Community Contribution #5
Most of my exploration of social media as a music student to develop a Personal Learning Network (PLN) of fellow bassoonists and other music professionals has revealed a wealth of information. The performances of other musicians with which to compare, alternate interpretations of music with which to consider, as well as an ongoing dialogue with a community of professionals across the world. This week’s readings have led me to ask the question, however, whether access to more information equals more effective learning.
In the reading materials on Echo Chambers and Epistemic Bubbles, C. Thi Nguyen makes an important distinction between two types of problems in information networks. Firstly, there are the Epistemic Bubbles where relevant perspectives are simply left out of consideration. However, most problematic are the Echo Chambers in which sources are actively undermined by the group, making it harder to believe credible information from outside the bubble. An information network can appear to be highly functional and very reliable while nevertheless failing to provide a complete and accurate view of the world.
The tendency for our online networks to reinforce our current beliefs is not specific to the world of music. Social media platforms, such as Twitter and Facebook, use complex algorithms that are affected by our previous online behaviour in order to decide what to show us. Many of the online communities and networks that we are a part of are, in effect, curated by ourselves in order to reinforce our current perspectives and to show us information that supports what we already believe to be true.
In Information Disorder: Toward an Interdisciplinary Framework, readers can find a detailed overview of different types of information mistakes on the internet, such as misinformation, disinformation and malinformation. This reading can also be used by me in a different way. Many times, people just look at online information to see if it is true or false. But in reality, one also has to look at the way the information has been created, who is spreading it and why, and last but not least, how other people would interpret the information. This also counts for seemingly innocuous online information, such as tips on practicing or comments on a musician’s performance.
Intentionally building a strong Personal Learning Network (PLN) means more than simply connecting with many others, also with differing viewpoints. In designing one’s PLN, every source should be judged on its merits for providing useful information for one’s learning. For example, one might choose to connect with credentialed sources who often post information with alternative perspectives. Necessitates critical analysis of all the information with which one is presented. Claims are to be checked against credible evidence.
While the accounts that I follow in my PLN can provide me with a wealth of information about all things related to music, it is also an environment and a community in which I learn and am affected by the content that is posted. In building a PLN for learning as a future orchestral musician and teacher, I will look to create an environment that helps me to develop my ability to evaluate information and to be influenced by people with many different backgrounds and perspectives. The PLN should help me to confirm what I already know about music as well as to learn about many things that I have yet to discover.