Reflecting on knowledge and learning

 Before starting this course I certainly have never reflected on many things surrounding my practice. This past week I've been focusing on reading the Core text and 'Knowing Knowledge' by George Siemens, as after much deliberation on where to start my studies I thought here would be appropriate. I've come to realise that I've never given much thought as to how we learn and how we retain knowledge. I've always been very accepting of the notions of learning and acquiring knowledge but never delved deeper and asked the bigger questions. If there's anything these books have taught me so far is how little I don't know, which I know is completely acceptable at this point in study. Through teaching dance to younger children it has been apparent that individuals learn in a variety of ways whether it be verbal-linguistic, kinaesthetic, musical or more. I accepted this and adapted my teaching style accordingly but through lack of inquisitiveness never gave it a second thought. That's why I'm enjoying this process so much as now I have the opportunity to learn about learning areas and methods to aid reflection on my own personal practice. 

Knowledge is greatly important and contributes to how you function in your career but also personal life. Knowledge doesn't just come to us from a quick google search or from our parents/guardians through childhood. 'Knowledge comes to us through a network of prejudices, opinions, innervations, self-corrections, presuppositions and exaggerations' (Adorno, 1984). Knowledge of others may also be biased which is when our own emotional intelligence must come into play to decipher what is valuable or not. On reflection on my practice I've recalled numerous situations (which I won't bore you with) where I've now realised I've used different means of learning or different ways of acquiring knowledge. I find this greatly interesting and that through all the reading I've done, I've finally had a lightbulb moment which has made me realise how I've got to where I am in my practice today.

I've read the module handbook a few times now and looked over the 3 lens' but they are something I want to focus on this week. Web 2.0 and both its positive and negative attributes has had me thinking a lot. I've always seen Web 2.0 as something wonderful that can only aid knowledge but I've been wondering if we are becoming too reliant on it to manage our knowledge. Networking and connectivity holds great importance with regards to my personal practice, as I rely on my professional networks to improve my knowledge and better myself as a dancer and choreographer. I'm interested at looking at networks from different viewpoints and studying connectivism as a concept further.

'Since we cannot experience everything, other people's experiences, and hence other people, become the surrogate for knowledge'(Stephenson).

Going into Module One there is a lot of information and a lot to process. I still have many questions and there is still a lot I don't know. But I'm aware if I knew everything what would be the point in doing the course. Although I feel like I'm making a good start I know there is a long way to go and I'm excited to see how much more knowledge this week will bring. 

Bibliography

Adorno, T. W. (1984). Minima moralia: Reflections from damaged life. London: Verso. 

Stephenson, K. (n.d.). What knowledge tears apart, networks make whole. Retrieved February 15, 2021, from http://www.netform.com/html/icf.pdf