Month: September 2017

Can I really be messy? Can I really?

Gardner Campbell asserts in his article, “Networked Learning as Experiential Learning,” that “Offering students the possibility of experiential learning in personal, interactive, networked computing—in all its gloriously messy varieties—provides the richest opportunity yet for integrative thinking within and beyond “schooling.”” And in my world, implementing networked learning in my classroom would indeed be “messy.” (Just to give a little perspective, when I went through high school algebra, we still learned log tables to actually use them in computing answers. ) I didn’t grow up in the computer age. Google is my best friend when it comes to navigating my steep learning curve of technology. And I struggle to understand and effectively use basic apps like Facebook.

Okay, the cards are on the table. I am a messy proposition for networked learning. But…I see my granddaughter daily interact in networks she created on many different fronts. She actively learns daily from these networks, with connections that span the country. Also, as I read Tim Hitchcock’s article, I was like “yeah, preach it!” when he advocated taking academic conversations further than the conventional direction of  “having small (vociferous) conversations amongst ourselves…” While these conversations can be engaging, I can’t help but think, “Is this the biggest audience you envision for your work? For your knowledge? Do you always want to put your work in terms only a few will ever understand? Do you not care that the wider world learns from your knowledge?” Hitchcock pointed to blogging as a way to reach a much wider audience and network with those interested in your research, academics or those outside of the academy.

So…in light of the wisdom I’ve gained from my granddaughter and Tim Hitchcock, I become particularly pricked/intrigued/troubled/challenged by Michael Wesch’s question “How do I take my students from getting by to learning?” I too see many students in “getting by” mode not “learning mode”. Right now, I just can’t help but think, wow, what a challenge…. especially in a freshman level survey class. So as a start for this course in our discussion of network learning I would begin by thinking “Can network learning be a possible avenue to help students go from “getting by” mode to “learning mode”? If so, what would work? Would something like the hypothe.is platform be helpful? How could I use such a platform to encourage critical thinking? To encourage asking broader questions? Would blogging create experiential learning? If so, what questions, types of posts, etc. would do that?”

All the above questions aside, in reality, any pedagogical statement of purpose or philosophy of teaching, I believe, starts with a desire – a mission to implement something such as “learning” rather than “getting by”. I also believe that beginning any such mission would be messy. Me, as an instructor of record, could look messy…Is that okay? Is it?

Perhaps, instructors need the freedom to be like baby George, strike out, fall down, get up again, learn and try again.

I’m sure though, that we wouldn’t be quite as cute as George.

 

 

I am the definition of a lurker, barely ever generating content and when I do its rarely of substance more than a picture. But my social media feeds are flooded by subscriptions to professional outlets, researchers and others of interest (plus the obligatory connections who provide reprieve with pets and food). I only recently came to the realization that my social network subscriptions are my professional network data stream. The prominent researchers and organizations in healthcare informatics are all quick to announce their latest projects and publication. As a new researcher, getting their attention and having them post/comment about your work is almost more important than any journal impact factor.

This networked experience bypasses the traditional peer review process. But in reality the review process has just transformed. Instead of the mysterious “reviewer 3” who never likes anything we submit and always has required changes, the reviewers have to own their comments, and be prepared to defend themselves not only from the author but from others who share the authors views. With the pace of developments to healthcare informatics the networked approach speeds up dissemination, allowing all of the industry to work together to address healthcare issues and improve patient safety. It definitely is a benefit to the industry, but as a reticent participant in the social networking world, I wonder if it will reach a point where the focus shifts on maintaining a social media based persona more than the research itself.

As we all know that 21st century is the digital world. But, individuals are rarely to understand the purpose and impact of the network for the life. Internet is one of the essential parts of our social life even is hard for us to imagine in the couple-decades ago. It is also a platform for people to communicate, sharing the sources, learning and interactive with others. People, who may not know each other and have the different experience and interdisciplinary background, would discuss a topic through intellectual and/or emotional activities ideas. The blog is a basic form to collect all kinds of voice in the virtual world. Blog change our life, not the blog itself. Actually, the variety of ideas and concepts post on the blog effective our daily life. My educational experience is an example to show this point.

There is a gap between traditional art and the digital art. As the student graduate from fine art, I unable to understand why scholar define the digital artworks is an important part of contemporary art history. However, after I saw the artwork created by Detuch digital artist Daan Roosegaarde, my perspective changed. After I posted my thoughts on my blog and lot of friends added comments, which included positive and negative voice. We try to persuade the individuals who have the different understanding. In my opinion, it is the key to blog exists, or in other words, it is the respectability the blog play in the modern world.