In order to
learn more intensively and deeply, I need to focus on those processes that urge
participation, promote action, advocate creation, etc. Unfortunately, not all
CPD activities promote action, since many of them include long speeches and
“boring” presentations, demand extensive readings and memorizations, etc. In
these “unavoidable” cases, instead of rejecting completely the CPD activity or
compromising with processes of surface learning, I would prefer to undertake
the personal responsibility of
flavoring the learning process, by adding intriguing activities, developing my
own assignments, locating groups of interest outside the formal boundaries,
suggesting participation, encouraging individual or communal creation, etc.
The notion of personal responsibility combined with the ideas about the
utilization of the existing surroundings made me discover that my
environment (living and working) conceals a “treasure” of knowledge sources,
which are free, unexplored and easy accessed. Thus, according to my strategy,
on the occasion of a future CPD (Continuing Professional Development) activity
I can undertake the initiative to start searching for additional learning
sources (physical and social), considering the process as a playful discovery
with aim to extract the best from my “near” environment.
These
additional knowledge sources could be for example the following:
a) Internet
sources: Most of the internet sources (forums, blogs,
encyclopedias and libraries) can provide rich information and numerous
possibilities for communication. However, this kind of information needs
careful evaluation for their validity and soundness.
b) Human
resources: The notion of communities of
practice and intuitive learning made me realize that part of my strategy should
be the establishment of several communication channels among colleagues and
friends. These learning networks allow the exchange of ideas and the
constructive criticism of the group towards the individuals and vice versa.
Certainly,
the exploitation of every available knowledge source (physical or social) is
important to my learning but the pointless and untargeted
searching can easily become frustrating and confusing, if not seen as part of
an overall planning. Consequently and inspired by the ideas that all
experiences are somehow inter-connected and that the emphasis should be given
on the direction of those experiences, encouraged me to draw an overall map,
attempting to put together several CPD activities, prioritizing and orienting
them towards my personal/ professional development.
Consequently,
the following sub-headings characterize my personal strategy for effective
learning.
- Personal responsibility for active learning.
- Searching for available learning sources (physical, social) from my near environment
- Inter-connecting learning experiences and directing them towards personal/professional development
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