Personal Blogs

In this activity you will be devising a course that takes a strong connectivism approach, based on some key principles devised by Siemens:

•   Learning and knowledge rests in diversity of opinions.

The diversity of options does allow for students to access a wide database but this is when they need to learn how to discern and absorb the information and new knowledge that is pertinent to themselves and of value to their future learning 

•   Learning is a process of connecting specialised nodes or information sources.

As a teacher at an International Baccalaureate (IB) school students are encouraged to make these connections in all areas of their learning and to analyse how they learn and what is learning 

•   Learning may reside in non-human appliances.

Technology is integral to learning obviously but can be manipulated at times by a students location and their access to networks or even basics like electricity 

•   Capacity to know more is more critical than what is currently known.

I would say capacity to develop and build upon ones current knowledge via the accumulation of new knowledge that deepens learning and understanding of oneself is critical

•   Nurturing and maintaining connections is needed to facilitate continual learning.

Of course developing a network of learning that includes many aspects (see my PLEN)is vital to lifelong learning and dvelopment

•   Ability to see connections between fields, ideas and concepts is a core skill.

We are influenced every day by a multitude of devices, the ability to digest and assimilate meaning from  them is vital to learning about how we learn

•   Currency (accurate, up-to-date knowledge) is the intent of all connectivist learning activities.

Learning and knowledge are developing on a daily basis, new ideas, trends paradigms and debates as to the nature of what we know. Obviously maintaining an up to date understanding of these issues is vital to our own continuing development

•   Decision making is itself a learning process. Choosing what to learn and the meaning of incoming information is seen through the lens of a shifting reality. While there is a right answer now, it may be wrong tomorrow due to alterations in the information climate affecting the decision.

Agree we develop our understanding of what we know with further pedagogy, I am a much better teacher now that I was when I started teaching many years ago

•   Take the description of the short course on digital skills that you developed in Week 8 and recast it, so that it adopts a highly connectivist approach. Or, if you prefer, you could take this ‘Open education’ block as an example and recast it in a more connectivist model, or another course you have familiarity with. You should take each of the principles set out above and state how they are realised in your course, either as a general principle or by giving an example activity.

•   Blog your course outline, along with how the principles are realised.

Ooops didn't do this, but looking at the issue now I think I would choose a course that would initiate students and teachers at my school with how to use "Managebac" http://managebac.com/ 

•   Read and comment on some of the courses suggested by other learners. You might like to consider:

                        whether you found connectivism useful

                        whether connectivism was in conflict with the traditional concept of a course

what it would be like to study or teach a course based around connectivism.

Connectivism is essential to learning a subject laterally and developing and extending knowledge through connections and improving the ways in which we learn, its is essential to the learning process and is stimulating to the learner

I have attached a mindmap that I think connects in some way to connectivism which might be of interest

Regards