Sunday 10 February 2013

Mind Map Matters



When John Locke (http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/locke/#SocConThe) put forth his idea that we learn through directly experiencing with our senses and by reflecting on these experiences he probably could not imagine how much those senses would be exposed to three hundred years after his death.


Twenty years ago I learned primarily from printed materials and face to face social interactions. These social contacts included formal school, lecturers or teachers, or family, friends and acquaintances.  Some electronic contact via the telephone with family members scattered over three continents also provided opportunities for social learning but these were limited to brief telephone calls on special occasions. Long distance calling costs were prohibitive then. I can recall spending happy hours browsing in book stores or waiting eagerly for those letters from home when I spent time abroad at college. 


Today, armed with a laptop, an e-reader and a recently acquired smart phone which is smarter than I because I am yet to figure out how to make an actual call, I am able to learn from many sources.

Undoubtedly the computer is at the centre of my learning network. Through it I am able to look up recipes, chat with and actually see relatives and friends who are thousands of miles away and even attend college without leaving my job. All these are accomplished via the Internet. I have access to the ‘Net on my phone and other devices but the computer allows for comprehensive use and is also the medium with the largest screen, an important factor for me.
  

I must confess to being incredibly fond of Google, which has become more than just a proper noun. I have heard folks at work referring to “googling” for information. I still do rely on people for knowledge however, especially on matters of culture and local information in general. Though the ‘Net does have a vast array of information it come up short on issues from my region, the Caribbean. We are not just sun, sea and sand nor all  about reggae music.


George Siemens, one of the primary proponents of connectivism, (http://www.elearnspace.org/Articles/connectivism.htm), identifies some of its fundamental principles. These include the fact that it is more important to be able to know more than to actually know, that current and up-to-the-minute information is one of the main advantages and that one may learn from non-human devices. While I could easily agree with the first two, it was a challenge for me to think that we could learn from devices. After giving it more thought I must admit that I agree with the third argument as well. Because the computer is able to accept data and quickly process it into usable information, it does indeed enable us to learn by identifying trends and patterns which it would be difficult if not impossible for the unaided mind to calculate and use in real time when the information is needed.


Although I agree with Siemens and other connectivists I must conclude on a cautious note, and that is that not many people in the third-world are able to afford some of the devices which make these connections possible. Therefore, like all learning theories, they have to be applied judiciously after examining the situation on hand.



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