The title is rather short, but also a quite good summary of the collaborative learning approach of the last two weeks. That ONL is a self-designed open network learning – quickly becomes clear when you sign up for it, but there is more to it than just being in a group. In ONL I perceive the superpower mindset: From consumption to creation!

The understanding of a PLN presented by Kay Oddone describes a group of people who can guide your learning, point you to learning opportunities, answer your questions, and give you the benefit of their own knowledge and experience (Tobin, 1998). The power of online PLNs comes from the interactions that occur, the knowledge that is remixed, redesigned and reimagined. Kay Oddone is pointing out that learners become amplifiers as they engage in networks. I really like this   metaphor.

A paradox of PLN is the fact that it is driven by a single person, but only works in the community. These are experiences that I have encountered many times when engaging in online communities, networks, and courses. I can observe a significantly better learning experience and learning outcome for myself when I am engaged in learning creation. If I’m already taking the time and I’m interested, why not engage properly? If, as a learning facilitator, I encourage my learners to work in a group and thus get more out of the process than if they work solo, then it is only natural that I take this medicine I prescribe myself. Putting myself into the shoes of my customer!

So in our group we carried out what I think was quite an interesting self-experiment and practised social learning together, reflected on it together and documented it together. From my point of view, we have actually reached the highest level of the 4-step approach described by Siemens (2005): Communication, Collaboration, Cooperation and Community. And that was fun!

The challenge presented by Lin (2008) „… adult learning is not always joyful or motivated by heart-felt needs (…) and adult learners commonly experience anxiety over the gap between old thinking and new knowledge or capability“ was thankfully not experienced by our team at all.

A short video emerged out of this, describing our group process and the lessons learnt. In the course of the documentation, in addition to the collaborative approach, I also challenged my personal growth mindset in the creation of the video by creating the video with software that I had not used before. At this point, I can say that I was able to expand my comfort zone considerably and that I am very happy with the result thanks to the excellent cooperation in my PBL05 team.

References

Lin, L. (2008). An online learning model to facilitate learners‟ rights to education. Journal for Asynchronous Learning Networks, 12(1). Retrieved from
http://www.distanceandaccesstoeducation.org/Results.aspx?searchMode=3&criteria=en

Oddone, K. (2019): TEACHERS’ EXPERIENCE OF PROFESSIONAL LEARNING THROUGH
PERSONAL LEARNING NETWORKS, Ph.D. Thesis, QUT, Retrieved from https://eprints.qut.edu.au/127928/1/Kay_Oddone_Thesis.pdf

Siemens, G. (2005). Connectivism: A learning theory for the digital age. International Journal of Instructional Technology and Distance Learning, 2005(January). Retrieved from http://www.itdl.org/

Tobin, D. (1998). Building your personal learning network. Retrieved from http://www.tobincls.com/learningnetwork.htm