#N4L: Getting Things Started

-part of the N4L Series; celebrating Learning at Work Week-

When I reached out to the fantastic contributors you’ll see in May’s Networked For Learning (N4L) blog series I asked them to share…

• Thoughts on what networked for learning means to them, plus
• Personal learning insights from the past 12 months

In the spirit of the series, I decided I too ought to answer the question I had asked of them, “What does the phrase Networked For Learning mean to you?”

So, I too sat down to consider what it means to me.

As I pondered, the overriding feeling I got was the sense of connectivity to real human beings.  Yes, for me, the essence of being networked for learning is all about people.  Real people.

We may ‘meet’ on social media.  We may physically meet and share a conversation.  My perspective is the route to connection is not the key; it’s the realness of that connection.  What I mean by realness is the meaningful sharing of insights, information, ideas; sharing values, wanting the best for each other.  This realness then helps us to build a level of connectivity which has a unique positive power.  It brings the sort of connectivity which enables us to help each other; to learn from each other.

Collecting ‘friends’, LinkedIn connections or followers as if they were trophies is a strategy employed by some.  Like Game Hunters these Name Hunters are on a quest to achieve record numbers of names in their virtual trophy cabinet.

I appreciate certain business models and successful online careers require this approach.  That’s not what I’m talking about in this context.  When it comes to being networked for learning it’s substance over volume for me.  How can our connection be elevating and beneficial?  How can we be more together that on our own?

In the words of George Bernard Shaw…

“If you have an apple and I have an apple and we exchange apples, you and I will still each have one apple. But if you have an idea and I have an idea and we exchange these ideas, then each of us will have two ideas.”

… and four ideas together!

The phrase Networked for Learning may be slightly ambiguous but it certainly got us all thinking and sharing.  Aaah, don’t you just love it when a plan comes together 🙂

I hope you enjoy reading the series.  Different voices; different interpretations; different approaches.  Inspiration and learning here we come!