Connectivism

Connectivism A VERY interesting week for us, as we studied this topic.  For this post, I didn't include my parents in my connectivism network.  Even though they have both passed on, I wonder if I should have.  Much of what they taught me, either by example or by words and simple interaction forms the foundation of my approach as I acquire knowledge, so they are very present in my processes.  This mindmap tool, by the way, is way cool.  Should you decide to make one, here's the site:  http://www.text2mindmap.com/ - Connectivism at work!

I'm a bit of a loner, so initially, I thought of myself as quite the self-directed learner; however, after this week's lesson, I realize that the categories pictured here have many branches.  Friends and family, for example, have positively contributed to my learning process...sometimes through encouragement, mentoring, and by example.  And that learning, those life lessons that one tends to get from friends and family, certainly has elements of complexity that I sometimes wonder at.  For example, a family member who smoked and died of cancer indirectly taught me (though not just by dying) that I didn't want to carry smoking (even second hand) forward in my life.  The older cousin who attended college and seemed to have everything in order gave me another perspective on the benefits of the college experience.  From that person, I learned about different opportunities and broadened my scope past my immediate environment. A friend who won the lottery and left her husband made me look at my own marriage more appreciatively and relationships in general more critically.  From that experience, I'm able to try new things to celebrate the closeness of my family.

My network, which includes books that I read at the library, not all academic, has definitely changed the way that I learn.  I can look beyond my immediate environment, for example, and know that there are other experiences to be had and shared even though I haven't yet had them directly.  I use Google most often for search - it's automatic.  However, bing is a happy tool for me as well.  Yahoo, not so much.  When I have questions, I like to use How Stuff Works, and I frequently visit TED to see new technological innovations. As I move forward in this course, I'm using more RSS feeds and blog resources, with favorable results.

I think diversity of opinions sometimes confuses learning and knowledge. Of course, one has to be mentally strong in this day and age - as my grandmother said, "If you don't stand for something, you'll fall for anything." I have seen how some people are swayed by what they see on the internet, on YouTube, etc.  Like commercial advertising, 'It's not all really real.'  I don't believe that all connections are meant to be for the long-term.  Some connections are just meant to trigger an interest, or set one on a particular path to learning - these connections don't necessarily have to be maintained for learning to continue. 
In my experience, many connections that I made years ago that set me on a particular path have outlived their usefulness, still I continue to evolve in the things that I got from those past experiences, finding new connections all the time.

The network pictured here will likely change as I change; and (I hope) I'll never stop learning!