Chapter One

      After finishing chapter one from the book Personal Learning Networks, I have come to realize I am much more open minded to technology in everyday life. In chapter one Understanding the Power of PLNs I learned a field like technology is something the world should embrace. It is a never ending growth process that many believe is changing quicker than we can keep up, as discussed in class. Learning networks let us collaborate with the rest of the world outside our everyday clicks, in fact some may take you around the world and back. This technology change opens the door for educators to collaborate with other facilitators who have the same ideas or interests in teaching as we do. As for the learners, “the fundamental change is that we can be much more in control of the learning we do.” (pg. 19) The internet is a newfound self-directed learning tool that is being pushed to be incorporated in the classrooms in all ages of learning. The web will begin to better prepare students for real life. It is said that “kids learn on the internet in a self-directed way, by looking around for information they are interested in, or connecting with others who can help them” (pg. 22), nevertheless it is a different approach from how students learn in most schools.

     When underlining words or phrases in this chapter I noticed a theme, collaborating. Being able to collaborate and share ideas, opinions, answers, or questions is specifically what learning networks are all about. They are in fact one of the most knowledgeable ways to collaborate online. Through collaborating we get to share ideas not just consume them in our thoughts. However, what happens when the collaborating goes beyond the people we know, have seen, or can trust? There are negatives to these networks but when properly taught the privacy settings and the way around the networks students will be able to control who they share things with. By collaborating the students will be more interested about what they are learning as well as more engaged in what they are learning.  This shifts me to another question, what’s the limit on learning? If there interest is not school related is it looked down upon? Even if they follow all the right directions they are still engaged and learning about something. This is where I start to become concerned, without limits there would be chaos. But its fact online learning has proven to be more efficient then classroom learning because of the possibility of collaboration.

     I use to be against technology, I just thought it’s not for me. In fact I believed this class was going to be my most difficult class, but after reading the first chapter and understanding that I’m not alone there are others out there like me I just need to collaborate a little and find them so we can help one another to realize the benefits of the fast growing technology world that stands before us. The change threatened me I was nervous to learn something new but I just had a closed mind to the opportunities in front of me. “In times of change, learners inherit the earth, while the learned find themselves beautifully equipped to deal with a world that no longer exists”, (Hoffer, n.d.) (pg. 20)