There is an age old question “If a tree falls in the woods, and no one is there to hear it, does it make a sound?” Sometimes, as instructional/learning designers, we may think that.
If we are out there creating this great content (or at least we think it’s great content) and no one is there to give us some feedback, consult or thoughts on what we have constructed, is it really good content? This is where the true value of collaboration, mentoring and professional networking really allows us to “hear” if we have been successful in what we have developed.
When we work collaboratively, or when we share ideas on learning design, techniques and thought processes, we begin to see that there are many more ways to attack a learning problem than we may have thought.
Sometimes we get so siloed in our thinking, relying on the techniques that we have sued over and over again, that we lose the broader perspective. Doing the same things, using the same techniques, is comfortable and safe. And sometimes, that is OK.
But, if we are going to expand our toolbox, if we are to tap the potential of our own creativity, then we need to look outside our own silo, and see what others are doing, building, using. We need the community of designers and learning professionals to help us expand our horizon.
Interaction, coaching, listening, asking questions – all these are important parts of expanding our toolsets and skill sets, as we look for better, different, more inclusive, more responsive ways of structuring, building and delivering content for the learner. By using these techniques, we provide more opportunities for every learner to learn, for every learner to experience success, and for learning to have some meaning.
When we are all rowing in the same direction, we are much more powerful and effective than when we are rowing by ourselves. We can accomplish more when we share and collaborate than when we try to go it alone. Even the most knowledgeable among us did not get there alone – we have all had help, or taken an idea from somewhere else and expanded on it, or bounced an idea off of a colleague, or sat down with a cohort to brainstorm ideas for a design.
Our long-time slogan at Penn State is “We are . . .”
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