ConnectivismPaul VanThof

Origin

• Developed by George Siemens and Stephen Downes

• Described as a new learning theory for the digital age

• Four key principles: autonomy, connectedness, diversity, and openness

• Connectivism is a combination of principles from four different theories:• Chaos

• Network

• Self-Organization

• Complexity

Principles

• Learning is heavily based on different opinions of people

• Learning happens when nodes are connected to one another

• Learning can exist in non-human appliances

• What a person is able to learn, is more important than what a person already knows

• Maintaining connections between nodes is important to keep learning in the future

• Someone’s ability to make connections between various concepts and ideas is fundamental

• Up-to-date knowledge is the focal point of connectivist activities

• Making decisions is a learning process, we choose what to learn and what the meaning of it is. Our answers can change due to knew information that affects the decisions we make for the future.

Impact

• What is the impact on curriculum?• Pedagogy is changing; shift from teacher-student to more autonomous

learners

• What is the impact on instruction?• Instruction is less teacher-based, and more dependent on the student.

Teacher becomes more of a facilitator

• What is the impact on assessment?• Summative assessments are no longer in traditional test format.

Assessment is more task-based. Assessments become more flexible!

Academic Research

• Participatory Technologies

• Learning Online

• Social Networking

• Blogging

Conclusions

• Connectivism is a way to cater to students of the digital age

• Allows for students to take control of their learning, however could be negatively affected

• Students gravitate towards technology, connectivism gives them a way to use the technology and explore topics and make connections on their own

• Gives instructors a more flexible classroom format

• Students choose how they learn, rather than being told information

References

Al-Mukhaini, E., Al-Qayoudhi, W., & Al-Badi, A. (2014). Adoption of social networking in education: A study of the use of social networks by higher education students in oman. Journal of International Education Research, 10(2), 143. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/1516960787?accountid=28644

Farkas, M. (2012). Participatory technologies, pedagogy 2.0 and information literacy. Library Hi Tech, 30(1), 82-94. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/07378831211213229

Kop, R., & Hill, A. (2008). Connectivism: Learning theory of the future or vestige of the past?. The International Review Of Research In Open And Distance Learning, 9(3). Retrieved from http://www.irrodl.org/index.php/irrodl/article/view/523/1103

Siemens, G. (2005). Connectivism: A learning theory for the digital age.International journal of instructional technology and distance learning, 2(1), 3-10.

Welsh, D. H. B., & Dragusin, M. (2013). The new generation of massive open online course (MOOCS) and entrepreneurship education. Small Business Institute Journal, 9(1), 51-65. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/1501871535?accountid=28644

Zhang, S. (2013). An empirical study of the factors affecting weblog success in higher education. Journal of Information Systems Education, 24(4), 267-279. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/1543335864?accountid=28644