  |
|
|
|
A little off topic, but I'll be celebrating the second anniversary of my topic here at Suite101.com and I've been a bit reflective. How the Internet and Suite101 has enhanced my journey as a lifelong learner.
I was a country child and did not live at the Plaza. I wanted to be Eloise. And I could be as long as I could read a book. I could live a lot of other places, too. I traveled across centuries, across the solar system and across the nation just by roaming through the stacks at the hushed public library. I remember reading the first page of a book about Nefertiti and then quickly sitting cross-legged on the old, creaky wooden library floor as I was immediately transported to the world of an Egyptian queen. Books were magic passports. They offered not only entertainment, but useful information. As that child, I flipped through our home encyclopedia playing “information roulette.” I chose a letter in the alphabet, pulled out the appropriate book of our set of encyclopedias and chose a subject at random. My curiosity was constant. I was a budding lifelong learner – a novice autodidact. I connected online about six years ago. I found some site about history. I was back again on that old, creaky wooden library floor mesmerized by another world in another time. Only this time, there was sound. I discovered the magic netherworld, the information highway and I immediately started my trek. I could go wherever I wanted to go, whenever I wanted to go. I could learn about whatever I wanted to. As a compulsive information gatherer and reader, the Internet and I were an excellent fit. The Internet is ideal for the autodidact. Although I am not unschooled, I only hold a bachelor’s degree, and to date have chosen to continue learning outside of formal education programs. As Winston Churchill said, “I am always ready to learn, although I do not always like being taught.” Now, instead of playing encyclopedia information roulette, I can play Internet roulette. How do you play? Plug in any word, phrase or subject into the search function and see how many web pages are found. Then, start browsing. By the time you follow your bliss through each web site as you link from one to the other through hyperlinks, you have perhaps forgotten where you began but you are most likely very pleased with where you’ve ended up.
The copyright of the article Autodidact at the Suite in Word Play is owned by Sandra Linville. Permission to republish Autodidact at the Suite in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
|
|
|
|
