Reflection

During my school education my network consisted of school teachers, tutors, peers and parents. Then after my school education the learning network consisted of university lecturers, professionals, library resources and outside the university there was a network containing relevant organizations and professionals, media and web resources. Social groups in my learning network also changed my way of learning. For example, my B.Sc batch mates stimulated me to do a Masters degree. After completion of my postgraduate, I didn’t start any formal education but I needed to learn and update my knowledge because I started to work in my field of study.

I use my personal mobile phone very much for my learning. It facilitates me to access internet anytime and I use Google search engine. Whenever I come across new terms or forgotten facts I quickly access internet and find the meaning or information. Therefore it is an important digital tool for me. The next tool which best facilitates learning is my PC. I am used to go through AV materials for improving my knowledge.

During my learning, when certain things are not clear, I had to change and access another node in my network to get it clarified For example when I studied for my M.Sc Degree, if my lecturer didn’t elaborate some facts to the extent that I can clearly understand, then I got used to access another source of information, namely, library materials and Web resources. When questions arise I normally got used to contact special nodes in my learning network. For example, I remember when I did my survey, I wanted to analyze my data, but I didn’t know how to use software. Then I had access to internet tutorials and learn the statistical software “SPSS’ and also the nutrition assessment software “EPI-Info 6”. I got EPI-info 6 from WHO website and bought SPSS CD. I learned both of these software myself by following the tutorial from internet. I contacted a statistician from a university when I had a doubt. Therefore I interact with internet resources and professionals and these can be considered as nodes of my network.

One of the principles of connecitivism explains that learning is a process of connecting specialized nodes or information sources. I can identify such process in my network of learning. In my personal learning network, there are important specialized nodes with which I can connect. For example, recently when I wrote a lesson in the resource book for Grade 13 students, I wanted to include the RDA table (Recommended Dietary Allowance), I contacted specialists in the Medical Research Institute for confirmation, or to update the information available. There were certain changes and a new table which was constructed in 2007. I got all the information related to that. Not only that I contact them to learn some facts relevant to the field of nutrition.

Similarly I got used to contact the Institute of Technology to find some information related to food science and new research findings. I am used to access WHO and FDA web site to learn some new facts for example, new growth charts, new food based guidelines etc. Maintaining these connections is essential to me, otherwise I may not be able to train school teachers and upgrade their knowledge. Today school children are more active and competent in searching information specially using internet. Therefore teachers must be knowledgeable and updated. Not only that, I also will become a person with limited knowledge and not upgraded, if I fail to maintain these nodes and nurture. However the challenge for me is to use digital tools, the only digital tool I best use is my mobile phone. Therefore my learning also resides on such non-human appliance not only mobile phone but other resources such as books, journals and electronic materials. Normally there is a connection between the field of food and nutrition with the field of education. Ideas and concepts also are connected. Sometimes there are controversial points which disturb this connection. But this can be solved by connecting with special nodes such as professionals and organizations. Considering my learning network, I like to recall how Siemens has defined connectivism “Decision-making itself is a learning process. Choosing what to learn and the meaning of incoming information is seen through the lens of a shifting reality. While there is a right answer now, it may be wrong tomorrow due to alterations in the information climate affecting the decision.” (Siemens, 2005, paragraph. 24).