According to Marc Pensky, “individuals that were born prior to 1970/(1965) immigrated to technology as a means of survival… (they) were not raised with technology.” That has become more apparent within the last couple of decades. Individuals who grew up using a typewriter as a standard have now had to convert to using computers. Along with the computer came the internet which has evolved from an initial source of information to a learning community.
My initial introduction to the internet as a learning tool began in the 90’s in pursuit of a higher degree. Instead of spending many hours in a library going through whatever resources were available, the internet made it easier and quicker to find multiple resources in the comfort of your home. As the internet and its uses grew, more data resources were added and as a result, people became more connected.
In today’s environment where education has become complex and people have to re-learn how to learn, digital tools can facilitate learning. Digital technologies I am familiar with that best help me learn includes social networking sites (Facebook or Twitter), Course CDs/DVD, Library-(eBooks, eJournals), Webinar, Podcasting and Media Streaming. Educational software designed to interact with the learner such as tutorials or simulations are also useful tools.
There is more information now than it has ever been. Search engines such as google or bing are very helpful in narrowing your focus to the resources that will answer your questions on any given topic. It helps you select what information from the vast quantity there is that you want to learn. In other words, sift through all the data to identify the information that will be most useful to you.
Connectivism involves a system that states, “We must create networks which are connections between entities. By using these networks-of people, of technology, of social structures, of systems of power grids, etc. – learning communities can share their ideas with others, thereby “cross-pollinating” the learning environment ([Siemens, 2005, para. 21] Davis, Edmund, & Bateman, 2008). My personal learning networks in addition to the emails, friends have shared with me with links to sites on everything from health to music, videos, photos and blogs supports this concept. We seek to learn from one another in the network by distributing to each other what we feel might be of interest.
Davis, C., Edmunds, E., & Kelly-Bateman, V. (2008). Connectivism. In M. Orey (Ed.), Emerging Perspectives on Learning, Teaching and Technology. Retrieved from http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/index.php?title=Connectivism
Prensky, M. (n.d.). Timeline of the History of Learning.
