A learning network connects people both on and offline, and it provides a way for individuals to communicate with others about experiences, issues, etc. A learning network has many implications in the classroom, and for college students. They provide a lot of new resources that were not available just a couple years ago. This just goes to show that technology is always changing and improving, and future educators need to be aware and up to date in the society that centers on technological advances. However, the term “technology” scares many individuals. As future educators, we need to move past fears and create a learning network centered around student based learning and a transformation of the school that no longer meets the needs of students in today’s society.
Learning networks leave the responsibility of learning to the student, and it focuses on what students learn outside of the classroom. While books are helpful in an educational environment, they no longer meet the needs of the society we are sending these children into. All schools need to be willing to transform and become a product that looks completely new. The problem is that some teachers and schools are not willing to take on this extreme change in life. Teachers need to learn differently than they did in their high school years. The world is constantly changing, and that includes the field of education. Educating is a lifelong process of learning, and teachers need to be willing to accept this and take it as a challenge. In addition, the students will be more willing to learn if the teachers are learning along with them. Once again, another example of transformation. This idea of communication and building a new environment for learning is too powerful to ignore. Fear is what is holding many districts back. However, technology is not the issue. If students wanted to learn and were engaged in the material, they would clearly be using technology in a beneficial way.
As you can see, this topic sparked many controversies in our classroom. Some people see them as very beneficial, while others feel that technology is too damaging to the students. I personally see potential in this idea. However, educators need to be willing to make it work. Students cannot do this alone. Teachers need to be willing to change and learn too. With technology constantly changing, a future teacher and his or her students will be learning together to make it through as successful year.
My SEDU 183 class is great at using these types of materials. The blog that we continue to maintain is the best example. We post on the blog about things that we all experienced (such as this discussion), but we all had different opinions. This allows us to share our opinions to everyone and get feedback from people who will soon be experiencing the same things. I know that some of us also go and comment of other students’’ blogs, which helps to develop a community of bloggers who can share and talk about different topics in the educational world. We can also blog bout things from other classes and get feedback from other students. I think it is important for all of the students to comment though. Everyone has an opinion, and no two opinions are the same. We willing to share your thoughts because it will help both the writer of the blog and the commenter to better develop an understanding on the topic.
I defiantly see myself using this in my classroom. It is important for students to feel comfortable talking and communicating to students for help. While they can talk to students in the class, they will also grow to rely on a new community of learners though learning networks. Students grow to rely too much on adults and expectations. I know that I fall into this category, but the changing society does not demand this. If we want to produce successful individuals, we as future teachers are going to take to incorporate technology and learning networks into the classroom because this is what is demanded of all individuals in the working and professional world.
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