (Laureate Education Inc., 2016). I have to agree with Mr. Siemen I can see it in the connection network map I created this week. My learning supports the central tenets of connectivism. What is your learning connection network?

Reference

Laureate Education (Producer). (n.d.). Connectivism [Video file]. Baltimore, MD: Author.