Connectivism and My Networks

After constructing a Mind Map of my learning network, I have begun to theorize about its significance. One glace at it gives me mixed feelings. My first feeling is, wow look at all the awesome resources I have at my fingertips to learn from. But, my second feeling is wow; I rely on technology for way too much. In fact, I wonder how teachers were able to plan and create dynamic units without the invention of the Internet. While I never can take something straight from the network without processing it and applying it to my own practice, it still makes my life much easier. The Internet has opened the doors for so many new ideas and concepts, and with this comes a new learning theory as well: connectivism. It makes perfect sense. I cannot say that I reject cognitivism and constructivism because I do believe in High Order Thinking. However, according to important thinker George Simiens, “the beauty of networks is their inherent simplicity” (elearningspace.org) and I like simplicity.

According to the Connectivism Blog, “it is usually beneficial to be connected to those who have a good view of what is going on because “information and knowledge is often shared [intentionally or unintentionally] with trusted others, close by” (Connectivism Blog). In addition, Stephnen Downes states that “at its heart, connectivism is 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.” (Downes, 2007, halfanhour.blogspot.com). Both of these notions hold true to my beliefs because the invention of the internet has changed the way I think about my pedagogy entirely. My personal learning network reflects the tenets of connectivism. Simiens states that “connectivism finds its roots in the climate of abundance, rapid change, diverse information sources and perspectives, and the critical need to find a way to filter and make sense of the chaos.” This reflects my network because each piece of the puzzle allows me to stay current (something I find is important as a teacher).

In his Podcast, Simiens makes the case for social learning networks and he explains how “educational institutions and corporate enterprises can embrace social media & social networks as part of the big shift towards informal and on-demand learning” (elearningspace.org). I can relate to his idea of “on demand” learning because as I reflect, I see that many of my personal networks enable me to access information pretty quickly. When I have questions, I gain fresh information easily with the Internet. The digital tools that work best for me are computers and cellular devices because I can look up information using professional websites, nings or educational blogs easily and I can get my questions answered quickly by peers via cell phone. My peers act at my community which according to Simiens is a “rich learning network of individuals who in themselves are completed learning networks” (Connectivism Blog). Each of these digital tools works best for me because they provide quick answers and as an adult learner, I do not have a lot of free time.

Resources:

http://www.elearnspace.org/Articles/networks.htm
http://www.xyleme.com/podcasts/archives/28
http://www.connectivism.ca/