People are often saying that you can learn/find anything on the internet. I’ve always been a bit skeptical of this because I’m a people person. Every personality test I’ve taken shows that I value interactions with others, my love language is time/touch, and I love to decompress by being around people. So learning online all by myself? Yikes. Four weeks ago, I was tentative to set out learning to play the guitar entirely online. I must say, it had its challenges but wasn’t all bad. The good: My inhibitions were low because no one could hear me sing off key, strum the wrong note, or botch a transition between chords. I was not afraid to take risks in front of anyone for fear of embarrassment. Additionally, I could access a multitude of resources at any place and time. I didn’t have to fit one more thing into my busy schedule but could practice on my own terms. YouTube videos, Reddit pages, and more could be pulled up on my phone or laptop whenever I wanted to explore. The bad: Feedback was lacking. The only person evaluating my successes and errors was myself, and I’m a total guitar novice (see more about novice vs. expert learning in this blog post). I don’t know what I don’t know. Motivation was sometimes lacking, too. I am more motivated to show up to the gym when I’m meeting a friend, so similarly, having to show up to a guitar lesson would hold me accountable for practicing instead of surfing Hulu for a new show. Every learning experience has its good and bad, and this networked learning project was no different. Curious to see and hear how my four week “learn to play the guitar” adventure went? Check out the video below. In conclusion, Aleph Molinari (2011) says in his TED Talk, “Internet should be a basic right, not a privilege.” This project would not have been possible without the network and has made me realize what privilege simply connecting my phone and laptop to WiFi affords me. As a teacher, I hope for all students to have the same access to information that I do, and further, to understand how to use the internet as a tool and not a distraction or a weapon. Our job as educators in the 21st century learning is a big one because for that, technology cannot replace caring teachers. I still prefer to learn and interact in person, and will probably start some guitar lessons soon! But I cannot discredit the fantastic resources I found on YouTube, Reddit, and more. (All of my sources are recorded in this Google Sheet.) My husband is stationed abroad and just expressed an interest in learning to crochet to pass time. Guess where I directed him? The internet. References
Coco, Bella. (2019, February 24). How to crochet for absolute beginners [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GcOzdAzmtNM EF Explore America. (2012, March 15). What is 21st century education? [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ax5cNlutAys Level Up Guitar. (2017, April 8). I have no idea what I'm doing [Image]. Retrieve from https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/a3/12/91/a3129121302fdb1ed7eb9a8f0a1c4734--funny-dog-memes-dog-humor.jpg Molinari, Aleph. (2011, August). Let’s bridge the digital divide! [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.ted.com/talks/aleph_molinari_let_s_bridge_the_digital_divide (n.d.). Guitar - Gear, reviews, lessons, and discussion for everyone! [Online forum] Retrieved from https://www.reddit.com/r/Guitar/ Piano, Andy. (n.d.). Andy guitar. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9cvVvlvr-qBssphm1EdYGQ
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Hi there!I'm Sarah! I have a passion for powerful teaching and lifelong learning. I am a 4th grade teacher turned instructional designer, and this is my blog documenting the journey. Click here to get in touch with me. Archives
February 2021
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