If you like to use the internet a lot, the chances are that you are learning a lot.  My guess is that you are in your own Personal Learning Environment a lot of the time.  You probably use different applications like read and write a blog or use Facebook.  You might have a hobby and go to a forum on whatever that is, you might just read or “lurk” in that forum and not post or you might post occasionally or even a lot.

When you want to find some information do you find yourself going online and taking pieces of information from here there and everywhere? I definitely do, I know a lot of people don’t really have the time to do all that research and to be honest I don’t either.

Learning about something can really take so much time.  If everything was in one place it would be so much easier, but that is not the way the internet has gone.  Some of the time you can find everything you want in one place and it’s great, but the problem is knowing if you really have found everything you’re looking for, or there is more better information just a few clicks away if you spend a bit more time?

Getting Interactive

When you get interactive it’s different.  When you are interactive online you talk to other people who have already done the research, you get tips on what is the best information to know and where the best place to go and get it is.  You might be able to talk to experts who can really help you learn.

How Easy is it For You?

When learning becomes easy, like when you can watch a video or listen to a podcast, read a short article or play an interactive game you probably learn better and feel more comfortable.  It’s easier to learn that way.  If you can watch a video and then right away have a conversation about it with an expert in that area or another person who has the same interest as you then you are getting into an ideal situation for learning and developing interest.

It’s like having a classroom on the internet but better.  Classrooms are interactive but very often the only ones who are interactive are the ones sitting at the front, or the loud ones.  An environment where everyone can have a say and learn at their own speed would be a massive break through.

Having relationships with other learners and experts is fantastic for learning or just as brilliant if you have an interest in something.  Doing this online is similar to bringing the real world online.  Actually it’s almost like creating an ideal world online.  

Being Relevant

When people who want to learn about something or are interested in something get what they are looking for in a context that is right for them at that time, then learning is easy and fuel is added to the fire of interest.

There are lots of long complicated academic books out there that contain information about a vast range of topics that can give people the information that they need.  Most people will never read these books because most of the population does not want to sit down and read a heavy duty academic book.

Why are magazines such as New Scientist popular? because they take what’s in academic journals and text books and put it into a format that is easy to read and digest.  They make it relevant to their audience.

Similar things are happening for ebooks, people have less time and inclination to sit down and read a long book, they want information in smaller chunks in different media formats. 

People respond better to mulimedia formats, a hunger for information can be satisfied with books but they have to compliment other forms of learning.