Microblogging = Learning to mark by optimism - PERSONAL LEARNING NODES #12 (Originally posted to Twitwall on Dec. 07, 2008)

I became very fond of the Buddhist Philosopher site I found for my yesterday's Personal Learning Node. I tried it today as well:

1) Ultimately, our battle is with ourselves. Whether in our activities in society, or in historical, political or economic developments, everything essentially boils down to a struggle between positive and negative forces.

2) What kind of future do I envision for myself? What kind of self am I trying to develop? What do I want to accomplish in my life?" The thing is to paint this vision of your life in your heart as specifically as possible. That "painting" itself becomes the design of your future. The power of the heart enables us to actually create with our lives a wonderful masterpiece in accordance with that design.

I like to reflect the over 2000 year old thinking, because it sets the overwhelming amount of virtual infomation surrounding us into a perspective and a scale of a realistic size. It culminates in: Learning to know and understand what has a positive effect on our bigger and smaller desicions and the actions following them.

I found through Flickr comments my CCK08 fellow learner Heli's idea related to shadows of seedlings - tiny little spruces' reflections on white snow. That just as the seedlings, us learners have a shadow. Each one has a unique kind of a shadow. And Heli's idea most hitting: Wherever a web-teacher walks, s/he sees metaphors for pedagogic solutions...

This returns my thinking to learning recognizing which desicions and actions have a positive effect and impact. Positive (acc. to one Merriam-Webster Online definion) = Marked by optimism. Mircoblogging is exactly about learning how to mark things with optimism. Before the CCK08 course I highlighted the competence to understand and manage wholes. (Micro/photo)blogging has made me see that paying attention to very little things at a time - and consentrating, focusing - really is the most essential skill to practice. Throughout the CCK08 course we've tried to formulate definitions for what is connectivism. Today, for me, it is a learning experiment to unlearn old habits for needing to always first to know and understand goals and objectives. During digital age it's quite seldom possible. Again - the way you plan how to use you impact is what counts. And how you make it visible, real and happen through little accomplisments. Walking around seeking little things to use as metaphors in blog-teaching/sharing is a very productive practical way.