Sunday, February 28, 2010

CONNNECTIVISM, a theory for the 21st century

The Networked Students



This video shows how connectivism works to share information and how to create knowledge based on that information.

How to apply Connectivism in English language learning?

A good way to apply Connectivism in English language learning is creating blogs or e-portfolios in which the students can upload different activities for specific goals (for example writings, videos, and audio-recordings). Then, classmates might have access to those blogs or portfolios not only to comment on others’ works but also to peer-review and give feedback. Another possibility is the creation of a wiki, the tutor could propose a topic and each one of the students should complement the information with argued comments. In that way collaborative learning is having place and information is being connected.


What is connectivism?

A Theory developed by George Siemens to explain the effect that technology has had nowadays in the way we live, we learn and we communicate with others. In this theory learning is a process that takes place in a broad range of environments, that means, the knowledge can be outside of the human being control, for example, in data base or in a organization; in that way it is possible to actualize each time the actual stage of knowledge and when new information is acquired the last one becomes obsolete.

Some features of Connectivism:
• Learning and knowledge are in the diversity of opinions.
• Human beings are not the only ones who learn, knowledge can be out of them.
• It is more important to improve knowledge that the knowledge that already exist.
• Knowledge is a process of connection among different sources or nodes.
• To keep the continuous learning it is necessary to keep the connections.
• To take decisions is a way of learning. it is necessary to choose what to learn and how to learn.

References:
Siemes, G. (2004) Connectivism: A learning theory for the digital age. Retrieved online from http://www.elearnspace.org/Articles/connectivism.htm

No comments:

Post a Comment