Blog 7 Thoughts about "learning in the collective" #ETLEAD

Amber Hanson

Blog 7

#ETLEAD

Essential Question:

What are your thoughts about “learning in the collective”?

“Learning in the collective” sounds like a fantastic idea, especially within the virtual classroom setting.  But, in order for this to be successful, the participants have to be able to contribute in one way or another.  A collection cannot and should not be forced.  Honestly, I’m putting this out there, and I’m sure I could get scorned at for it….but I feel that the ‘collective’ that surrounds this very own class feels very forced.  I real a lot this class’s blogs, but It is very few that I feel inclined to comment on.  I do, none-the-less…as it’s a requirement for our class…but it is not meaningful to myself, nor to the original poster.  Honestly, I don’t always have ‘links’ to share, most the time I don’t at all.  Not something of use at least.  I find myself struggling to figure out what to so to peoples blogs other than ‘good job’ or ‘I agree’.  Most of the time my responses are positive, but I don’t’ actually have anything useful to contribute.  I am at loss.  It may be because I don’t actually have a sincere buy in for the class, for which I apologize.  I guess I haven’t really caught something that has ‘interested’ me enough to feel the needs to interact with.

            My personal opinion of this current collective environment in which we are immersed in at this particular moment won’t and does not hinder my opinion on the effectiveness off other collective environment however.  Honestly, from what I’ve learned by reading “A New Culture of Reading” I can see a ton of benefits on learning from a collective.  The key to success, I believe, is a person’s personal interest in the topic.  If someone is not interested in the actual conversation, the new environment will not be beneficial to either party. As mentioned in A New Culture of Learning, “In a collective, there is no sense of a core or center. People are free to move in and out of the group at various times for various reasons, and their participation may vary based on topic, interest, experience, or need” ( ).  In addition to the interest level of the participants, being able to contribute also has a lot to do with person’s experiences.  In my situation, I feel that I have far less experience than several of my peers. I’ve only been in the classroom a few years, and feel that I am no expert in any area. I love the ideas I read from other people, but I find that I generally don’t have any new ideas to contribute.  Perhaps I haven’t found my actual creative niche.  Now, I’m not saying I’m not the creative type (David Burgess would be upset if he read that!). I just don’t know if my interest has been sparked enough. I find that I have less interest in other people’s posts if I am struggling with my own.  Perhaps I would have a much different opinion on this course and it’s collective environment If it was the only class in which I was taking.  (I am also taking a research course that is centered around the idea of a collective environment as well).

            Honestly, I’m not sure how I would survive without the collective environment in which surrounds our course.  But I feel that this tends to be very one sided for me.  I love the ideas that others give to me on problems in which I am having.  But like I said, I feel that I am not contributing as much as I “should” or am “expected” to.  My mind is blank, I am not full of all these awesome resources that others are. I especially don’t have a set of technological resources that can be beneficially. Often times the tech resources that I may recommend to other people, are ones in which I’ve never actually experienced for myself.  Generally it’s my attempt at doing a quick research on what might be related to another person’s current difficulties.  I have far more ideas to idea that could work in the classroom that is not tech based, but with the pressures at adding more technology, I am always so hesitant to suggest. 

References

Gan, Y., & Zhu, Z. (2007). A Learning Framework for Knowledge Building and Collective Wisdom Advancement in Virtual Learning Communities. Educational Technology & Society, 10 (1), 206-226.

Khoo, E., Forret, M., & Cowie, B. (2009). Developing an online learning community: A model for enhancing lecturer and student learning experiences. In Same places, different spaces. Proceedings ascilite Auckland 2009. http://www.ascilite.org.au/conferences/auckland09/procs/khoo

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Thomas, D., & Brown, J. S. (2011). A new culture of learning: cultivating the imagination for a world of constant change.