Who are you, and what do you like to learn about? (academically, professionally, and/or personally)
My name is Carolyn Barley. I am a Senior Instructional Design professionally. I have been in the learning and development space in mostly a corporate setting for over 12 years. I truly love to learn. When it comes to my professional learning, I enjoy staying current on new tools and techniques available to incorporate into new courseware. Personally, I like to learn about everything from sports to cooking to arts and crafts.
What hardware do you use to learn? (Eg. smart phone, tablet, laptop, desktop)
I learn many different modalities. I read blogs on my smart phone. I use my tablet for looking up recipes. I use my laptop to research new topics, explore pinterest, take classes, listen to podcasts, and more. I also still go to my public library to get physical books on topics I am researching. I still go to museums. I also learn from others – work, children’s activities, and in my community.
What software do you use to learn? (Eg. search engines, mobile apps, social networks, eBooks, digital libraries, wikis, blogs, videos, podcasts)
I mostly use google chrome for searching. I used to use Firefox. I read on Kindle and physical books. I really like eLearning heroes. I don’t stay in just one lane generally, I like to explore many outlets. I really like the pocket app to store and sort information I want to access later.
What digital tools do you wish you had access to for learning? (Eg. any graphic organizers, mind-mapping tools, resource management tools, progress tracking tools, design tools, etc.) Why?
My biggest challenge with software is when things aren’t interchangeable. I find it frustrating that I can’t access things I’ve created in the past because of software. It is crazy the amount of different software to keep up with.
What might your ideal Personal Learning Environment (PLE) look like?
I like the environment I have now. My ideal environment isn’t limited to just one source of entry. It would be kind of like a fitbit where I can access certain things within the environment but also the freedom and flexibility to add learning experiences outside of the environment. I see education and learning heading that way actually where we aren’t limited to a box or pre-prescribed list. We, as learners, are able to create our own learning journey to get to the destination right for us, with or without the credentials. It should be more about the skills and ways you can apply those skills.
