There are two types of great instructors: those with a passion for the learners and those with a passion for the material.  I am definitely the latter (you could probably guess by my 'network' above).  I am very introspective and introverted.  I am not a respecter of authority.  I do not, whether at a brick-and-mortar school or working with a virtual team, typically reach out to my fellow learners.  When I have questions, I first ask the instructor directly.  (Example: I was once part of a travelling school experiment.  After a certain incident, rumors were flying about the implications.  I was disgusted by this talk and confronted the instructor himself about the situation.)  After I ask the instructor, I look for what other leaders in the field have written and then I read, read, read.  (After the above situation, there was no need to research further.  It was all just foolish talk.)

I am particularly fond of Internet based presentations, such as webcasts.  I take my notes in another document, toggling back and forth, and if there is an interesting slide, I take a screen shot and paste it in.  I even brought my computer to a week-long seminar this past week, to capture my thoughts on the presenters’ teachings.  I ensured I had Internet access so I could research their points AS they were lecturing.  Because of this, I became a significant resource for others in the classroom, and even influenced some to bring in their own laptops.

My information-driven, introverted personality removes much of the social aspects from my learning experience.  One example is from that week-long training seminar.  There were 78 participants from across the nation and we had over 70 hours of classroom time (Yes, in an actual classroom – I had to drive 9 hours to get there!).  While they formed a Face Book site and generously shared business cards and other contact information, I made ONE solid connection.  Perhaps not a great testimony about myself, but I’m being honest.  This socially-driven learning is brand new to me, and to be more effective in instructional design, I must be able to “connect” with these type of learners.  I appreciate the insight this class is giving me.