Stage 1 – Immersion / Stage 2 – Evaluation /
Stage 3 – Know it all / Stage 4 – Perspective /
Stage 5 - Balance
I definitely see where Jeff Utecht is coming from with his message that PLN adoption happens in stages, but I don’t think it entirely reflects my own journey in developing a personal learning network. Maybe that’s because I haven’t committed to “Stage 1 Immersion” or “Stage 3 Know it all”, particularly with online networks. Therefore, the hooks haven’t had a chance to take hold.For me, the adoption of social networking and social media tools has been a slow and cautious process, happening over time incrementally. Of course, undertaking INF206 has changed that, where trialling a number of new tools all at once is expected. I actually feel like I'm taking on too many, not having the time to properly evaluate and master any. My PLN, shown diagrammatically below, shows a rather wide range of networking tools. Rather than looking for gaps in my learning network, I think I should pick a couple of winners; tools that really work for me and use them more comprehensively.
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| Mindmap created using Freemind Click to enlarge |
Not sure whether it is a generational thing, but I only tend to commit time to things when and if I have the time, always being aware of competing demands. It’s called prioritising. Something that is really important when you’re juggling time to cover off on so many different responsibilities and obligations. So I can’t really relate to Utecht’s “feeling like you can’t disconnect” and “spending every waking minute trying to be connected to the point that you give up sleep and contact with others around you to be connected to your networks of knowledge”. No, never going to happen.
Obviously, I'm still a reluctant user of online social networking. Primarily for me, face-to-face (body language and visual cues) or speaking over the phone (hearing inflections and tone) are still the best and most important ways of maintaining connections with my fellow human beings. Yet, I'm a distance education student, so I do understand the value of online collaborative spaces for learning and sharing information/knowledge. I definitely want to develop my capabilities and understandings further, especially as the numbers tell me the online environment is where people are working, socialising and doing business.
As for perspective and balance; these are just things we naturally apply to everything we do in life, otherwise life stops making sense. I watch some young people (and some not so young people) with their mobile devices and how distracted they become, to the point that they disconnect with people physically present. My thinking is that too many people don’t ever quite make it to stages 4 and 5, and that’s pretty sad. Almost like being socially networked and connected is an addiction. Both sad and scary!!
Obviously, I'm still a reluctant user of online social networking. Primarily for me, face-to-face (body language and visual cues) or speaking over the phone (hearing inflections and tone) are still the best and most important ways of maintaining connections with my fellow human beings. Yet, I'm a distance education student, so I do understand the value of online collaborative spaces for learning and sharing information/knowledge. I definitely want to develop my capabilities and understandings further, especially as the numbers tell me the online environment is where people are working, socialising and doing business.
As for perspective and balance; these are just things we naturally apply to everything we do in life, otherwise life stops making sense. I watch some young people (and some not so young people) with their mobile devices and how distracted they become, to the point that they disconnect with people physically present. My thinking is that too many people don’t ever quite make it to stages 4 and 5, and that’s pretty sad. Almost like being socially networked and connected is an addiction. Both sad and scary!!
Utecht, J. (2008, April 03). Stages of PLN adoption [Web log post]. Retrieved
from http://www.thethinkingstick.com/stages-of-pln-adoption
from http://www.thethinkingstick.com/stages-of-pln-adoption
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