CONNECTIVISM—MAY 7, 2009

            Introduction

            Background

            Limitations of Behaviorism, Cognitivism & Constructivism

            An Alternative Theory

            Networks, Small Worlds, Weak Ties

            Connectivism

            Conclusion

 

Introduction

-Behaviorism, cognitivism, and constructivism = most used learning theories.

-developed during a time that there wasn’t much technology.

-it used to be that we’d go to school & enter one profession.

-times have changed—knowledge is growing rapidly. 

-half of what we know today, wasn’t not known 10 years ago. 

-trends in learning:

            -technology is altering our brains.

            -rather than knowing the answers we learn how to look for them. 

            -learning is a continual process.

 

Background

-Driscoll defines learning as:

-“a persisting change in human performance or performance potential…[which] must come about as a result of the learner’s experience and interaction with the world”

-the debate is do we gain knowledge through experiences? Thinking and reasoning?

-3 epistemological traditions that relate to learning:

-Objectivism (behaviorism): states that reality is external.  Objective & knowledge is gained through experience.

            -Pragmatism (cognitivism): states that reality is interpreted.  Knowledge negotiated through experience.

            -Interpretivism (constructivism): states that reality is internal.  Knowledge is constructed. 

-All hold true that knowledge is an object/state that is attainable through experiences.

 

Limitations of Behaviorism, Cognitivism & Constructivism

- Learning theories focus on the actual process of learning, not on the value of what is being learned.

- In a networked world, the very manner of information that we acquire is worth exploring.

-when there is a lot of knowledge, evaluation of all that knowledge must be quickly gone through.

-The ability to synthesize and recognize connections and patterns is a valuable skill.

 

An Alternative Theory

-learning theories are now being moved into a digital age.

-technology and formulating connections are now learning activities in which we gain knowledge.

-Experience used to be the best way to obtain knowledge. 

            -since we cannot experience everything we must rely on others to provide us with knowledge. 

-Chaos, as a science, recognizes the connection of everything to everything

 

Networks, Small Worlds, Weak Ties

-networks are always competing for connections because links represent survival in an interconnected world.

-Weak ties are links that have short connections between information.

-small world networks are usually populated with people whose interests are similar to ours.

            -excellent for finding a job. 

 

Connectivism

- Connectivism is the integration of principles explored by chaos, network, and complexity

and self-organization theories.

-Learning is a process that occurs within nebulous environments.

            -not left to the individual to control.

- decisions are based on quickly altering foundations. 

-now information is constantly being obtained.

-we must learn to sift through important and unimportant information. 

-information within an organization must be able to flow in order for the organization to be effective.

 

Conclusion

-When knowledge is needed but not known the important thing in this age is to know where to find it. 

-Today so much of knowledge is knowing where to obtain it, rather than knowing it upon command. 

-Access to what is needed is more important than what the learner currently possesses.

This article on connectivism is exactly what is being faced in math class.  Teachers used to have students memorize formulas, formulas that are now held within a calculator.  This argument in support of Connectivism shows that knowledge is now knowing where to find the information rather than having it upon demand.  If a person knows to seek out a calculator to complete the problem, that is better than using up space in their brain memorizing the formula.  Also in addition to this, the answer will be more accurate…eliminating the person, and therefore eliminating the possibility of error.  Today, through technology, we have the power to create connections, and it is through this connectivism that we obtain more knowledge; knowledge, in which we can obtain through means apart from person experience.