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What would you like to do better as a Learning Professional?

Apr 05, 2008
By Stephen Downes

Originally posted on Half an Hour, April 5, 2008.

From The Big Question on Learning Circuits: "What would you like to do better as a Learning Professional?"

I would like to be a better cyclist. Last year my record was 113 kilometers in a single day, which is pretty good, but I would like to extend my range, and especially my hill-climbing ability.

I would like to learn how to use the router. It would add a whole new dimension - literally - to my woodwork and allow me to do things like mortises and tenons (also add to that work on the table saw).

I would like to learn to speak Spanish, at least at a basic level. I actually diod sign up for SpanishPod, but after a week it said my free trial expired and then it disappeared. I have some Spanish verb and grammar books, which I review regularly. But I need to do more.

I would like to be able to do video editing more quickly. I can do a lot of what I need to do now, but it takes me forever. I'd like to be able to edit video in a reasonable amount of time.

I would like to understand the mathematics of graph theory. Not only would this enable me to use the terminology - 'nodes' and 'edges' - correctly, it would probably give me some insight into network designs and properties.

That's about it for my learning agenda right now (if I think of more I'll add to the list above). There is a list of things that I want to do, or to have done, but that's a separate list.

If you're wondering about my list - I don't believe in segmenting a part of my life as a learning professional. Cycling, routing - these are as important to my professional development as some sort of workplace course or training.