Cognitivism / Connectivism

Learning Scenarios

Cognitivism

One example of a learning scenario that is well suited to the use of cognitivism is teaching students to find the area of a complex shape. Also known as complex/composite figures, complex shapes are composed of two or more simple shapes (e.g., squares, rectangles, triangles, circles, etc.). Indiana Academic Standard 6.GM.4 states that students will be able to “Find the area of complex shapes composed of polygons by composing or decomposing into simple shapes; apply this technique to solve real-world and other mathematical problems.”

Finding the area of a complex shape requires multiple steps. First, you need to determine the simple shapes that make up the complex shape. Often times, a shape can be decomposed in more than one way, so it is helpful to draw dashed lines to indicate the border between adjacent shapes. Second, you need to determine the length of the sides of each simple shape. (Or, in the case of a circle, the radius/diameter.) Third, you need to find the area of each simple shape using the appropriate formula. Finally, you need to add together the areas of the simple shapes to find the area of the complex shape. [If one of the simple shapes is a circle, you need to first subtract the area of the overlapping portion (typically one-half of the circle).]

This learning scenario is well suited to the use of cognitivism because it is teacher-centered, requires the learner to solve complex problems by breaking them down into smaller parts, and requires the teacher to scaffold students’ learning (Stavredes, 2011, p. 41).

Connectivism

One example of a learning scenario that is grounded in connectivism is a connectivist Massive Open Online Course (cMOOC). In contrast to xMOOCs, which generally follow a prescribed curriculum and are facilitated by an instructor (Wikipedia, 2017), the participants in a cMOOC are ultimately responsible for their learning and how they share what they’ve learned (Learning Theories, 2017).

cMOOCs are aligned with many of George Siemens’ 8 principles of connectivism, including “Learning and knowledge rests in diversity of opinions,” “Learning is a process of connecting nodes or information sources,” “Learning may reside in non-human appliances,” and “Nurturing and maintaining connections is needed to facilitate continual learning” (ELT, 2012).

References

Connectivism (Siemens, Downes). (2017, February 04). Retrieved from https://www.learning-theories.com/connectivism-siemens-downes.html

ELT, O. U. (2012, December 09). Connectivism: A Theory of Learning for a Digital Age. Retrieved from https://oupeltglobalblog.com/2011/03/30/connectivism-a-theory-of-learning-for-a-digital-age/

Massive open online course. (2017, September 5). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Massive_open_online_course&oldid=799044664

Stavredes, T. (2011). Effective online teaching: foundations and strategies for student success. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.