Connectivism - Reflection (Week 5)

My network has changed the way I learn because I find myself relying more heavily on technology to find the answers I need. It's a rare day that I turn to a book to give me information that I could easily find on Google. When a question pops into my head, it's so easy to just pull out my phone and look up the answer right then and there. If it's work-related I'll usually as a colleague. On top of that, when I turn to other people for information, if they have a resource that I had not previously been aware of, I will go back to it if it was helpful. My network has grown so much just from talking to others and being pointed in the direction of great resources. 

The digital tools that facilitate learning best for me depend on what kind of information I'm in need of. Of course, as I already mentioned, I generally turn to Google for everything. If I'm perusing for information, I'll search blogs and read up on whatever's new. If I have a specific question, I'll use tools that I know can get me the answer (a search engine, or a training blog or website if it's design-related). I really enjoy reading blogs, and I feel as though I take away the most information from them because they are usually written in a conversational tone. When I have to decipher what an author means, I have a more difficult time retaining the information. Blogs also spark new thoughts for me, so I'll sometimes branch off and begin more research based on a topic that I discovered. 

My personal learning network both supports and refutes connectivism in different ways. It supports the theory because much of my learning is based on "non-human appliances" and I get my information from many different sources (Siemens, 2011). My learning network refutes connectivism because what I'm learning does not always have an end-goal for me. Sometimes I like to learn about the newest or most effective LMSs, or get up-to-date information about the e-Learning world without having a project in mind. For the most part, I think I fall into the connectivism category of learning -- especially in today's world. So much of our knowledge comes from technology and networking with others. 

Siemens, G. (2011.). Retrieved from http://www.connectivism.ca/about.html