Connectivism

Connectivism is a theoretical framework that emphasizes learning in networks. Learning is influenced and assisted by socialization and technology.

What sets connectivism apart from constructivism is that connectivism externalizes knowledge. Learning defined as actionable knowledge can reside outside ourselves in a distributed manner across a network. Other principles of connectivism include:

• Learning is a process of connecting information sources, and nurturing and maintaining connections is needed to facilitate continual learning

• Capacity to know more is more important than what is currently known. (Or, as George Siemens articulates: “The pipe is more important than the content within the pipe. Our ability to learn what we need for tomorrow is more important than what we know today.”)

• The ability to see connections and patterns between fields, ideas, and concepts is a core skill.

• The networked act of learning exists on two levels: internally as neural networks, and externally as the networks we actively form

• We externalize ourselves in order to know and be known. As we externalize, we distribute our knowledge across a network.

Networks

• Teachers interact with learners and content in a different manner the internet has caused a power shift in classrooms as learners now have greater accesss to information ,experts, and peer learners.

• Instructional designers, due to the developing complexity of tools and availability of open education resources, play an educational role of directing educators to tools and resources. These two foundational changes, while presented here as a conceptual discussion and in need of additional experimentation and evaluation, may serve as levers for broader changed within the academy.

George Siemens’ Learning and Knowing in Networks

Siemens’ views on education most closely reflect my own, except I believe networks need to contain diverse perspectives to avoid echo chambers. I strongly agree with Siemens’ assertion that global competitiveness and education are two keystones of advancing prosperity and quality of life. I agree that in order to teach younger generations you need to develop new ways to meet their learning needs. Educators should adopt tools and approaches to teaching and learning that reflect the experiences and communication habits of that age group. These tools might include blogs, wikis, social networking, podcasts, online video, and virtual worlds.

The key question, however, is whether learning best occurs through minimal guidance or guided instruction. Substance Mitra (2007) conducted an experiment in India (now commonly known as the hole-in-the-wall), in which he placed a computer with an internet connection in a wall facing a ghetto. Within days children aged 6-12, with minimal education and limited understanding of English, were able to browse the web and perform other tasks - such as drawing - on the computer.

Children do not require direct instruction to acquire basic computer literacy skills.

Simply put, teaching methods in today’s classrooms are somewhat outdated. “Through the use of tools and technologies familiar to learners, educators may be able to foster higher levels of learner engagement required for effective learning.” I’ve come to the conclusion that informal education and learning through making or playing is the most crucial to our development. I often think back on the experiment described in Siemen’s piece. Substance Mitra conducted an experiment in India in which he placed a computer with an Internet connection in a wall facing a ghetto. Within days children with no education taught themselves how to use the computer and browse the web.

I strongly agree that children are curious enough that they do not require direct instruction to acquire basic computer literacy skills. Teachers interact with learners in a different manner because the Internet has caused a power shift. This is very important because learners now have access to any information, expert, or resource they could ever want on their smartphones. How is a teacher supposed to compete with Google? Instructors, due to the developing complexity of tools and availability of open education resources, play an educational role of directing learners to tools and resources to help them learn in networks.

Learning and Knowing in Networks: Changing roles for Educators and Designers

Siemens 2008.pdf

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1. Conceptualization - exploration of theories, ideas, concepts, brainstorming, and questioning the boundaries of what currently exists

2. Experimentation - narrowing the focus of the outcomes of the conceptual stage, the formation of research focus, and the active experimentation and evaluation of different ideas and approaches,

3. Implementation - broad scale adoption based on previous two levels, emphasizing the understanding gained through experimentation.

The popularization of the internet as a medium for commerce, communication, information sharing, and education has raised the profile of networks as a means of human organization. Students entering higher education today possess a different view of technology due to lifelong immersion in a digital media-rich, and networked world. These learners are often described as millennials. Therefore, in order to meet their needs and expectations educators adopt tools and approached to teaching and learning that reflect the experiences and communication habits of millennials. These tools include blogs, wikis, social networking, podcasts, online video, and virtual worlds.

• The growing disconnect in the tools and methods of classroom activity and those of youth culture and larger society is evident.

• The core problem is that our education and training systems were built for another era

• The calls for educational reform appeal to systemic change from hierarchical control to flexible and adaptive networked models

Through the use of tools and technologies familiar to learners, educators may be able to foster high levels of learner engagement required for effective learning (National Survey of Student Engagement, 2007, pp. 7-8)

Theories of Learning

1. Objectivism stated that reality is external and objective, and that knowledge is gained through experiences

2. Pragmatism states that reality is provisional, and knowledge is negotiated through experience and thinking.

3. Interpretivism states that reality is internal, and knowledge is constructed.

4. Behaviorism, we do not know what occurs inside the learner, focuses its efforts on managing external, observable behaviors, and finds much of its existence in objectivism

5. Cognitivism, spans a continuum from learning as information processing (a computer model) at one end, to learning as reasoning and thinking on the other, finds much of its identity in pragmatism.

6. Constructivism, covers a broad spectrum of research overlapping with cognitivism, contends that learning involves each individual learner making sense and constructing knowledge within his or her own context; it finds its foundation interpretivism.