The online environment has made a difference in the way I learn and think. I am connected to a wealth of information and experts. Responses are fast and the library offers answers to any question. The learning theories I find most fitting in the online learning environment are Vygotsky’s Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) and connectivism. The connection to fellow students and to experts in the online learning environment is in line with Vygotsky’s ZPD. Vygotsky believed working with experts and learning from each other fosters positive experiences and increased learning (McClare & Winsler, 2005). According to Kopp and Hill (2008) connectivism builds upon older theories. Learning communities such as the online classroom are the nodes used for sharing information. The sharing and locating of information in which students engage is an excellent example of connectivism. My philosophy of learning has evolved since my first experience in the classroom of listening to lectures, taking notes, and memorizing for exams. I am not connected and engaged with the ability to explore topics with a nudge from an expert or a new way of thinking from a classmate. References Kop, R., & Hill, A. (2008). Connectivism: Learning Theory of the Future or Vestige of the Past?. International Review Of Research In Open And Distance Learning, 9(3), 1-13.