Blog Post # 6

Networked Students

A networked student is a researcher, self-starter, and disciplined student. Their focus is on learning the material at hand and not waiting for someone to teach them the material. A networked student uses connectivism (defined by Wikipedia as being introduced as a theory of learning based on the premise that knowledge exists in the world rather than in the head of an individual). A networked student uses every possible resource they can to find information that pertains to what they are studying at that time. This information can help validate what they are trying to say, strengthening their argument, or contrast a theory of theirs and cause them to rethink what they have believed. A networked student is able to filter through the information they have received to form their own conclusions and therefore create scholarly documents/articles themselves.

So now that we know what a networked student is, let's dig into how a networked student affects all of those living in the 21st century. The teacher will be affected the most because they have to now be able to understand that a networked student has the information they were once trying to persuade the student to accept. They need to help the student filter all of this information and even the information that contrasts what the teacher has before proposed as true. There are a lot of varying opinions out there and what one once believed to be a solid fact may not hold true anymore. For example, it was once believed and stated as fact that Pluto was the ninth planet from the sun and now it is classified as a dwarf planet. I believe this is due to an increase in technology and networked students. Students now have the ability to challenge a lot of previous facts which means the teacher has to be open to several points of view and varying opinions unless they can prove that what is being proposed is definitely not true. A teacher must now be more of a guider and someone that is there to assist the student with their learning. The networked student will get the information and varying points of view from several sources. It is up to the teacher to help the students make the best decisions with the information they have received.

The rest of the world living in the 21st century will also have to be aware of the networked student. They need to be prepared to bestow information to students at all levels from all over the world. The classroom is now global and just because you are not physically in the same room as the student does not mean that you will impact what they learn. It was once stated that it takes a village to raise a child and now we are experiencing it and can see that the village has grown and is now the world. So the businessmen, teachers, parents, administrators, government employees, and even the so called "blue collar" workers will need to be aware that they are being watched closer than they ever have before. We are all role models to the networked student and as such we need to ensure our future is bright by being morally responsible to everyone around us.

As a future educator I am now taking the steps required to become a "networked instructor". I am making lifelong connections that will help me challenge and justify some of the networked students' questions. They will have a lot of questions relating to what they have found and I have to be able to help them understand and validate or dismiss what they have found. I will need the assistance of those experienced in such areas and those that have researched the concepts the students are presenting. I need to leave the students with the ability to understand what they have learned and the ability to accept or dismiss certain arguments with sound judgment. I am on my way to becoming an excellent "networked instructor" that is able to help a network student learn in this age of abundant information. I am not saying that the information hasn't always been out there but with all of the tools available today, accessing the information is now easier than it has ever been before.

Wendy Drexler has some very interesting challenges that she listed on her blog post Networked Student Challenges as she is trying to help the students become networked students. Some challenges she found were: Fitting within the framework of required curricular standards and giving students a choice of topics that maintains the learner's freedom yet falls within the life sciences curriculum. These challenges are what I would call “political barriers” and are something the administrators have to change to allow the students to explore their creative abilities. The problem is not that they won't get what is intended to be taught. The problem is the administrators are not ready to accept the challenges the networked student will present and are therefore reluctant to allow such creativity. Wendy states "It's the unknown unknowns that really worry me." and this is because as current educators we don't know what the future holds. We don't know if what we are teaching is what they really need to know. Yes, they need the basics, but what else do they need? The life skills are being taught where? This is what a networked student needs most and is the most challenging to achieve.

A 7th Grader's Personal Learning Environment (or PLN)

After watching a 7th Grader's Personal Learning Environment (or PLN) I can see that I am really lacking. I can't say that I have a PLN on the internet because I have only been taught in the past to find out information through research and comment on that research. With a PLN I have the ability to research, comment, and make my own conclusions and have this information be justified by an expert. I have my own thoughts and opinions about everything and my opinions might just open up questions about former research. What I have to say or what I know may be useful for other students, researchers, and experts alike. Everybody sees things in their own way and what has been instilled in us are the opinions of others and the way they saw things. It is time to open our minds, create PLN's and show the world what we have to offer. You never know where it will take you but you do know that if no one else knows about your beliefs it is impossible to go anywhere.