I am very intrigued by the idea of creating connections with our learners that extend beyond the walls of our learning community. In the past our learners would come to our facility for training then be gone, in most cases until the next year when they would have to take a refresher course. There was no constant connection.
I think one of the things that we have working in our favor is that our learners are "primed" for this type of experience and connections. Social media platforms are helping to reinforce the feeling of connection to different communities. I have my Twitter friends where I follow folks on art and politics. Instagram is where I go to see my family and their newest pics. Canvas (both on my PC and on my phone) is where I can keep up with my adult education colleagues. Email is for work.
I've compartmentalized each aspect of my life for the social media streams that make the most sense for me at that moment. I have been trying to convince my IT department that merely having an organization app will not be enough for us to create a connected network of learners. I've been asking for them to produce an app, a web-page, a LinkedIn group, a chat bot, etc. You never know how one person or one group of learners will want to process and access information and content. We have to give them choices and the freedom to choose that which fits best in their lives.
It made me think about a quote from a friend, Anne about making it feel like a part of nature and their body. It should be easy, holistic, and like a part of their body, not something different or unique.
No comments:
Post a Comment