Connectivism and Mindmapping

My personal learning network tends to be a group of people whom share a common interest and who I regularly interact with through an exchange of ideas, information and resource’s centralized around my own common interest. When I need to gain new knowledge or new ideas I access my personal learning network.

Personal learning networks have always existed but due to advanced technology they have been put into a new light highlighting on how and where we connect to our personal learning. I find that today my personal learning network extends well beyond my family, friend, co-workers, and instructors. They can encompass experts in my career field from all around the world.

In finding new information and trying to learn a new concept, there’s no better place to find information than from websites written by experts in my field. I look for websites, podcast, YouTube uploads, Wikis, professional societies, collogues and recently due to this class Blogs. Many of these social and professional sites expand on the new concept or give me new ideas that challenge my beliefs and make me think outside the box regarding the new concept.

Today, technology is rewiring our brains. The tools that we now use define and shape our way of thinking and decision-making is itself a learning process. Constructivism suggests that learners create knowledge as they attempt to understand their experiences. (Driscoll, 2000) I find that Constructivism assumes that learners are not brainless empty vessels to be filled with knowledge; instead, learners are actively attempting to create meaning. In accessing my personal learning network I am attempting to create meaning for the concept that I am currently trying to understand. In this week’s learning resources I read that adults need to know the reason for learning something, need to be responsible for their decisions on education, and are most interested in learning subjects having immediate relevance to their work and/or personal lives. I feel that my personal learning network helps me address all of the above criteria, which will only add to my success.

 Driscoll, M. (2000). Psychology of Learning for Instruction. Needham Heights, MA, Allyn & Bacon.