The Connectivism Article ‘A Learning Theory for the Digital Age’ I summarised in an earlier blog and have copied some of this below to help my references for this blog (blue italic font at bottom).
Moving on to: What Connectivism is (Stephen Downes 2007).
The first comment I would make is that this blog was back in 2007 (7 years ago) so the views and perspective may be different today due to the features and development of Web 2.0 and much collaborative features not just of the reader but also the Author.
Saying that though there were still some interesting comments. In the main blog it details ‘Hence, in Connectivism, there is no real concept of transferring knowledge, making knowledge and building knowledge’.
When I read this I was taken aback as for me that is exactly what Connectivism does so well through collaboration, dialogue and reflection of others views to form your own.
For example I have taught for 14 years but I would not call myself an ‘expert’ as I feel that I am learning and forming new views through my experiences, most of which are gained outside of a formal learning environment and instead gained from the insight accessed and interacting with on a day to day basis. Through these experiences I have been able to identify sources, contacts that allow me to further develop knowledge and/or question my own views.
I think that what the blog is trying to define is that yes, Connectivism can develop knowledge but it does not agree that this can be a formalised way to teach and defined as teaching model and instead it meets a particular individual or social need .
I would disagree with this and feel that it can form the nucleus for individuals to learn whatever subject or information they need during the time of that demand. You can’t predict the future and define definates within that, so a teaching pedagogy that gives flexibility in learning, rather than seen as a ‘light’ or unstructured model, should instead be seen as functional and meeting the need of today’s and tomorrows’ society.
Drivers:
‘learning must be a way of being’
In history information development was slow – not now in the technological world we now live in
Shrinking half-life of knowledge (half of what is known today we did not know 10 years ago). Research from ASTD (American Society of Training and Development) is doubling now every 18 months. Due to this reduced ‘life’ of relevant and current knowledge there has to be a new way to share and inform
Learners require information that can be applied to more than one field, (the era of the ‘job for life’ is no more and it is likely that individuals will work in numerous fields across the duration of their working life)
Informal learning has now become an integral part of the life-long learning process
Technology itself is changing the way we see the world and interact within it
‘Know-how and ‘know what’ (the traditional methods) are now being applied with ‘know-where’ and how and where to find valid and current information/knowledge.
Key Features of Connectivism
Learners can build their own learning network with RSS feeds.
Information can be accessed easily and quickly with up to date news/posts directly sent to learner to inform them of updates.
It requires an ability of the learner to build their communication network initially and then identify how best to use these connections to share information and ideas. It is also a need to support the learner in maintaining positive connections.
It also requires the learner to develop skills in being able to analyse information from a selection of sources (some of which may be less reliable than others or be based more on opinion than fact), and then summarise their own views from this breadth of information
From the teacher perspective they require motivational skills to encourage learners to develop productive networks and show enthusiasm for new developments and information/ideas identified by the learner. They may require to challenge unreliable sources of information
Importance in ‘developing the capacity to learn more rather than what is currently known’ or as put in another way ‘the pipe is more important than the content within the pipe’
References:
Connectivism: A Learning Theory for the Digital Age - George Siemens
Connectivism and its' Critics
The Connectivism Article ‘A Learning Theory for the Digital Age’ I summarised in an earlier blog and have copied some of this below to help my references for this blog (blue italic font at bottom).
Moving on to: What Connectivism is (Stephen Downes 2007).
The first comment I would make is that this blog was back in 2007 (7 years ago) so the views and perspective may be different today due to the features and development of Web 2.0 and much collaborative features not just of the reader but also the Author.
Saying that though there were still some interesting comments. In the main blog it details ‘Hence, in Connectivism, there is no real concept of transferring knowledge, making knowledge and building knowledge’.
When I read this I was taken aback as for me that is exactly what Connectivism does so well through collaboration, dialogue and reflection of others views to form your own.
For example I have taught for 14 years but I would not call myself an ‘expert’ as I feel that I am learning and forming new views through my experiences, most of which are gained outside of a formal learning environment and instead gained from the insight accessed and interacting with on a day to day basis. Through these experiences I have been able to identify sources, contacts that allow me to further develop knowledge and/or question my own views.
I think that what the blog is trying to define is that yes, Connectivism can develop knowledge but it does not agree that this can be a formalised way to teach and defined as teaching model and instead it meets a particular individual or social need .
I would disagree with this and feel that it can form the nucleus for individuals to learn whatever subject or information they need during the time of that demand. You can’t predict the future and define definates within that, so a teaching pedagogy that gives flexibility in learning, rather than seen as a ‘light’ or unstructured model, should instead be seen as functional and meeting the need of today’s and tomorrows’ society.
Drivers:
Key Features of Connectivism
References:
Connectivism:
A Learning Theory for the Digital Age - George Siemens
http://www.itdl.org/Journal/Jan_05/article01.htm
Downes (2007), What connectivism is.
http://halfanhour.blogspot.co.uk/2007/02/what-connectivism-is.html