This is an introduction to my personal interests in online learning, how the Dadamac Learners discussion forum has come about, and how it may develop. (It relates to the home page information about  Dadamac Learners ). The forum is a space to share our online "learning journeys".

Learning, thanks to the Internet.

I value enormously the opportunies that the Internet has given me for non-formal self directed learning. Thanks to the Internet I have had a great, mind-stretching learning journey (which I may write about in more detail elsewhere). The Internet  has  enabled me to explore the theory and practice of online collaboration and learning, and has given me the confidence, knowledge and experience to launch Dadamac with John Dada.

Sharing, teaching and learning.

Given how much I have benefitted from non-formal online learning, I am interested in helping others to get similar benefits. It is partly a selfish interest - an example of wheels within wheels. My own learning interests relate to the roles of learners and teachers now we have the Internet. If I help someone else to learn using the Internet then I learn more about the strategies and processes of online non-formal learning. This means that the person, or the group, I am helping is in fact helping me with my own learning.

Being both teacher and learner

I think this dual role (being both a learner and a teacher) is true of much online non-formal learning.  Someone has a question or interest that acts as a focus and so people come together to explore that interest. If people who come together have different perspectives, and are  exploring ideas and uncertainties, sharing what they do know and what they want to know, then everyone is likely to learn something. There is no single person in the role of teacher or in the role of learner - just fellow travellers who fall into step awhile as their learning journey's are going along a shared path. 

My online learning journey

My own online learning journey, which I began in 2000, has left footprints scattered around the Internet, but from now on I plan to bring more of it together here in the discussion forum of Dadamac Learners.  This means i am in fact a Dadamac Learner - the trail balzing one- so I will create a learning space for myself somewhere here in the Learners' Forum. I expect my study space  will hold a mixture of what I am learning and how I am learning it. If the layout works well then I could make similare spaces available for others.

Vijay's learning journey

Vijay's learning journey at Dadamac began when Dadamac.net was in the early stages of taking shape. He explained that he worked in communications, was interested in development and in what Dadamac was doing. I thought that a discussion with him could help to guide me in the shaping of Dadamac.net, so I invited him to become part of our "dadamac community" and start writing a blog. Later he mentioned an interest in further study when he blogged about Education and ICT.

Exploration and structure

At present Vijay's learning at Dadamac is continuing through his blogs, with feedback via comments to the blogs (by me and others) and related blog entries I write. I think maybe there will be a better way to structure it, once we decide what to include, but it is early days yet. I haven't quite decided about structure yet (though as I write i think of someone I would like to ask - once I have enough content to demonstrate the question). In addition to the Dadamac Learners' forum there is mention of Dadamac Learners in some blog entries. These can be found via the tags, or via the search box.

Helpful snippets

We are also using this forum for dadamac people to help each other out with snippets of information. My thanks to those who have already posted information relating to skills or knowledge that some of us want.

Additional Dadamac Learners

Anyone who is learning things online, and whose interests overlap with Dadamac, is welcome to contribute to this forum, and perhaps develop a learning space of their own here, if that would be useful.Get in contact through adding a comment below or email me directly  pamela.mclean@dadamac.net