Trends, Networks, and Critical Thinking

Governor Pack Road, Baguio City, Philippines 2600 in the 21st Century
Tel. Nos.: (+6374) 442-3316, 442-8220; 444-2786;
442-2564; 442-8219; 442-8256; Fax No.: 442-6268
Email: email@uc-bcf.edu.ph; Website: www.uc-bcf.edu.ph Grade Level/Section:
MODULE 9 – Trends Subject Teacher:

Understanding connections, relationships, and networks

Learning Objectives:
A. define the concept and underlying ideas about networks;
B. distinguish the basic elements or building blocks of a network; and
C. identify real life networks.

“In the tapestry of life, we're all connected. Each one of us is a gift to those around us helping each
other be who we are, weaving a perfect picture together.”
- Anita Moorjani -
Introduction
The quotation came from a well-known motivational speaker and cancer survivor, Anita Moorjani. She
expressed that we are all connected and our actions affect the lives of others. If we are to observe,
connections are definitely everywhere. We can observe them at home, in community, in nature,
among others. In fact, our world is built on networks – a system of interconnected people or things.
Humans and nonhumans are connected in such a way that one element may cause a ripple effect
(positive or negative) on other elements. Hence, it is vital to know the underlying concepts about
networks to have a clear understanding of how connections affect our world.

What is a Network?
Networks have three building blocks – actors (or nodes), links (or ties) and flows.

ACTORS

LINK

FLOW

The first are the actors (or nodes). They are the entities that are interconnected in some systematic
way. Actors in networks are generally composed of humans (such as friends, peers, and others),
nonhumans (such as computers, nonhuman organisms, ecological systems, and others), or both
humans and non-humans (such as people who are operating machines).

The second are the links (or ties) among the actors. Any collection or group of objects is not
automatically a network. What will make it a network is the existence of links among its objects or
actors. Links refer to the connections among the actors in networks; they define the relationships the
exist among them. Links can be any relationship like marriage, friendship, kinship, professional, and
others.

The third are the flows, referring to the things that are being exchanged (given and received) by the
actors through their links. They are, as it were, what flow or pass through the links. The actors are not
connected without a reason. They are connected because there is something that they want to
exchange with one another. Flows are usually information (data or knowledge) and resources (such
as money, people, goods, and equipment). But flows may also be beliefs, power, norms, attitudes, and
values.
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 Trends, Networks, and Critical Thinking
Governor Pack Road, Baguio City, Philippines 2600 in the 21st Century
Tel. Nos.: (+6374) 442-3316, 442-8220; 444-2786;
442-2564; 442-8219; 442-8256; Fax No.: 442-6268
Email: email@uc-bcf.edu.ph; Website: www.uc-bcf.edu.ph Grade Level/Section:
MODULE 9 – Trends Subject Teacher:

Example of Network

Node: Filipina

Link: Love for Kpop

Flow:
“Kuha tayo ng ticket sa
concert ng EXO”
“Tara, kailan ang schedule?

Each of these components has certain attributes or characteristics. We can have a network where the
actors are Filipino, female, and 18 years of age and above. Their links are their being K-Pop enthusiasts.
And their flows are information about K-Pop (like updates on the lives of their favorite K-Pop artists and
schedules of K-Pop concerts). Another, we can have a network consisting of Philosophy Departments
in the Philippines, whose links are their interest in promoting Filipino Philosophy and whose flows are
information about conferences and lectures, and resources that include publications, research
materials, and philosophy lecturers. In some cases, the attributes of actors can also be the attributes of
the links. In the case of a family network, for instance, the actors are family members and their links
may just be their being family members.

Human and Non-Human Networks

Networks, in terms of their actors, can generally be divided into human and non-human networks.
Human networks are networks whose actors are humans. Examples are local and social networks such
as family members, peers, classmates, and colleagues. On the other hand, non-human networks are
networks whose actors are non-humans. Examples are networks involving televisions, radios, mobile
phones, non-human organisms, computers, and railways. There are also networks that involve both
humans and non-humans. Examples are planetary networks (ecological systems that involve both
human and non-human members of nature), and networks involving humans and machines such as
those found in some factories.

In the coming modules, you will learn more about neural networks, local networks, social networks, and
planetary networks and how these systems of connections cause and affect many things that happen
in our world.

References:
• Arzadon. M. M., Romerosa, P. & Zarate, M. J. (2018). Trends, Networks and Critical Thinking: Vibal
Group Inc.
• Urgel, E. (2017). Trends, Networks, and Critical Thinking in the 21st Century Culture Module: DIWA
Learning Systems Inc.
• Understanding Networks. (2017). Retrieved from https://cafepublicintellectual.files.wordpress.com
/2017/09/reading-1-on-lesson-2-understanding-networks.pdf

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