Which Encyclopedia Volume Includes Networking 101?

I’m terrible at networking. I was an awkward only child, lacking in social skills and social opportunities, and I came to rely on myself for company at a very young age. I don’t “make friends” well, and I always feel like I’m imposing on others or inserting myself in their conversations when I try to interact. My home environment was quiet, self-directed, and autonomous. My school environment, however, was not peaceful. Near the end of his life, Benjamin Bloom emphasized that school and home environments could be conducive to learning. I agree, so long as either environment provides the necessary physical and psychological safety.

My lack of networking skills has held me back professionally regarding promotions, inclusion in decision-making and new initiatives, and being in the know regarding essential changes. Folks don’t maliciously do this – they just have no way of knowing that I’d be interested in what they are saying or doing simply because I’ve never told them. In his video clip, Connectivism, George Siemens discusses the emphasis on social connection in learning, especially in today’s abundance of information (Walden, n.d.). Those of us for whom social interactions are tiring or forced can and do find ways around that social connection as needed.

My network, small though it may be, has allowed me to experience the perspectives of others more frequently. My levels of empathy have grown as my network has grown – I have more “shoes” to put myself in, after all. However, I’ve also increased my skepticism when engaging in more social learning opportunities. The last eight years have given me pause in trusting without extensive verification.

I don’t know if any specific digital tools help me learn. As a member of Generation X, I started my learning journey long before the household PC existed, when encyclopedia sales reps still came door to door. I learned about the digital world as it was being developed and have embraced many of the technological advances that have come out. There are a few avenues that I have not at least started to pursue, with the possible exception of cryptocurrencies. Malcolm Knowles held that adults have a greater desire than children to be self-directed and in charge of their own learning. I experienced that from a much younger age than he perhaps was considering.

When I have questions about something I’ve heard, seen, or read, my first action is to find the source. Whether that’s the original poster of a LinkedIn or Facebook submission or the source documents listed in a Wikipedia article, I’ll try to get to “the horse’s mouth.” I’ve played the telephone game and learned firsthand how things get lost in translation. I like to first eliminate the noise that builds up as information gets passed from one to the next. If, along that journey, I have not yet found the answer, I’ll find another expert in that field. I may seek another news source, a different YouTube tutorial, or another subject matter expert at my workplace to try to clear the fog. Specifically for questions at my workplace, my Agency maintains several computerized knowledge repositories that can be searched by employees seeking clarification. Those are not always up-to-date, but they at least get me going in the right direction.

I am a solitary learner by unintentional design. My isolation in childhood, coupled with an innate curiosity, has always driven me to seek answers outside of a connection with other learners. However, no one can learn in a vacuum. What I do not experience in a traditional networking sense, as discussed in employee engagement surveys, I do experience in connection to books, online written materials, videos, and yes, even that dusty old encyclopedia. Some connection is needed to be sure. In this age of instant likes and shares, perhaps we could all benefit from additional disconnect if only to discover what we want to learn.

References

Bloom, B. S. (1968). Learning for Mastery. Instruction and Curriculum. Regional Education Laboratory for the Carolinas and Virginia, Topical Papers and Reprints, Number 1. Evaluation comment, 1(2), n2.

Walden University, LLC. (Producer). (n.d.). Connectivism.  Walden University Canvas. https://waldenu.instructure.com.