Twenty-Five Year Reflection on Learning - Connectivism

Twenty-five years ago, I was an undergraduate at Bucknell University in Lewisburg, PA. Bucknell, which is a small liberal arts university, nestled along the Susquehanna in the middle of bucolic rural Pennsylvania. When I was at Bucknell, I used to study for hours, day after day, in a very special nook in the university library, the same place, the same chair, the same circle of fellow students.  No ipod, no laptop, no interruptions. I would study with great focus by reviewing my notes, textbook and projects.  Before mid-terms and finals we formed small study groups of 5-10 folks, often with a Teacher Assistant, and met in classrooms late into the night to discuss and strategize on what questions would be on the exam.   This study group was our “social” and “learning” network.

Twenty-five years later how things have changed for me. My network is no longer just a group of my classmates on my college campus. When I have questions, I now have a group of colleagues, classmates and professors connected via world-wide internet resources and online learning portals.   One click, one email and I am connected to almost any resource I seek.  Seeing the power and ability to dialog and collaborate based on personalized set of questions, interests and needs is unbelievable. If you asked me 25 years earlier if this was possible, I would of thought this was from a movie scene from “Back to the Future”.

Connectivism theories are in alignment with the way I learn and process new information. This theory helps me sift through all the information and leverage technology to learn and chunk the information in real-time. Learning management systems, online learning classes, and discussion boards are so powerful. These combine to make my online adult learning experiences information rich and flexible to meet my schedule and interests. No longer am I in my library nook learning solo. My favorite websites and resources are booked marked on my browser bar. Youtube, Google, and Google reader now feed RSS information that I find relevant 24/7 into my MacBook for my mind to absorb and attempt to process each day.

A wealth of resources, research and knowledge is at my fingertips. My challenge is how to vet all these sources and sift through the mountains of information bombarding me like an uncapped fire hydrant and juggle all my home, work and school responsibilities.  Connectivism can help adults battle the challenges of this digital age and leverage technology to enhance learning experiences and information exchange. If only connectivism could help walk the dog, cook dinner and do the dishes each day….maybe it will in the future?

-Michelle Cosner