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Writer's pictureFreshEducator Team

Integration of Technology in Education

Networked Learning Project - The Creation of a Website

Above, you will find a video that summarizes the creation of this website including the original learning goal, sources utilized to learn and a demonstration of what I have learned.

 


A Reflection of Learning Through Networks


On the surface, the idea of learning through networks seems foreign. The “traditional information outlets, such as newspapers” and textbooks have been exchanged for websites and social networks” (Barzilai et al., 2018). Although, the longer I pondered this concept the more I realized that as a digital native, this form of education has been ingrained in common culture and understanding. The concept of Googling something is commonplace in this day and age. The concept of educating oneself by finding resources and learning from them is a difficult ordeal at times.

Advantages of Learning Through Networks

Learning through networks allowed me to learn at my own pace. Instead of following along with a teacher, I was able to study materials at my own pace, taking time where I needed and moving quickly through areas that I understood. Additionally, learning through networks allowed me to explore any concepts that caught my attention. Rather than merely being a spectator in my education, through networks I was able to scaffold my learning; building upon concepts and exploring new ones.


Disadvantages of Learning Through Networks

Although there were numerous advantages of learning via networks, there were disadvantages as well. One main disadvantage of learning through a network was not being able to ask a teacher a question. Rather, one has to complete a search of networked resources to find an answer. This process was extremely tedious and added a lot of time to the learning experience. Another disadvantage of learning through networks was the ability to easily get distracted with another concept or idea. Staying focused while learning though networks was extremely difficult especially when the resources were found on YouTube. This difficulty would be compounded by younger individuals who have a harder time exercising self control due to their age.



Complexities of Learning Through Networks

One of the main complexities I experienced was in regards to the trustworthiness of a resource and the cost of the resource. Some learning resources are easy to access via networked devices, similarly, some are free. That being said, this is not always the case. There were some resources that were monetized, as such I was unable to utilize them unless I paid for it. Mirroring this, some networked resources were extremely easy to access. Unfortunately, due to the ease of creating a site (something I was learning about in this NLP exercise) the credibility of a resource came into question on numerous occasions as anyone “with a cell phone and an Internet connection, anyone can broadcast virtually anything to the world” (Rouhani, 2022). One example of this was when I was learning how to change the settings of the site, I found a set of instructions that I later realized would have led me to open up a security flaw on my site had I followed them!

Incorporation into Personal Instructional Context


Learning through networked resources has its benefits although it did come with some disadvantages and complexities. Incorporating this into my classroom curriculum is something I would endeavour to do, I believe that it is best accomplished with supervision and assistance. Rather than having students learn everything on their own through networked resources, I will be attempting to have students explore mini-concepts on their own. This ensures that students will receive the advantages of this form of learning while minimizing the disadvantages.

This assignment/experience has me believing that allowing students to explore concepts and actively play a role in their learning is extremely beneficial in their growth and understanding of a subject or idea. As such, by utilizing this technique of self directed learning through the use of networked resources I will allow my students to interact with concepts and curriculum material on a deeper and more engaging level as discussed by Kolb (2013).




References

Barzilai, S., Zohar, A. R., & Mor-Hagani, S. (2018). Promoting integration of multiple texts: A aaaaaaareview of instructional approaches and practices. Educational Psychology Review, 30(3), aaaaaaa973–999. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-018-9436-8

Kolb, E. (2013). Engage, enhance and extend learning: Find out what these terms really mean aaaaaaawhen you integrate technologies into your lessons. Learning & Leading with Technology, aaaaaaa40(7), 21–27. http://www.learningandleading-digital.com/learning_leading/201305?aaaaaaapg=22#pg22

Rouhani, L. (2022, January 1). 2.1 Digital video production [D2L Post]. UOttawa Brightspace. aaaaaaahttps://uottawa.brightspace.com/d2l/le/content/277849/viewContent/4097117/View

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