The Networked Student

   The networked student pays mind to how students are adapting in the twenty first century. The video narrates the learning strategies associated with a student subscribing to "connectivism", a theory centered around the idea of using technology to establish professional relationships to help create a more diverse and effective learning environment. It stands to reason that if you connect and calibrate with more people in your field, you are going to learn more. The internet has given us the opportunity to coordinate simultaneous content change with the ability to connect with others which has culminated a very diverse learning platform.
   The Networked Student introduced me to new ideas. Applying lectures from top professors to his mp3 player, the character in this short video utilized his technological devices to surround himself with learning material from his field. I also found it very interesting that the character organized information found online into a "textbook" of sorts on one of his social bookmarking sites. This is extremely beneficial to him in the realm of organization, but also to other learners who can take advantage of the work he has done to organize it.
   As a future educator, it is important to realize the role of teacher in this type of learning arena. While teaching strategies should adapt with the changing world we live in, it is vital for the instructor to realize there strategies should reflect appropriately upon our students. To instruct traditionally to a classroom full of tech savvy teenagers would prove futile. It is our role as 21st century teachers to teach our students how to build the networks discussed in this video. He have to be present to give guidance when our students get stuck, as they certainly will at times. Our students will have access to communication with people all over the world and it is important for us to instruct them on how to communicate through technology, but also how to decipher good information from propaganda.
   I see myself as a somewhat technological affluent person, but I am constantly shown new and innovative methods of applying technology to the classroom. This video has shown me several new ideas to incorporate the ideals of connectivism into my classroom. I will be the educator that prepares my students with how to learn in a diverse, technological learning environment opposed to the traditional "burp-back" education.


A seventh Grader's Personal Learning Environment
 
   I was extremely impressed with the personal learning environment of this student. It was extremely organized, and I can see where her environment will prove to be effective in her education. Looking back on my education, I think that tools like this would have done wonders for my attempts at staying on track with my studies. Not only for organization purposes though, I think that I would have found this type learning fun whereas normal pen and paper exercises left me unengaged.
    As to my personal learning environment, it fails in comparison to the one shown in the video. I learned a thing or two from the seventh grader featured in the video. I realized through this video that I need to incorporate Google Docs into more than I do. This would be a great start to organizing my personal learning environment.