Refining My Understanding of PLNs

Like Kuuipo, I struggled in trying to define a professional learning network (PLN) at first.  She shared her frustration in her blog last week where she stated, “ I literally was stuck on trying to figure out the differences between a PLN and a social media site.  It seriously seems to be the same to me!”  The lines were definitely blurred and continue to be, but I think the biggest lesson that I learned after our round table sessions last week is that no two PLN’s look the same and that is okay.  I have continually noticed in this program that we seek answers and instructions that are black and white, but when we are forced to play in the gray is often where we find the most value in the learning experience.  

Luisa mentioned how she felt her PLN has already been developed as a member of the OTEC program.  She stated, “my doctoral cohort, professors, and the COLT students that I am meeting are the collection of people with whom I have been engaging and exchanging information, and therefore the network I consider part of my PLN.”  I completely agreed with her statement, but also acknowledged that soon this will all be over.   I am approaching graduation in a year and for me it has been important to develop ways to stay current after this program is over.  Defining and building a PLN has been a very valuable experience that I believe will remain with me beyond the course of the OTEC program.

Finally, a quote by Nick summed up why PLN”s are about more than just learning and sharing when he stated, “members of an online community care about one another.”  I know this may sound cheesy, but I have had the opportunity to get to know a lot of great people through the OTEC program, including in this course.  Building these networks has allowed me to develop friendships which was an unexpected outcome of my “distance learning” experience.  There is no better way to end this post than with a video of  the legends Cecilio and Kapono singing the classic melody "Friends" because "we are friends, frie-e-ends."  Mahalo nui for another great course!  

Fight Social Media with Social Media

Dr. Bert posted an interesting article this week on the potential demise of the  pygmy slow loris.  The authors suggest that the popularity of keeping these rare animals for pets spiked as a You Tube video of a slow loris pet owner went viral.  These creatures, who are undeniably cute, have been overharvested in the wild and are on the brink of extinction. 

As we discuss social media and its place in society is not fair to neglect the negative outcomes that often result.  By acknowledging the pros and cons, we are more aware consumers and producers who are thoughtful about what we contribute in our own technological circles. 

Another article pointing out a negative outcome of social media floated my way today.  Molokai community leaders place blame on social media for increasing visitor traffic at a culturally significant site known as Kapuaiwa or "Coconut Grove." 

Photo credit:  http://tripadvisor.com

Regardless of my stance on the issue, I thought it was interesting how this increase in traffic was attributed to social media and how potential solutions to solving the problem did not include social media.  I believe what we are seeing in this debate is one of different generations.  The "education" that the kupuna are envisioning would be effective with their generation, but may not be as effective with the social media users who are causing the alleged problem. 

Changes in technology and the way people communicate have widened a gap in my community.  The sharing of moolelo (stories/histories) is a large part of how traditions are shared and the manao (wisdom) behind these culturally significant places are passed down.  If the moolelo is not being transferred to technology (where our opio or youth are communicating) of course there are going to be areas of disconnect.

My personal belief is that social media can proliferate both positive and negative outcomes.  If social media contributes negatively to an issue, you have to fight it with social media encouraging a positive change.  This was evidenced in the slow loris article, where advocates for the preservation of the species are becoming more vocal and sharing their message through social media and getting obvious results in their favor.  I hope the same type of outcome can occur in my community. 

My Attempt to Define a PLN

Working in a rural environment, I can testify to the importance of having access to information outside your immediate work environment.  Seeing the work of others inspires innovation and encourages me to think about how the successful efforts of others can be localized to provide the same results within my educational community. 

The research I conducted this week on Professional Learning Networks (PLNs) has lead me to believe that building them can shift the way I currently use the internet.  I do not have to attack everything as if I am alone, I have the ability to surround myself with a community of like-minded individuals who are willing to work with me to solve our common issues.  The potential is overwhelming and the outcome can be a truly powerful catalyst for inventing change if done effectively.

I attempted this week to define a professional learning network by observing what makes them different from social networks and by identifying a couple examples.  This website illustrates some of my discoveries.  

Almost Viral!

I worked on the part one of the final project with Lisa Shea this week to collect data on social media usage.  We collaborated on the development of the survey and decided that the best way to get feedback would be to reach out to our Facebook and Twitter networks.  Once we completed the survey we both posted the link to Facebook and Lisa shared it on Twitter.  The whole process felt a lot like fishing.  We worked to rig our poles, put on some yummy bait and cast our lines into the sea.  Lisa got the first bite within a matter of minutes.  It was very exciting, but we had no idea that the survey was about to take off.  Within the first half hour we had over 30 responses.  We joked about how we got consumed in this process and did not want to leave the Google form page so we could count our responses as they came in.  The interest tapered overnight, but within less than 48 hours we collected 84 responses.  This is another prime example of the power of social media. 

Our project summary and visual representations of the data we collected can be found on Lisa's blog.

Needing a Productivity Boost

As I halfway watched a kiddie show on airplanes today with my son, I overheard the host saying that the first airplane flew at about 30 miles per hour and over time they have gotten faster, and faster.  It got me thinking, that is the exact thing that is happening with technology and the effects are becoming a bit overwhelming.  This infographic provides a visual demonstration of how technological overload is becoming an epidemic.

In Dana Ishii’s week two blog reflection, she mentions how this course is progressing at what feels like “warp speed.”  Many of the peers I have talked to in this course have echoed that same feeling.  With all the different social media platforms and assignments we are juggling, I started to think that there must be tools to increase productivity that would make our lives easier.  This thought spurred an online quest for productivity apps.  

The journey lead me to a few different online articles that suggest applications and programs to enhance productivity (listed below).  While they offered some exciting and promising benefits, I then started wondering if I even have the time to try these.  With each new program comes a learning curve and I don’t know if I have the energy to devote to learning something new.  I decided to offer the links to the articles anyway as a means to start a discussion.  I find some of my best teachers have been my peers.  Maybe you can help by answering some of these questions.  Do you have any productivity apps that are worth the time to learn?  Have you tried any of the ones suggested by the articles?  How did they work for you?

Streamlining Social Media with Productivity Programs & Applications

http://blog.myemoticons.com/5-proven-tools-for-streamlining-your-social-media-experience/

http://www.digitaltrends.com/social-media/here-are-10-ifttt-recipes-thatll-help-streamline-your-social-media-experience/

http://dashburst.com/best-social-media-management-tools/

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/11/productivity-apps-10-ipho_n_3560671.html

Mindless and Mindful Browsing

According to Smith in an article published in 2011 at http://USAToday.com, “A study from the Pew Internet and Life Project reported that 53% of those 18-29 years old go online for no particular reason except to have fun or to pass the time."  I was not able to do this when I first started using the internet.  I always appreciated structure and doing things for a reason.  Or maybe it was, as the author pointed out, that “for those who remember painfully slow dial-up modems, having a specific game plan in mind when the Web finally appeared was a significant time-saver.”  (That dial up comment made me chuckle and I had to include the video below for all the former dial-up users).  Whatever the reason, I always attacked the internet with purpose.  

Over time, however, I’ve gotten better at mindless browsing and programs have gotten better at making “suggestions” or creating spaces where this can occur.  While I hesitated at first, through this practice I have found some very exciting stuff!  Stuff that I wouldn’t even think to look for.....like a shade tent for use at  the beach for $20 bucks (steal), a recipe for cake mix cookies that was a hit at our last potluck, an article on the summer melt phenomenon that is hitting community colleges nationwide, and finally, just today, mindless browsing got me to realize that I could buy Air Ambulance insurance for my whole family for $20.  These wonderful discoveries all happened as I cruised online with no specific purpose, but just to see what was out there.  Weren’t some of the best discoveries in history made when people charted unknown territory with no specific result in mind?  

Our reading this week cautioned us in a different direction as Rheingold encourages mindful browsing and highlighted the importance of “controlling your focus.”    So now that  I have gotten better at mindless web browsing, I’m being told to practice mindfulness!  In the words of Bart Simpson, “ay caramba.”  I always believe that there are two sides to a story and I can see the importance of maintaining both perspectives.  While I completely enjoy the results I get when I am on task and completely focused, I also enjoy when I find that diamond in the rough through mindless browsing.  I believe both approaches enhance productivity in their own way.  In my opinion, striking the right balance of mindless and mindful browsing and having the flexibility to adjust the balance as necessary is critical to each individual reaching their fullest potential as an online participant. 

Have You Unplugged Lately?

Pay attention!  Yes you, put down that smartphone, take deep breaths and allow yourself to truly digest this blog post.  Now that I have your attention, I would like you to think about how development in technology and our increasingly connected lives have affected your attention span and ability to focus? 

Chapter 6 of Rheingold's text offers attention strategies "in a nutshell" for mindful participation in the online world.  One that stood out to me in particular was the notion that "to say that social media affords distraction is not to say that the technology has to be in control of your awareness; you can take control back, through repeated and conscious efforts."  Now ask yourself, I am in control or is technology?

I find myself battling the distractions of the online world daily.  With constant access to information, I daydream questions and have to answer them immediately because I know it will just take a minute.  Add up all those minutes spent distracted and the sum would probably be startling. 

After reading Rheingold's suggestions, I put much more thought into how I was spending my time online.  It is amazing how your behavior can be influenced when you are consistently checking in on yourself.  I found myself following his suggestion of "noticing when my mind has wandered and bringing it back to focus on the highest priority-like training a puppy."  In doing this, I started to realize...I have a problem.  I guess step one in solving the problem is in admitting you have one.

In addition to the suggestions offered by Rheingold, I believe there are more strategies that can help users regain focus and control.  This article published online by Forbes offers some strategies including going low tech once in a while.  While I support the authors belief that this is healthy, I would also like to offer the strategy of going no tech once in a while.  Yes, you read that correctly...I am suggesting regularly disconnecting yourself. 

Imagine you only had an hour a day to be connected.  What would you do in that hour?  The answer to that question should deliver insights into where your attention and focus should be.  While I appreciate all the good things that stem from the development of technology, I think we cannot forget to also give attention to the things in life that are not available online.  When I disconnect myself, I return to the online world refreshed and focused. While this strategy may not work for everyone, I implore you to try it.  You may be surprised by how disconnecting positively influences the time you spend connected. 

Molokai's north shore is only accessible by boat.  The area is very isolated.   There is no electicity, access to wifi or cell phone reception, however, I never feel like I am missing out on anything when I am there.