Open Networked Learning: Lessons Learnt

I found this Star Wars meme when I searched for memes that would relate to my experience of the course Open Networked Learning. We did not use it in our group project when our task was to create a meme that described our joint experience. It was a good decision, but I thought that I could comment on the ”Stay on target” meme in my last blog.

My general experience of this course was very positive, but there were moments when I felt irritation or stress because I could not completely fit the contents and schedule of the course together. This meme best relates to our online group discussions which were not always clearly headed towards a goal before they were supposed to end. Or, perhaps they were, but I did not understand it.

Throughout the course, I pondered on this tension between staying on target within the schedule and the branching off of our discussions into various directions. I realized that it would have been better to simply relax since our group worked well as a group. In other words, we collaborated well. There was a natural dynamic to it, so that we did not need a nervous person to repeat ”Stay on target”. Sooner or later we always landed on the target.

To put it differently, humans do not work exactly like space ships. It is ironic that I need to remind myself of this although I work in the humanities. I even apply this in my own teaching and let students get carried away if they become enthusiastic, so I should allow it to happen also when I myself learn something new. To control good group chemistry too much could probably even lead into destroying it.

My friend once told me that good relationships need not constantly be analyzed. You can simply be thankful and enjoy them. A key word here is trust. Sometimes the most important thing is to trust. Thank you group 8!