Improving Opportunities with Networked Learning

As someone who grew up in the digital age, technology has been embedded in my communication, hobbies, and education for a long time. However, I did not have language or a strategic method of using these digital technologies to my benefit. Like many, I mindlessly use Google, YouTube, and social media applications without structure. The Networked Learning Project (NLP) I completed for my Teaching with Technology course at Michigan State University has encouraged me to analyze the ways I interact with and operationalize technology to learn everyday tasks. My prior blog posts introduced my NLP on learning how a new (to me) and common DIY skill: patching a hole in your home. First, let me introduce you to the meaning of Networked Learning and what it has taught me about teaching and learning with technology.

Networked Learning is the use of information, communication, and technology (ICT) to meet an intended objective (Goodyear, 2005; McConnell, et al., 2011). Think of a time when you went to Reddit or Twitter for advice on a topic (i.e. intro to baking, learning about White privilege, self care as an academic)-- this is networked learning. When people engage on these platforms, they use technology to learn about a topic and engage in discourse with other users about their learning.

To provide some historical background, networked learning derives from educational design theories that examine how pedagogy and process drive student learning (McConnell et al., 2011). When networked learning is used by educators in a methodical way to develop course curriculum and facilitate intentional learning spaces, it enhances not only the end product but students’ engagement with the process.

When using the networked learning framework to do my DIY project, I found myself being more strategic about the information I collected. Google and other sites provide us with an abundance of information, but it is up to the individual to discern what information is most relevant. Hobbs (2011) refers to these actions through her competencies for digital literacy (access, analyze, create, reflect, and action). Though networked learning may start with technology, I learned through my DIY project that prototyping, or the process of trial-and-error through product creation, is done outside of the online space. The YouTube and DIY articles did not translate to my project’s specific context, so the prototyping process was essential to test, modify, and, eventually, discover what I needed to complete my project. Check out a detailed breakdown of my DIY project and its relation to networked learning below:

Looking ahead, I can apply networked learning to the classroom by emphasizing digital literacy and encouraging students to embrace 21st-century learning (i.e. communication, reflection, and assessment). I can definitely see how using networked learning will enhance students’ formative assessments. Yes, anyone can create a project, but the 21st-century workforce and students need to articulate how, why, and what challenges they encountered during their project to improve future performance. At Michigan State University's College of Education, I teach an applied leadership development course called EAD 315: Student Leadership Training. By the end of the class, I expect students to demonstrate critical thinking by addressing important topics within their workplaces. For example, I created a lesson plan entitled #PracticingWorkplaceAdvocacy wherein students must create a “digital story” articulating their awareness of a social issue (i.e. racism, ability, genderism, parenthood) and propose interventions for addressing microaggressions related to these concerns. Without networked learning, knowledge on these topics is limited to students’ experience. Though students’ values and experiences are the beginning of their knowledge, they must also challenge themselves to seek information beyond their own experience. In this example, networked learning is critical to supporting the diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts in education and the workplace. Check out my lesson plan on this topic on my website! Topics such as diversity, equity, and inclusion are highly important examples of how networked learning can be valuable to educators, supervisors, and community members.

Overall, I’ve learned that networked learning is most effective when approached with a plan, assessed through critical reflection and communication with others, and revisited by addressing the objective again. After all, education is a journey of “lifelong learning” and networked learning gives us a structure to ensure we are successfully meeting our developmental goals.

References

Goodyear, P. (2005). Educational design and networked learning: Patterns, pattern languages and design practice. Australasian Journal of Educational Technology, 21(1), 82–101. https://doi.org/10.14742/ajet.1344

Hobbs, R. (2011). Digital and media literacy: Connecting culture and classroom. Corwin/Sage.

MCConnell, D., Hodgson, V., and Dirckinck-Holmfeld, L. (2011). Networked learning: A brief history and new trends. In L. Dirckinck-Holmfeld, V. Hodgson, & D. MCConnell (Eds)., Exploring the theory, pedagogy, and practice of networked learning (pp. 3–26). Springer.