Table of Contents
What is connectivism learning theory?
Connectivism is a relatively new learning theory that suggests students should combine thoughts, theories, and general information in a useful manner. It accepts that technology is a major part of the learning process and that our constant connectedness gives us opportunities to make choices about our learning. Connectivism is a kind of learning theory that was created by George Siemens. It also can be understood as educational theory or view or global strategy. Behaviorism, cognitivism, and constructivism are the three broad learning theories most often utilized in the creation of instructional environments. Connectivism is similar to constructivism–in fact, a learner participating in connectivism would likely do so at times with a constructivist approach. The difference here lies in the central role of relationships and networks in connectivism. Rather than supplemental, they are primary sources. As Siemens says: “Our ability to learn what we need for tomorrow is more important than what we know today.” Nurturing and maintaining connections is needed to facilitate continual learning. Collaborative social interaction brings people together and forms a long-term learning environment.
What is connectivism learning theory examples?
Put simply, connectivism is the theory that students learn best if they are taught to navigate and create social networks via technology and use these networks to learn. For example, joining a science forum that discusses mitosis and asking questions on the forum to learn from other members. Connectivism is a pedagogical model devised by George Siemens and Stephen Downes [2] that promotes greater integration, diversity and distributed knowledge throughout networks. Connectivism is a model of learning that can guide first year advising through “the integration of principles explored as chaos, network, and complexity, and self-organization theories” as well as an “understanding that decisions are based on rapidly altering foundations” (Siemens, 2004, para. 23). Connectivism has been offered as a new learning theory for a digital age, with four key principles for learning: autonomy, connectedness, diversity, and openness. The testing ground for this theory has been massive open online courses (MOOCs). According to Downes (2009) and Kop, Fournier, and Mak (2011), to learn in a connectivist environment, a learner should engage in four stages: aggregate, remix, repurpose, and feed forward. To aggregate, learners should build reliable connections with useful resources.
Who made Connectivism learning theory?
The theory was first introduced in 2005 by psychologists, George Siemens and Stephen Downes. Stephen Downes describes connectivism as: ‘The thesis that knowledge is distributed across a network of connections, and therefore that learning consists of the ability to construct and traverse those networks. What Factors Influence Learning? “George Siemens’ theory of Connectivism is the combined effect of three different components: chaos theory, importance of networks, and the interplay of complexity and self-organization” (Davis et al., 2008, p. 1). There are four characteristics of connectivism: autonomy, openness, connectedness, and diversity (Downes, 2010). The major difference is that cognitive learning is about building on prior knowledge, and constructivism is about building new ideas and concepts based on your own discoveries.
How is connectivism used in the classroom?
From a learner-centered teaching perspective, Connectivism provides opportunities for students to make choices about their learning. Connectivism promotes group collaboration and discussion, allowing for different viewpoints and perspectives to aid in problem-solving, decision-making, and making sense of information. Motivation for introduction of connectivism comes from notion that learning theories in frames of behaviorism, cognitivism, constructivism and humanism promote the understanding that learning occurs only inside a person. The disadvantages of Connectivism include the following: Teachers may have difficulty transitioning to new roles (leadership role to a partnership role) Students learn according to their ability level instead of age-level(this might be seen as an advantage in some respects.) Connectivism recognizes three node types: neural, conceptual (internal) and external. Connectivism sees learning as the process of creating connections and expanding or increasing network complexity. Connections may have different directions and strength. Connectivism attempts to situate learning in the continual expan- sion and creation of knowledge and posits that information and knowledge growth in this digital age exceed our ability to cope; the quantity and complexity of information available is overwhelming (Siemens, 2006). The three challenges to connectivist learning highlighted previously are 1) the need for critical literacies and the power relations on the network; 2) the level of learner autonomy; and 3) the level of presence.
What are connectivism teaching strategies?
The four strategies can be implemented in any classroom environment, including traditional classrooms. Four learning strategies utilized in connectivist environments are learner autonomy, resource openness, network connectivity, and opinion diversity (Smidt et al. Examples of constructivist classroom activities Allow pairs of students to teach each other. Learners pose their own questions and seek answers to their questions via research and direct observation. They present their supporting evidence to answer the questions. Constructivist classrooms focus on student questions and interests, they build on what students already know, they focus on interactive learning and are student-centered, teachers have a dialogue with students to help them construct their own knowledge, they root in negotiation, and students work primarily in groups. In the constructivist model, the students are urged to be actively involved in their own process of learning. The teacher functions more as a facilitator who coaches, mediates, prompts, and helps students develop and assess their understanding, and thereby their learning. According to constructivist beliefs, students have control over and regulate their own learning processes. It is expected that teachers will help students build their own personal understanding and knowledge, and that they will empower their students to grow (Belo et al., 2014).
What is the strength of connectivism theory?
Connectivism shifts the role of instructional designer from a centralized teacher to each individual learner. It is the responsibility of the learner to create their own learning experience. Connectivism allows a community of people to legitimize what they’re doing, so knowledge can be spread more quickly through multiple communities. It empowers students and teachers. Connectivism shifts the learning responsibilities from the teacher to the student. Put simply, connectivism is the theory that students learn best if they are taught to navigate and create social networks via technology and use these networks to learn. For example, joining a science forum that discusses mitosis and asking questions on the forum to learn from other members. The role of the instructor is to participate in, rather than lead, the learning process. The instructor models the skills that students are expected to cultivate–assessing, connecting and curating. In a constructivist classroom, teachers create situations in which the students will question their own and each other’s assumptions. In a similar way, a constructivist teacher creates situations in which he or she is able to challenge the assumptions upon which traditional teaching and learning are based. Social constructivism was developed by post-revolutionary Soviet psychologist Lev Vygotsky. Vygotsky was a cognitivist, but rejected the assumption made by cognitivists such as Piaget and Perry that it was possible to separate learning from its social context.
What is the unique idea in connectivism?
Connectivism focuses on the inclusion of technology as part of our distribution of cognition and knowledge. Our knowledge resides in the connections we form – where to other people or to information sources such as databases. There are four characteristics of connectivism: autonomy, openness, connectedness, and diversity (Downes, 2010). problems with connectivism Firstly, it does not satisfactorily account for the learning paradox. Secondly, there is no adequate place for the nature of interaction in its theory. Thirdly, it is unable to explain the development of concepts. Cognitive constructivism, social constructivism and radical constructivism are the three major types.
Who is the father of constructivism learning theory?
Jean Piaget (1896-1980) is considered the father of the constructivist view of learning. Jean Piaget is known as one of the first theorists in constructivism. His theories indicate that humans create knowledge through the interaction between their experiences and ideas. The concept of constructivism has roots in classical antiquity, going back to Socrates’s dialogues with his followers, in which he asked directed questions that led his students to realize for themselves the weaknesses in their thinking. Constructivism is a theory that promotes learning as an active and internal process in which new information is added to a foundation of prior knowledge. Cognitive constructivism, social constructivism and radical constructivism are the three major types. There are five primary educational learning theories: behaviorism, cognitive, constructivism, humanism, and connectivism. Additional learning theories include transformative, social, and experiential.