Category: Week 2 – Networked Learning

“What is learning?” – Michael Wesch

This is the question that I ask myself and will always ask myself. Now that I am in my 20th year of education, I still have not figured out the most optimal way for me to learn and retain information. Although, I think I am close in finding the answer for myself. But even after I manage to answer, “What is learning?” will my answer apply to anyone else? Probably not because everyone learns information differently. That is one of the reasons why I am in this class. Throughout this semester, I want to learn about new methods of teaching, as well as develop an understanding of the debates that occur in the pedagogy field.

For me, experiential learning, or “hands-on” learning is the best way for me to learn, which I why I enjoy research so much. In research, we sometimes make mistakes, which is mostly fine; except in some circumstances, the consequences of making a mistake while working on a research project is higher than making a mistake in a class. In a class, I might get docked a couple points on an assignment or a test that is worth a fraction of my grade. Therefore, I feel the need to know everything before I start a research project. I wonder if others feel this way about learning and weighing different educational priorities in their life.

Watching “What Baby George Taught me about Learning” actually made me think about my journey through the systematic education system that we have in the United States. I was a pretty lousy “learner” all throughout K-12 and undergrad. I hated studying and memorizing concepts for tests. If I was presented with the option of studying for a test or sleeping, I would sleep. I never felt the urge to study everything before a test and would often go into tests unprepared. I was better at presentations and papers; however, my science major did not have many classes like this because the classes had too many students. This also makes me wonder, how can we integrate this type of “hands-on” learning to large classes that everyone has to take? For example, this semester I am a TA for a senior level class with 200+ students. Maybe some of the students do really well with traditional lecture style classes but are they learning? or are they memorizing? And what about the students like me who do poorly in this type of education setting? Should they be docked points because they can’t conform to the traditional learning system?

I want to touch on blogging as well since we had readings related to blogging. I am one of those people who dread blogging. Sure it has many pros (mentioned in Tim Hitchcock’s article and Sam Godin and Tom Peters’ video) such as serving as platforms for debates, establishing public positions, and improving writing skills, but I just can’t get myself to do it. I am an awful debater and I avoid conflict as often as possible. I do not like seeing or being a part of online debates or “Twitter Wars” because they often get really nasty. If I were given the opportunity to debate a scientist in my field I would do it. I just do not feel comfortable taking a side in issues that I do not fully understand. There is a part of me that always believes that I probably will not fully understand everything, even topics that I research about. I feel like there is always someone who will know more about a topic than I do and that they are more qualified to speak about it than I will. Another reason is that I feel like my writing is not great; therefore, I need to practice before I publically write anything. Or else someone may call me out and say something like “this person is not credible because her grammar is awful.” These barriers prevent me from blogging or tweeting publically.

With this being said, I am excited to work with all of you this semester! I want to learn about new perspectives of teaching, which will help me shape the way I view learning. Perhaps I will learn new techniques to help me help my 200+ students in the class that I am a TA for.

Networked Learning and Critical Thinking

Can Networked Learning Foster Critical thinking among students?

When students think critically, they actively engage in these process of learning. One of the ways to do it is to encourage the expression of diverse opinions, and involve students in a variety of hands-on activities that force them to be involved in their learning. Blogging can be a useful tool to enhance critical thinking. Once a student posts a blog, others in the class can respond, provide supportive feedback, and offer additional suggestions or perspectives. By writing and commenting on blogs, students can get a diverse perspective, they can reflect on their work. The process of writing down your thoughts helps to straighten out your thinking, develop your thinking and help you work out what you think. In my own experience, I often have vague thoughts which develop and come to life as I tap away at the keyboard. Students also learn to communicate their ideas more clearly, and they get immediate feedback on whether they communicate effectively. Blogging is also a useful tool for shy students to participate in the class discussion.

Week 2 / Networked Learning — Critique of “What Baby George Taught Me About Learning”

I love watching TED talks — they provide unparalleled insight into humanity as speakers articulate themselves from personal experiences instead of making a speech from an utopian perspective.  This TED talk was different in that the speaker drew inspiration from his toddler. Dr. Wesch (the speaker) made me question my own interpretation of learning. Throughout the talk he made some excellent points — some I agree with and some I disagree with — and contradicted himself onetime. At one point he condemned academic institutions by quoting inconsequential statistics. Presuming the failure is real, I think the burden of failure should be shared equally by students and administration/faculty.

Dr. Wesch started his talk by mentioning that commonly class rooms are addressed as “fantasy land” and that people believe that the real world exist outside of class rooms. He derided this common belief and tacitly expressed that class rooms should replicate real world environment. I disagree with this tacit insinuation — class rooms are safe spaces created to teach the tools necessary to succeed at life; replicating real world situations and teaching tools at the same time would be futile. He also expressed that the schools have normalized an extremely “narrow view of learning” by defining learning as “dumping information on students.” I think this learning system is apropos to schools as this is the age to attain knowledge and once there is enough data/information/knowledge available to students, they will be better equipped to be more critical. Similarly, all the technical classes require some degree of knowledge before the students can begin adding novelty to their field of study — hence “dumping information” proves to be effective in most of the cases. Dr. Wesch also juxtaposed his toddlers learning with students learning at school, which seemed a far stretch and even slightly farcical to me — there are very scientific reasons as to why toddlers are more resilient to failure and why adults are averse to failure. Another aspect that invalidates the aforementioned juxtaposition is the difference in pressure, stress, time constraint, and the risk associated with the activity — all of which alter human behavior. Towards the end, Dr. Wesch condemns the A-F grading system and claims that he actualized an alternative grading system for one of his classes, but never explained what his system was. According to me the A-F grading system is apt since it fosters competition and competition is the best motivator — demonstrated by the space race. He also expressed that he had fostered a collaborative environment in the same class, where all students helped each other succeed — I don’t think this is reflective of the real world, and hence antithetical to his original purport that class room setting should duplicate the real world. I agree with him when he exclaims that teachers need to be more compassionate and construing.

 

In totality, I really enjoyed the talk and Dr. Wesch’s idea of teaching/learning. Additionally, I think that Dr. Wesch’s ideology can be an inspiration to teachers, all around the world, to better connect with their students.

A More Reserved Look at Networked Learning

I want to begin by saying that I think networked learning is largely a good idea. Providing the ability for people to share ideas, knowledge basis, and perspectives is inherently a good premise. Educational materials such as Khan Academy or the blogs identified in in Tim Hitchcook’s piece  have had large, tangible, and positive impact on numbers of people and helps to bridge the gaps that sometimes a more conventional educational system fails to do.

However, giving everyone a platform does bring with it some unique problems that need to be addressed both in concept and in the practical application of a networked leaning based system. The reality is, not all ideas are good ideas. Some reinforce ignorance, spread bias, promote hate, and create division which contributes to the erosion of an inclusive society. Though bringing groups of people together and allowing them to interact with other like-minded individuals can be a good thing, it can also promote protected circles that are hard to penetrate with reason or evidence; if you need an example look no further than the anti-vax or flat-earth movements and how, even in the face of insurmountable evidence that disputes their claims, continue to grow and impact our society, not always for the better.

These networks and connections can be used to spread hate, lies, manipulation the same as they can be used to spread knowledge, inclusivity or the like. The reality is that if someone wants to find reinforcement for an idea they have, regardless of how narrow-minded or destructive, these connections can allow it. I remember back to an interaction I had on Facebook a few years ago where someone shared an inappropriate, shopped photo of President Obama fondling Melania Trump. I remember commenting multiple links to the original video showing very much that interaction never occurred and the only reply that came was “I like my version better”, essentially saying that this individual choose to ignore the truth even when it was right in front of them.  This interaction highlights one of my only hesitations with the greater idea of networked learning and how social media and the World Wide Web are changing how people interact. It gives everyone a podium, regardless of if their idea or thought or take is based in truth or has merit. Jon Udell  acknowledges that everyone should have their own space in the web for themselves to control, and I agree to an extent, but to the average citizen reading something in print (regardless of if it is peer reviewed, supported by fact, or not) carries with it a level of authority that can be leveraged to further a cause – regardless of that cause’s intent.

In the same vein, I admit that the same platform can be used to tear down the walls of ignorance and expose radicalism. I think the key is to recognize networked learning for what it is — a tool. It is not a cure all, and in my opinion shouldn’t always be the correct course of action, but its merits do warrant its implementation into our society, and educational practices. However, much like any tool, its correct application will decide how much value it can add. Recognizing that this type of interaction can be susceptible to manipulation, group-think, and the like brings with it the need to promote the development of critical thinking, (cautious) open mindedness, and the ability to recognize motive/intent throughout our society NOT just in academia. I think the last bit is extremely important, because in my opinion we usually see through the world view that we have and contextualize life in the way that makes sense to us and our experiences, but academia (as Dr. Michael Wesch  points out) is not always representative of the ‘real world’ and the overarching implications the connections that networked learning makes possible may manifest themselves very differently in each environment. Not everyone tapping into the World Wide Web has a primary agenda focused on informing the public of their life’s work in a purely enlightening way, some’s motivations might not be as pure.

 

 

 

 

 

References

Twitter and blogs are not just add-ons to academic research, but a simple reflection of the passion underpinning it.

http://literaci.es/working-openly-a-manifesto

 

Was it worth it?

I know that I should post a blog about the virtues of blogging and networking for the GRAD 5114.  I know that network learning is important and changing the paradigm for learning in the higher education setting is important in today’s digital age.

Yet, I am hung up.  Through all the Week 1 readings and youtubing (that’s a verb right), I keep hearing Michael Wesch’s  What Baby George Taught Me About Learning  video discussion of was it worth it?   I have been going to graduate school now part time for 5 years now at the age of 41.  That comment keeps running through my head.  Is it worth it?   I have an established career for the last 20 years.  It wasn’t all roses and parades.  There was a lot of sweat and lumps of being in the professional world.   Yet, here I am with classmates that 1/2 my age or could be my own children.  The questions have not changed that was expressed by Michael Wesch.

I went through my undergraduate and masters twenty years ago.  I look around and the only thing that is different is the internet.   I had a notebook and a pencil.   Now, everyone has a computer that gets puts in front of them.  Instead of doodling in the notebook, the distraction is surfing the web or looking at the instragram.   Everything else is the same.   The vast majority of the students don’t want to be there and just want to check the boxes off so they may graduate someday.

I read recently that only 4.5% of all undergraduates will pursue a higher degree.  Does that mean that 95.5% are just checking the boxes for that sheepskin?  I don’t know.   Being in the real world,  my employer wants master’s degrees to show that the potential employee is smart but the PhDer is an egg-head.  Personally, I feel that the vast majority of the undergraduate degree is learning the jargon of the degree and what the “elders” of the profession feels that everyone should learn that they will not use again.  The learning comes in the halls of graduate school or out in the real world of the chosen profession.     So, the 95.5ers are not learning their craft in the haloed halls of academic institutions but in the hustle and bumps of the real world.

 

 

Educational Outcomes and the Role of Networked Learning

Sometimes we lose the big picture as a result of focusing on the details that are part of our role in the system.  I’m not arguing that details are unimportant in light of the bigger picture.  Details are important and we should strive to address them as well as possible.  If you go out to eat at a high-end restaurant you expect the ingredients to be quality, the chef to put those ingredients together in delicious ways, the wait staff to be attentive, the restrooms to be clean, and so on.  However, if you get an amazing meal in a wonderful space, but have a less than stellar experience, I do think you can look past that slight to appreciate the overall dining experience.

Now if you’re asking yourself what I could possibly know about high-end restaurants I must conceed your point.  I’m a public school teacher and graduate student.  Chick-fil-a is a wonderful treat!  That being said, I do stand by the analogy and would argue that the big picture makes the details important pieces and a group of exceptional individuals acting independently will consistently struggle to produce a great end product without some cohesive vision.  This concept matters in higher education.

Gardner Campbell introduces his article Networked Learning as Experiential Learning by generally asking the question about the purpose of higher education.  While I’m not sure he arrives at an actual point, he does seem to imply there needs to be some balance between preparing students for vocational work and increasing the “humane capacities” of students.  This question has a much larger social context that I’d like to briefly explore as a pathway to understanding the role of networked learning within the structure of higher education.

First, if the goal of higher education was ever to solely increase the intellectual and social attributes of individuals, that time has passed.  Higher education is widely seen as the “yellow brick road” towards economic stability and personal fulfillment in U.S. society.  I believe that is to the detriment of both students and the institution of higher education, however, that is the direction society has adopted.  With 60% of college students graduating with some form of debt, and with an average debt of over $37,000, it would be neglectful of colleges to provide an education that does not prepare students for vocational work.  On the other hand, higher education does hold a certain level of responsibility in developing leaders who can rise above the current trend of political vilification at any cost to both hear and debate differing viewpoints on a topic.  So why not both?  Why can’t we expect institutions of higher education to prepare students for jobs and help them become better versions of themselves?

If that’s the big picture, then how do we get there?  I believe the answers lie in creating varied experiences for undergraduate and graduate students.  As we learned from baby George, learning doesn’t have to be the regurgitation of information gleaned from a lecture.  It can come through “real-world” interactions and experiences.  Creating those interactions and experiences can be a real trick for those working in higher education.  How do you make your class look like that?

One idea, amongst many it must be said, is to create authentic interaction that pushes us to improve as individuals by making us accountable to an authentic audience.  This idea is supported by academics like Tim Hitchcock, as well as authors Seth Godin and Tom Peters, in the form of blogging.  I think this idea has real merit.  The practice of self-reflection coupled with the accountability delivering to an audience demands will push students to do something meaningful.  This practice isn’t without risk.  The Internet never forgets and that could lead job search difficulty, but maybe that needs to be part of the learning process?

The more I think about this the more my conclusion is simply that higher education can do better.  We can better prepare students for vocation and to be decent people.  Is blogging the answer to that?  Certainly not in whole, but maybe in part.  Is there a single answer that will do this?  Probably not, but if there’s one that’s close it’s this.  More than likely the answer will be creative instructors developing learning opportunities that engage students in meaningful ways who understand that there is a bigger picture they are a part of and that their individual efforts are a vital piece of the design.

Networked learning

The integration of technology into our educational environments has literally taken place over the course of many of our lifetimes in the most dramatic of ways. When I started school, everything was done on chalkboards and paper. While we had computer lab to learn to type, not every student had a computer in their home until much later in our schooling years and using online environments for homework didn’t really begin until I had reached late high school. I personally found the change challenging. So much so that, in a senior high school class when we had to do a presentation on our favorite form of technology, I chose pencil and paper.

However, I can no longer deny the benefits. Technology has literally transformed learning environments around the world. People can take a class offered in one location while being in another. Students taking language classes can literally talk to people that speak that language natively (https://talkabroad.com/). And, people learning about the Holocaust, can take a virtual tour through Auschwitz (http://remember.org/auschwitz/). 

But all of these technologies have been added and changed so quickly. Just this week, one of my professors was asking the best way to answer multiple choice questions in class, lamenting that iclickers seem to be out of date. I was sitting there thinking that they were this new addition to the classroom environment when I was in undergrad just 5 years ago. I then realized that smartphones weren’t commonplace at that time; I hadn’t gotten one until 4 years ago. I quickly googled similar smartphone apps to the iclicker and found a ton!

However, I am pressed with this nagging question every so often. I have a lab mate that is about double my age who started earning his PhD the same year as me. Now if I found the transition to all this technology in the classroom and needing to code all of my data analysis challenging, what is it like for students his age? While I didn’t start my life with this technology, I moved through school with it and had the opportunity to learn. Is all this technology a barrier to older students or even students that come from less developed countries that don’t have these technologies at their fingertips? The addition of this technology in schools, universities, and the workplace is inevitable, but it has happened so fast that it’s making it difficult for those people that didn’t grow up with it to compete. While I have been introduced to a ton of new technology throughout my schooling, it makes me wonder if things will continue to change after I enter the workforce, threatening my career 30 years from now. It certainly feels that we will continue to move in that direction.

 

The Scientific Community and Networked Learning

In the world of science, there are few instances where a breakthrough or novel discovery are accomplished solely by individuals; some could argue that there aren’t any in history! The identification of DNA, though credited primarily to Francis Crick and James Watson, was an accumulation of the ideas, theories and experiments of many accomplished researchers. Jean Brachet, Rosalyn Franklin, and Martha Chase all held a hand in our understanding of DNA today. Researchers in science and technology fields have always understood the value of collaborative learning; by using information already gathered from others, new ideas are generated, allowing bigger and better advances in the scientific community. Today, more research-intensive institutions of higher earning are adopting a similar approach. Guided by principles of “networked learning”, nations are adapting a global collaborative approach to research. An article by Yojana Sharma(posted here on the University World News)  discusses the rise of global science system. The story states that the number of manuscripts with international coauthors have risen from “16% to 22%” between 2003 and 2016. The number of citations from international sources have also risen. The expansion of science beyond national borders is extremely important for its growth. By adapting others’ viewpoints and motivations, we can solve problems using means far from the standard used in one’s own country. We can tap into resources never once thought of to advance our own understanding of the world around us. The networked learning approach in the scientific community also generates a sort of healthy competition. In order to access the breadth of knowledge provided by the global science system, nations must bring some of their own research to the table. Doing so encourages researchers to provide quality information in exchange for access to global innovations, creating a feedback loop.

As with most movements, there are some obstacles in the world of globalization of education. Political leaders have begun incorporating nativism and nationalism into their ideologies. While there is absolutely nothing wrong with believing in and supporting your country, when you begin to shut out any and all ideas that aren’t generated within your borders, you miss out on new ideas and techniques previously unknown. Restricting free exchange of information in today’s interconnected society is a grave mistake and can potentially lead to more oppressive regulations in a nation.

Collaborative learning is an absolute must for growth and development, particularly in the sciences. If we are to truly to improve the human condition, make advances in technology, and evolve beyond our current selves, we cannot isolate ourselves behind imaginary borders, but reach out to each other and progress as the human race. As always, these are my thoughts and I’d love to hear yours. Give the article a read and drop some comments and let me know what you think.

The Scientific Community and Networked Learning

In the world of science, there are few instances where a breakthrough or novel discovery are accomplished solely by individuals; some could argue that there aren’t any in history! The identification of DNA, though credited primarily to Francis Crick and James Watson, was an accumulation of the ideas, theories and experiments of many accomplished researchers. Jean Brachet, Rosalyn Franklin, and Martha Chase all held a hand in our understanding of DNA today. Researchers in science and technology fields have always understood the value of collaborative learning; by using information already gathered from others, new ideas are generated, allowing bigger and better advances in the scientific community. Today, more research-intensive institutions of higher earning are adopting a similar approach. Guided by principles of “networked learning”, nations are adapting a global collaborative approach to research. An article by Yojana Sharma(posted here on the University World News)  discusses the rise of global science system. The story states that the number of manuscripts with international coauthors have risen from “16% to 22%” between 2003 and 2016. The number of citations from international sources have also risen. The expansion of science beyond national borders is extremely important for its growth. By adapting others’ viewpoints and motivations, we can solve problems using means far from the standard used in one’s own country. We can tap into resources never once thought of to advance our own understanding of the world around us. The networked learning approach in the scientific community also generates a sort of healthy competition. In order to access the breadth of knowledge provided by the global science system, nations must bring some of their own research to the table. Doing so encourages researchers to provide quality information in exchange for access to global innovations, creating a feedback loop.

As with most movements, there are some obstacles in the world of globalization of education. Political leaders have begun incorporating nativism and nationalism into their ideologies. While there is absolutely nothing wrong with believing in and supporting your country, when you begin to shut out any and all ideas that aren’t generated within your borders, you miss out on new ideas and techniques previously unknown. Restricting free exchange of information in today’s interconnected society is a grave mistake and can potentially lead to more oppressive regulations in a nation.

Collaborative learning is an absolute must for growth and development, particularly in the sciences. If we are to truly to improve the human condition, make advances in technology, and evolve beyond our current selves, we cannot isolate ourselves behind imaginary borders, but reach out to each other and progress as the human race. As always, these are my thoughts and I’d love to hear yours. Give the article a read and drop some comments and let me know what you think.

Will I convert to blogging?

Well the simple answer is –  I have no other choice. 

But…will I really learn to enjoy and understand it, and see it for the beneficial tool that Tim Hitchcock makes it out to be? 

In all honesty, I am one of those people that internally rolls her eyes at the mention of blogging. So, when I found out that blogging would be a fundamental part of my semester, since I am required to blog for two classes, let’s just say I was the least bit excited. However, I much prefer it to the discussion boards on Canvas because well…its Canvas. So, will I be converted into an avid blogger? I’m open to the possibility. Or will I be ecstatic when May comes around and it’s all over? Could be. 

But for now, I am looking forward to the appealing idea, that this too could count as academic writing, but in a much more approachable way. 

Before doing this week’s reading/watching I had never associated blogging to academia. Instead when I heard the word “blog” I would hear a millennial’s voice in my head – “I’m a blogger”, as their answer to what they do for a living. Meanwhile, their blog consists of posts like…“5 drinks you must get while on vacation in Cancun”. While there is nothing wrong with that…and I’m sure that post could be useful to someone, that was my honest idea of blogging! And yes, I myself am a millennial. Anyway, the notion that blogs can be a useful platform in our careers is certainly a new and intriguing idea for me. 

However, I find that blogging fits almost seamlessly into the concept of networked learning. 

Networked learning seems to be the sharing of ideas with people outside of our classroom and conference rooms. But instead of sharing it only via scholarly articles, books, etc. making it public on platforms that are common and available to most people in today’s day and age, (i.e. Twitter, blogs). These platforms can open up the discussion to a broader audience, where collaboration and teaching are not only between student and teacher, but others outside of our field that may have contributions that can help to further develop an idea. For example, what we are doing in this class!

1 2 3 4 5