Task 3b - Theories relating to networking

After reading the third course reader, 'The Networked Professional' a number of times, I began to process how some on the established theories included, might add value to my understanding of professional networking and help me to improve upon my networking to date. However, we are told to 'think critically'; never taking anything at face value; so I began to challenge how effective each concept would actually be to me in my professional practice. I have chosen to blog my views on 'Cooperation' and 'Connectivism'.

Cooperation is something everybody uses in day-to-day life; and using cooperation as 'the will and way to win', closely associates it with 'Game Theory'. This theory, developed my mathematicians, is modeled on games where 'one player succeeds at an other's expense'. Robert Axelrod likens the idea of 'cooperating fully with others, until you reach a point of maximum benefit, and then to‘defect’'; to the game of 'Prisoner's Dilemma' where using a tit-for-tat strategy is proved most successful. Although I agree that cooperating with people in your network it essential to gain personal benefit, I don't however agree that using a tit-for-tat approach to networking would necessarily prove successful. 'Cooperation based solely on reciprocity seemed possible', Axelrod, R. (1984) - to me this seems unlikely, as I think 'Game Theory' fails to take so many factors into consideration - one being the differents statuses within a network. In a basic game scenario, this is a very logical and effective strategy; however the world we live in, especially the industry I am in, is not logical. For example; if the producer or director in the pantomime I am currently rehearsing, didn't cooperate with me particularly well, I wouldn't then reciprocate this in a tit-for-tat approach. As my superior I would have to continue to work hard for them and continue my cooperation, even if it is not reciprocated. I may not choose to work for the producer or director again, but by fully cooperating in a professional manner I would have kept my affiliation and my network with others associated with them in tact.

Connectivism is one of the theories that I could instantly relate to my own experiences. 'Connectivism provides an explanation about how networks both learn and provide the means for individuals to connect and learn'. I agree that the traditional model of learning, where knowledge is 'transferred' from teacher to student, is definatly in need of modification. 'Informal learning' is now said to be a significant part of our learning, and 'Formal education' is no longer the majority. We can learn through communities of practice, networks - both personal and professional, experiences and through work-related tasks. I think this is not only an effective way to learn, but almost essential. These facts from the 'American Society of Training and Documentation' suprised me: 'half of what is known today was not known ten years ago'; 'the amount of knowledge in the world has doubled in the past ten years'; 'knowledge is doubling every eighteen months'. With the world developing at just a staggering speed, it would be foolish to think that we could attain all the inforamation we need to succeed professionally completely as an individual. For example; I wouldn't beable to find out about every suitable up and coming audition, or have acquired so many teaching ideas and skills on my own. Therefore being part of a network -'allows learners to remain current in their field through the connections they have formed'. By communicating regularly with the others in our networks we are able to keep up to date with the ever-changing knowledge and information out there - giving us a far better chance of becoming or continuing to be professionally successful.  

Please let me known what you think ....