Month: January 2022

Wow – The notion of connectivism in the context of learning to the extent that the author emphasizes it is a new idea for me. In today’s rapidly changing world, we are frequently faced with situations where additional knowledge is required and may not be immediately available through conventional means. In these settings, I can understand the author’s point that having an interconnected learning network to draw from is an important skill in being able to quickly pivot and address the challenges that we face. This ability is even more pronounced when considering the increasingly shortened life cycle of information today. What we learned 5-10 years ago may not be relevant to current challenges. This rings especially true for me as I work through completing a career change as a mature student and am already witnessing the rapid evolution of learning styles and information obsolescence.

Wonder – While I have written previously about the concerning possibility of inaccurate information being sourced and propagated in PLNs, the author sheds a little bit of clarity on this when discussing the placing of value on nodes within this network. They write that ‘nodes that successfully acquire greater profile will be more successful at acquiring additional connections.’ In this way, the likelihood that a node will be deemed a valuable source of information worthy of fostering learning will depend on how well it is currently linked (i.e. how many people are treating it as a worthy learning tool and promoting it as such). Therefore, nodes that gain this recognition are more likely to continue receiving this recognition. While this doesn’t completely eliminate the possibility of inaccurate information being promoted within echo chambers, it does raise the point that the more connected a learning network is, the more users are curating and confirming the validity of the information in that network, so the more the user benefits as a learner.

Siemens, G. (2005). Connectivism: A Learning Theory for the Digital Age. International Journal of Instructional Technology and Distance Learning, 2(1).

Wow – I thought it was interesting how the authors of both articles suggested PLNs as a learning tool to make up for the poor adaptability of government and educational institutions. Up until recently, I had largely considered social media as a means of connecting with family, friends, and acquaintances – sure, there has always been information of all forms floating around on fb, IG, Twitter, etc, but I never considered it as a substitute or meaningful supplement to traditional learning environments like universities. To claim that the majority of our learning comes from PLNs rather than classroom settings is news to me.

Wonder – With the above suggestion that our PLNs can be valuable sources of learning that can quickly pivot in response to societal changes, I can’t help but wonder if placing such great focus on these information streams brings a subtle yet serious threat of unintentional (or intentional) misuse. Is there not a danger in being able to almost completely curate the information that we are exposed to? Does this not undermine the likelihood of developing a well-rounded perspective on controversial issues? Intentional or not, social media users will surround themselves with and participate in communities that hold values/beliefs similar to their own. These have come to be known as echo chambers and are particularly dangerous in the spread of misinformation. We have seen this in the increasingly polarized political landscape of the United States/Canada, as well as the acceptance of public health guidance/advice in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. I am not disagreeing that PLNs offer amazing advancements in interconnectedness and overall learning, however, I think this point needs to be balanced with the caution that not all information garnered from a PLN is necessarily accurate or trustworthy. The post-secondary experience provides students with a critical lens through which to assess the quality and accuracy of information we are exposed to throughout our lives. The value of this skill cannot be overstated and it should not be overlooked when advocating for PLNs in today’s world.