Task 3b: Theories relating to networking

Within my writing I will critically discuss and reflect the concepts of some of the professional networking theories, exploring the value of these theories looking at other perspectives in order to understand Professional Networking at a higher level.

 Professional Networking is defined as:

 ‘a work related community held together by either close work affiliation or more distant but common work interests or needs’. (Pg2. The networked professional 2011)

By using professional networking, it enables teacher’s and dancer’s to remain in contact throughout their life to follow and share experience’s which may enhance your own knowledge or career,  for example my friend currently works as a dance teacher in Staffordshire, having recently coming out of a long term relationship feeling quite low, see happened to be on Facebook when an old friend she trained with 6 years ago popped up on chat who mentioned she was working  in Dubai, after a conversation her friend said there was a dance teacher job vacancies and emailed her the application form which she filled in and is now moving to Dubai in the new year. Networking opens many doors and allows life to be an adventure as from one chat my friend experienced a life changing opportunity.

Professor Robert Axelrod (1984) is one of the most influential practitioners in this field, who states that Cooperation is ‘identified the importance of the notion of cooperation, and in particular, the benefits of cooperating fully with others, until you reach a point of maximum benefit, and then to ‘defect’. This is closely associated to the Game Theory ‘Prisoner’s Dilemma’ is where one person succeeds at another’s expense. it has great effects on individual learning establishing higher level of self-esteem it’s about decision making, cooperative learning in a positive natural and effective way. Comparing this to competitive learning this can only be seen as a destructive way of one’s development. The Game focusses upon do you or don’t you cooperate, it also states that working together gives better relationships enhancing one’s self; working together to achieve a goal creates better understanding and higher achievement than working alone:

‘  working on a common goal together produces higher achievement and greater productivity than working alone is one of the strongest principals of social and organisational psychology’ (Johnson and Johnson 1991)

I can relate to this in several ways of how this can benefits ones learning, for example when commenting on blogs you are cooperating to help educate stimulate facilitate to play with ideas and to aid inspiration, challenging and social support to help exchange ideas to learn effectively to stop being feeling isolated. Although we say competition can be destructive I have my own dance school and is one of many in Stoke-on-Trent when competition is high if I was to be cooperating to other schools telling them my ideas helping wouldn’t that then effect my school, so may be competition and cooperation can be used in different contexts.

Affiliation can be explained ‘is a social process that provides us ‘with a network of support that will help us when we are in need’ (Crisp & Turner 2007 pp226). One theory of affiliation is that of homeostasis (O’Connor & Rosenblood, 1996) This suggests that everyone is different therefore everyone’s needs are different but when interacting with each other we find a stable level where both parties are comfortable to communicate Hofstede (1980) adds that this may not also be determined by intelligences but by cultural differences between individuals:

‘the level of preferred social interaction may be determined my psychological determinants and individual and cultural differences between individuals’

Although this may differ we all affiliate at some point in our lives. I believe in order to develop you need to keep a good network base, which I feel I have only recently absorbed the importance of this. Today’s life is at a very quick pace and doesn’t seem to be getting any slower, there is less time to ring someone, then they don’t answer or they change their phone number or you lose your phone, to go and visit them in person. Although they are important things to do, which cannot always be possible by having a strong network base this allows a good reliable social form of communication to help each other grow and succeed.

Social Constructionism is where we socially interact with each other through sharing experiences. It looks at ‘how meanings about the world are made’ the way in which we learn is through experiences and through interacting with others to come to our own conclusion instead of merely what has been accepted. The vast knowledge that is on our fingers is there to be explored we can take as little or as more as we require to come to our conclusion. Using social constructionism when networking allows us to be open minded accessing and dis guarding information we find to help us with our practise. In the constructionist view, as the world suggests, ‘the meaning is not discovered but constructed’. Humans need to consciously engage with the world for the meaning to come from them. I use this concept a lot when engaging with former students via Facebook or using my blog page discussing issues from my reflective journal or information I feel may be useful for other dance teachers to help or to come up with a way that works for them and me. I am now aware of the importance of social constructionism and the value it was on my future to progress in a positive and health manner.  

Connectivism is a theory about learning suggesting that classroom teacher to student pass on knowledge is no longer the way of learning and through the internet researching and finding your own outcome allows students to interact with the internet to learn and find the answers there self rather than being feed the information to pass examinations. Siemens, G (2004) states there are 3 learning theories behaviourism, cognitivism, and constructivism these were impacted when learning was not highly influenced through technology, they attempt to address how we learn, behavorism take on 3 assumptions from a number of theories:

1.          Observable behaviour is more important than understand internal activities.

2.          Behaviour should be focused on simple elements: specific stimuli and responses.

3.          Learning is about behaviour change.

Cognitivism is about storing information on a computer enabling us to reflect for a long term recall. Constructivism is where learners create their own outcome from research creating meaning to what they find making there learning lifelong.

According to the American Society of Training and Documentation (ASTD) learning in the last 10 years due to the internet as doubled and continues to do so. Driscoll (2000) defines learning: ‘a persisting change in human performance or performance potential… [which] must come about as a result of the learners experience and interaction with the world.’ (p.11) through networking learning is encouraged interesting and lifelong as you are learning yourself but being guiding through the teacher to find the answers.

Communities of practice are to: ‘hence of ‘knowledge’ and it’s ‘location’ in the lived in world is both crucial and subtle.’ Lave and wenger (1991 pp.98-100) I realise that through a community of practice the process to be inclusive will emerge. Due to the lack of understanding of their origin defects our learning this concept of networking promotes understanding of diversity and diverse backgrounds, to understand and appreciate our differences through dance and to have fun together, we begin to explore and learn different cultures to develop understanding to prevent racist behaviour through lack of knowledge or understanding through the art of dance. To remember we are all human and all teachers want the same outcomes the best for our future generation. This concept is a great way for this.

I found these concepts at first quite challenging to grasp once I had read and re-read I found them extremely valuable to my learning and development it makes me realise the importance of networking and the huge benefits in which it offers I am really pleased to have found all of this information and look forward to putting this all into practice.