Learning to Change, Changing to Learn: The Power of Networked Learning

Over the course of LTT, I have been learning about the importance of building one’s personal learning network. I have come to the realization that as teachers, we need to be networked so that we can lead our students into a networked environment. So much of a teacher’s work in a “traditional” classroom setting is done in isolation; I know that there is amazing teaching and learning going on all the time behind the doors of my colleagues’ classrooms not just in my own school, but in the district, across the country, and around the world. Not so long ago, there were very few opportunities for us as teachers to effectively and efficiently share ideas; the odd Pro-D Day, workshop, learning team, conference, professional newsletter, etc. The choices were limited and limiting.

I have been working on building and extending my learning network by exploring more blogs related to education and technology. I am excited and inspired by the wealth of relevant, interesting information I have found; the challenge is to sift through and determine what is of true value and importance to me. As Nicholas Carr discusses, the ability to scan and browse is as important as the ability to read deeply and think attentively. I can see how Carr suggests that skimming is becoming an end in itself, our preferred method of both learning and analysis. I suppose that the old adage of finding a happy medium prevails, in this situation as it does in so many. Using my personal Netvibes page to organize and manage my blog following is the first step I am taking to make the whole process less overwhelming. I would like to continue to explore more ways to “manage” networked learning, to make it a seamless part of my professional practice rather than an “extra” or an “add-on.”