learnE – My experiences in elearning

Since writing my assignment last week and analysising my role as a learner in a community, and also completing the Group Charter for the first part of our second assignment, I started reflecting on my ‘fears’ about posting my thoughts and ideas in the online learning environments that we are using for this subject.  To be honest (and without being vain) this is a new feeling to me – not feeling comfortable about ‘voicing’ my opinions?  I am totally comfortable with reading, analysising and even researching comments made by others but why am I becoming a ‘lurker’?  What am I afraid of? 

Tonight I viewed an article, Top Ten Reasons to Blog and Top Ten Not to Blog.  What an insight?  I actually could align certain points of the article not just to blogging, but to my reaction to participating ‘comfortably’ in general.  What was even more interesting for me was the fact that I read the ‘not to blog’ points first!  Thought provoking!  Points like:

• because you are too lame;
• because you are a scared little wuss; and
• because no one really wants to read what you have to say.

I really don’t think any of these are completely true for me but….

Then I read the ‘..to blog’.  Interesting points:

• because this is how you are going to learn in the future;
• because learning is conversation and blogging lets you have more and better conversations;
• because Professionalism is more than consumption, it is contribution; and
• because it’s a ’swap meet for the mind’.

I certainly agree with these points and as a trainer, am very much aware that elearning is the way of the future.

I think I mentioned in my assignment that maybe I’m coming to terms with understanding the communication process and this environment.  Personally, I would have hoped that this might have happened at a faster pace but I guess, it’s happening. 

Filed under: Personal and tagged community, learning, social