When I was an undergraduate student studying English literature, professors were distributers of information and students were the consumers. It was vital not only to be well-read but also cognizant of an array of explications published by critics and academics in different schools of
literary thought. Students’ personal interpretations did not matter, since the goal was to understand the formal interpretations of literature presented by prominent scholars in the field. With the advent of the Internet and Web 2.0 tools, there has been a shift away from the formal connections (professor, academics, and researchers) distributing information to an informal network or community of learners building a body of knowledge together.

In the past, I would learn about a content area by listening to lectures, reading the textbook, and exploring the library to locate and peruse resources. After scribbling down a list of potential sources from the library card catalog, I would descend on the stacks to search for all of the
call numbers. Once I located the call number, I developed a habit of probing books on the surrounding shelves and would expand my materials dramatically. Each book yielded not only information about my topic but also a connection to other printed sources that could advance my study in depth or breadth. It was a very formal way of establishing connections within my content. With the advent of the Internet and digitalization of entire libraries, my methodology for researching has remained the same but the sources of information have changed dramatically. Although formal sources—peer reviewed journals and e-books-- are still the backbone of my research, I have expanded my scope to include informal sources, such as
blogs, wikis, RSS feeds, social tagging, and websites. It’s interesting to see how Web 2.0 tools have empowered practitioners and ordinary people to publish their own research or ideas about content areas. This privilege has been reserved only for researchers and academics in the past. Even more interesting is the online dialogue and interaction that is unfolding within these digital platforms as people are presenting, probing, and reshaping knowledge. As I explore each of these unique platforms, I am connected to similar blogs, wikis, articles or websites that expand my thinking and understanding of the content. In essence, my methodology is the same as when I would explore an entire bookshelf looking for connections except now I am scouring cyberspace for connections to help me build up an understanding of particular concepts.


Historically, I have processed and manipulated information primarily on my own or in a small class of twenty other local undergraduates. Now, technology has opened the door for me to negotiate content and concepts with diverse individuals from all over the world. When I am confused about a topic, I have the ability to explore what others have said about it on their blogs, wikis, or websites. I can even post questions on these platforms, if I can not find an acceptable answer, or potentially email qualified individuals directly. In the past, I was limited to asking classmates or the professor for help with my inquiry. As a self-directed learner, I enjoy collaborating with others about areas of interest and searching online connections to find my
own answers. It can be overwhelming, however, to sift through a relative cybersea of information and pinpoint the credible sources as well as discard the unreliable.