My Synaptic Learning

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I chose the title Synaptic Learning for my Connectivism Mind Map for a few reasons.  First, I am a scientist whose passion is to teach about the human body and the brain is one of the body’s most brilliant parts.  Second, as I was making sense of connectivism, I thought about neurons and wandered back to the idea that “many theorists believe that the basis for learning lies in changes in interconnection among neurons – in particular, in the strengthening or weakening of existing synapse or the formation of new ones” (Ormrod, Schunk & Gredler, 2009, p. 44).

My Synaptic Learning network represents how I learn.  Prior to having these network connections my learning occurred within silos.  I would read a book or have a conversation but not necessarily have the connections set up to be able to process the information to a deep level.  According to Vygostky's Social Constructivist theory, "individuals create meaning through their interactions with each other and with the environment and meaningful learning occurs when individuals are engaged in social activities" (Kim, 2001).  This learning network has provided me with the social connections to allow for more meaningful learning.

My learning network allows me to gain new knowledge within seconds of my fingers hitting a keyboard.  When I am curious about a topic I begin to ask questions, pose queries and explore.  I utilize many digital tools to facilitate my learning, often starting with a simple Google search as a jumping off point.  For example, when a peer in my EDUC-6115, Learning Theories Instruction class at Walden University brings up a new idea or poses a question I am not familiar with I will spend time mining the Internet.  Often times I will stumble through many new sources of information to begin to make connections and form answers.  Often times I seek out expert advice to gain knowledge.  My learning network highlights several sources of expert advice in my professional life, from the NSTA listserv to the NNSTOY discussion forum.  I can receive almost instant feedback from my colleagues to help guide my learning.  As a person who thrives on visual and auditory information, I often will turn to TED talks or YouTube to explore topics of interest or to enhance knowledge on a particular topic. 

My personal learning network supports and is supported by the connectivist model.  Today as I reflect on how I learn I see that it is “distributed within a network, social, technologically enhanced, and entails recognizing and interpreting patterns” (Davis, Edmunds, & Kelly-Bateman, 2008).  When I think about how I come to understand or learn a new topic, such as new learning theories, I utilize my technologically enhanced network to gather information, interpret it and build correlations in my head.  Once I begin to formulate meaning, I then utilize my community to “allow for interactions, sharing, dialoguing and thinking together” (Kop & Hill, 2008), to solidify the learning.  To me connectivism is a theory that demonstrates that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.  My learning is enhanced because of the connections from “diverse knowledge sources” (Davis, et.al, 2008).

References:

Davis, C., Edmunds, E., & Kelly-Bateman, V. (2008).  Connectivism. In M. Orey (Ed.), Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved January, 26, 2013 from http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/

Kim, B. (2001). Social constructivism. In M. Orey (Ed.), Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved from http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/index.php?title=Social_Constructivism

Kop, R., & Hill, A. (2008). Connectivism: Learning theory of the future or vestige of the past? The International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning, 9(3). Retrieved February 9, 2013 from: http://www.irrodl.org/index.php/irrodl/article/view/523/1103

Ormrod, J., Schunk, D., & Gredler, M. (2009). Learning theories and instruction (Laureate custom edition). New York: Pearson.