On Learning - Neworking through working the Net

Learning is taking in new information and assessing it based on one's belief systems, other knowledge one has acquired in the past and various experiences one has lived through. Learning for me is an ongoing, never ending thing. I am so fortunate to be in the teaching profession where I learn on a daily basis. I learn from what I read, my fellow colleagues, what I see and of course from my students. I learn from doing things and voicing my thoughts and from my mistakes. It would be an extremely lonely and boring existence if I didn't learn new things on a regular basis.
Learning is definitely affected when it takes place in a networked environment. Typically, the network one belongs to are like-minded individuals. Therefore, the information that is passed around is of interest to these people. If I were in an online network of middle school teachers, I would feel a sense of camaraderie and that what I said really mattered to these people. On the flip-side, networks can be places where ideas become self fulfilling, even stagnant. A "group-think" mentality can develop which can ultimately be quite a negative force if it is taken to the extreme.
Right now, I do not belong to any online networks. The way in which I network with individuals is face to face in the workplace, at professional development events, at church, walking in my neighbourhood etc. I really don't have any desire to network with individuals who are unknown to me. Perhaps if I were following a writer or re searcher's work, I might respond to a blog or become a Twitter friend. However, right now, I am not actively involved in any online forums.
I believe knowledge is information that has stood the test of time. It is something that is factual, that has been tested and proven to be true. Knowledge can only be acquired with time, like fine wine. It is something that has been learned and is then left to mellow. It's the information that comes from old dusty books, pontificated upon by elderly gentlemen with long white beards.
I don't believe knowledge can reside in a network. One can perhaps tap into the knowledge that an individual(s) within the network possesses. For instance, I could acquire the knowledge that David Suzuki has about environmental disasters by listening to his podcasts or reading his blogs.
Knowledge can be transformed on the internet through various social networking sites. For instance, anyone who claims to be knowledgable about a subject can sign up to be an editor on Wikispaces and alter the information provided there. Now I wonder, is this truly altering knowledge or tinkering with information? On the other hand, when several great minds get together and discuss philosophy, or astronomy or any other subject you chose, this may very well be altering knowlede. Although Aristotle gathererd his sutdents face to face, great scholars discuss new ideas very similarly to Aristotle's methods of long ago.