Using the theory of connectivism to set up a Flexible Learning Environment

1. Using the theory of connectivism to set up a Flexible Learning Environment Cyberculture and Education: Assignment 2 By: Celestine Wong and Bill Oldham

2. Q: What is the theory of connectivism? • A: A learning theory of digital age. While the theories of behaviourism and cognitivism and constructivism have been around for awhile, they fall short of explaining the effects of learning when technology becomes involved.

3. Some principles of Connectivism • Learning is a continued process of connecting specialized nodes and information sources. • It is possible to learn by tapping into an existing network. • Learning may be done in a non-human environment such as in an online community, a network, or a database. • The knowledge on how to obtain more information is more important than actually knowing the information. Source: http://www.connectivism.ca/about.html

4. Points in favour of connectivism • the same structure of learning that creates neural connections can be found in how we link ideas and in how we connect to people and information sources. Source: http://p2pfoundation.net/Connectivist_Learning_Theory_-_Siemens

5. Points in favour of connectivism • Learning is distributed within a network, social, technologically enhanced, through recognising and interpreting patterns. • Next step after constructionism where personal meaning is created by each individual learner Source: http://pedagogy.ir/images/pdf/connectivism-growing-complexity.pdf

6. Points in favour of connectivism Connectivism is the new way of learning methods of organising the explosion of information created by the development of the Internet.

7. Points in favour of connectivism • New learning environments for students and research opportunities • Eg, Graduate students learning to become educators may develop their own classrooms, curricula, objectives, and learn how to collaborate, role play, build connections, play games, navigate streaming video/audio/YouTube, etc Source: http://www.google.com.au/search?q=pros+and+cons+of+connectivism&hl=en&rlz=1G1GGLQ_ENAU298&start=10&sa=N

8. Points in favour of connectivism • Learning takes place inside a person. • Siemens (2006) argues that learning is a process of connecting specialized nodes or information resources. Source:http://www.oei.es/tic/media17532.pdf

9. Points in favour of connectivism Connectivism provides the Lifelong learner of the knowledge society with the capability to “stay connected” and “belong” to digital communities with which interests are and can be continuously shared. Source: http://aprilhayman.wordpress.com/2009/09/18/what-connectivism-is-forum-notes/

10. What is a Flexible Learning Environment? • A learning environment that is not tied down by the limitations of traditional educational environments like time and place. • A learning environment that is available to the learner at all stages of a learner's life. • Reduces access barriers. • An way to open up learning opportunities to a wider range of of students. Source: http://www.tedi.uq.edu.au/teaching/flexible/why.html

11. FLE and connectivism – why? • Ted’s chat night on connectivism got us curious about it. • Celeste and Bill were looking for a theory to deal with handling the increasing management of information on the internet. • The connectivism learning model seemed the most appropriate to use with the development of PLEs and FLEs for staff members

12. FLE and connectivism – why? Stephan Downes said that “Connectivism & Connective Knowledge is not simply about the use of networks of diverse technologies; it is a network of diverse technologies.” * This powerful statement is what started Celeste and Bill down the path of connectivism * Source : http://innovateonline.info/pdf/vol5_issue1/Places_to_Go-__Connectivism_&_Connective_Knowledge.pdf

13. FLE and connectivism – why? Stephan Downes again – “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.” + Celeste and Bill realised that this seems a better way of regarding learning from podccasts, blogs, wikis and Other Web 2.0 tools + Source: http://halfanhour.blogspot.com/2007/02/what-connectivism-is.html

14. Point against creating a FLE • The idea of connectivism and setting up a FLE is ideal, but does it really work? • Teachers have barely enough time to work on their current workload – is there time enough to set up yet another learning space? • Many teachers are not well-versed enough in IT skills to be able to maintain and update a FLE regularly. • FLEs such as wikis will require some form of moderating, however minimal – whose job is this?

15. So we tested it out • Debating about the facts, learning about the theory is not sufficient – we decided to put it to the test. • Please proceed to the following pages of the website to follow our progress with setting up a FLE, its limitations and what we learnt from it.

16. Conclusion The more rapidly knowledge develops the less likely it will be that we will possess all knowledge internally. The interplay of network, context, and other entities (many which are external) results in a new approach or conception of learning. The active creation of our own learning networks is the actual learning, as it allows us to continue to learn and benefit from our network—compared to a course which has a set start and end date. Source: http://www.google.com.au/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=8&ved=0CEMQFjAH&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mendeley.com%2Fresearch%2Fconnectivism-learning-theory-or-pastime-for-the-selfamused%2F&ei=oagRTL2KDoHCcenasYEI&usg=AFQjCNETYuXxGj2esoUdYpEUV3AOAocx9A&sig2=3zC8dNpxXi6V5UMxuc6Fdw