Mind Map Reflection

What is Connectivism? According to Siemens, connectivism is presented as a learning theory that integrates technology, social networks and information (2012). To apply connectivism in our learning, our assignment this week included the creation of a Mind-Map. According to an article I read " Mind Mapping is an extremely effective method of taking notes. Not only do Mind Maps show facts, they also show the overall structure of a subject and the relative importance of individual parts of it. They help you associate ideas, think creatively, and make connections that you might not otherwise make" (http://www.mindtools.com). Watch the video below to find out more about mind-mapping.


One might ask: How do you associate Mind-Mapping to Connectivism? My answer to this is in my own personal Mind-Map, which I created in my previous post, to show all the individual parts of My Learning; my continuing education, internet, social networks, journals and scholarly articles.

How has my network changed the way I learn?
      My network includes my peers, online competency programs, online learning, conferences, webinars, scholarly articles and other social networks and they are important parts of my learning. I may know how to cook using ingredients A&B but I would not have known that ingredients C&D makes the recipe even better without my peers. I may have learned about one technology years ago but it may be obsolete now. Networking allows an individual to keep up with "what's new". I gain new knowledge and also broaden my current knowledge through networking. In an article written by Kevin Jones, he says " It is the PEOPLE that hold the knowledge. We can only do a Google search and find information that is already there. But what if it is real time and the information is not there yet? Or if the information we need is in a file folder on the desk, or on the local drive of a co-worker, or on a sticky note? My point? Link the people together (network) and they will share the knowledge" (http://engagedlearning.net). For me, networking enhanced my learning experience. Gone were the days when I only learned in classroom and from reading books.

Which digital tools facilitate learning for me?
      The digital tools that facilitate my learning includes the online competency programs, E-books, discussion boards and blogs. If I read a textbook, it may take me a long time before I am able to comprehend what I just read. I may have to re-read a sentence or a paragraph to understand exactly what the author is trying to convey. As a self- directed learner, using these digital tools will allow me to select the learning activities that will improve my knowledge on a subject. The online competency programs utilizes visual aids and case-study scenarios; I can find other books and different authors in E-books that may explain a topic better; or I can enhance my knowledge through my peers using the discussion boards and blog posts.

In what ways does my personal learning network support or refute the central tenets of Connectivism?
      My learning network supports the central tenets of Connectivism because of the following Principles of Connectivism according to Siemens (cited in Davis, Edmunds & Kelly-Bateman,2008):

• Learning and Knowledge rest in diversity of opinions.
• Capacity to know more is more critical than what is currently known.
• Nurturing and maintaining connections is needed to facilitate continual learning.
• Ability to see connections between fields, ideas, and concepts is a core skill.
• Currency (accurate, up-to-date knowledge) is the intent of all Connectivist learning activities.

I know that my learning and someone else's learning could be very different; one being better than the other. Just like anything else that involves human experience or interaction, the act of learning does not happen in a vacuum. It is at the intersection of prior knowledge, experience, perception, reality, comprehension, and flexibility that learning occurs (Davis et. al., 2008)


References:

Mind-Maps. A Powerful Approach to Note-Taking. Retrieved on November 30, 2012 from http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newISS_01.htm.

Davis, C, Edmunds, E, & Kelly-Bateman, V. (2008). Connectivism. In M.Orey (Ed.), Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved November 26, 2012 from http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/index.php?title=Connectivism

Jones, K. (2009). I Finally Get It- Why Social Networking is So Important. Retrieved November 30, 2012 from http://engagedlearning.net/post/i-finally-get-it-why-social-networking-is-so-important/

Siemens, G (video). Connectivism. Retrieved on November 26, 2012 from http://class.waldenu.edu