How powerful can internet learning be?

I don't think I have brought this up before but my husband flies Radio Controlled aeroplanes and has been doing so for almost a year now.  Very early on he was flying with a friend who had more experience than himself but he moved away for work, leaving my husband mentorless.

He used blogs, youtube videos, websites, online forums and the like to teach him quite a lot.

Both to build

and fly his planes.

As you can tell it's not just the basics he's been able to come to grips with and he's been flying RC planes for under a year.  He's learnt about flying, construction, electronics, aerodynamics and the physics involved in inertia and momentum.  Answering one question often leads him to another and he's always able to go out and find the answers.

You may have also watched some of our PD workshop feedback videos which is something he does for the Wodonga CRT Support Network.  He's continually improving how he puts these (and his own) feedback videos together, using the internet as his main source of information for new tips, tricks and tecnhiques.

The point here isn't to stroke my husband's ego (although he'd like me to inform you that you should feel free to point out how awesome he is at any time you like).  It's to illustrate, in a visual way using something people understand is difficult, how potent a source of information social networking and the internet in general can be.  In just about any arena you want to learn in.

If there's something you or your students want to know?  It might take a while but you can find it, and you can find out a lot. Between Facebook, Youtube and online forums just look at what my husband has learnt to do.  You and your students can do it too!

Regards,

Mel.