Some Thoughts on Learning (and Twitter)

Jim Canterucci a friend, colleague and collaborator of mine sent me a note yesterday while I was at a Conference. It mentioned that I might like his latest blog post, entitled, Teaching and Learning Technology - Process or Tools? He was right.

This post, as the title suggests, talks about how we learn, and equally importantly, how we can teach new technology. While I hope you read the post (hint, hint), one of the key points is that it isn't about the tool or the software, but the process of learning it. In other words we don't want to learn the technology, we want the benefits that can be derived from using the tool.

This is true for technology, and true for learning and teaching anything else as well. When we focus on the benefits, the "why" we are will far more motivated, dedicated and even disciplined in learning anything.

...

Jim's post uses Twitter as an example of a technology, so I wanted to comment briefly on that as well. The learning I received from reading Jim's post came from Twitter.

Why?

Because the note Jim sent me about it, came from Twitter. I read Jim's blog but I doubt I read every post. Being connected there allowed me to think about and learn something great - and do it much sooner than I might have otherwise. I am sure he sent me the message in part because of a brief conversation we had on a related topic recently.. on Twitter. It continues to build my relationship with Jim. Because the post mentions another speaker and writer, Mike Figliuolo, I have now read his blog and connected with him on Twitter.

My hope is that the "Twitter part" of this post is an example of one of the principles in Jim's post - that it shows, through a story process, some of the benefits of Twitter. If you are on Twitter, or if this post intrigues you enough to check it out and gain the benefits I am gainig, make @Figliuolo, @Canterucci and @Kevineikenberry three of the first people you follow.

Also posted in Learning and Training.

Labels: learning, twitter

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