Learning Technologies Centre Connectivism: A Learning Theory for a Digital Age George Siemens gsiemens@elearnspace.org.

Learning Technologies Centrewww.umanitoba.ca/learning_technologies

Connectivism: A Learning Theory for a

Digital Age

George Siemensgsiemens@elearnspace.org

Learning Technologies Centrewww.umanitoba.ca/learning_technologies

What’s happening?

• Decentralizing• Democratizing• Distributed• Changed dynamics of what it means

to know• Acceleration

Learning Technologies Centrewww.umanitoba.ca/learning_technologies

Learning theories

A model or representation of how learning occurs

Learning Technologies Centrewww.umanitoba.ca/learning_technologies

Behaviourism

• Black box• Stimulus/Response• Theorists: Pavlov, Watson, Skinner,

Thorndike

Learning Technologies Centrewww.umanitoba.ca/learning_technologies

Cognitivism

• Information processing• Input, processing, storage, output• Computer-modeled• Theorists: Ausubel, Gagne, Bruner,

Piaget, Vygotsky

Learning Technologies Centrewww.umanitoba.ca/learning_technologies

Constructivism

• Learning is process of active construction of knowledge

• Learners make sense of their experiences

• Theorists: Bruner, Vygotsky, Piaget

Learning Technologies Centrewww.umanitoba.ca/learning_technologies

What’s missing?

Learning Technologies Centrewww.umanitoba.ca/learning_technologies

Learning Technologies Centrewww.umanitoba.ca/learning_technologies

Democratizing Learning

• In all cases? What about educational standards?

• Link tool with intent– Facets - Bloom, Fink, Wiggins:

• Integral• “Small pieces, anywhere, any tool,

any time”

Learning Technologies Centrewww.umanitoba.ca/learning_technologies

It’s coming undone…

“Things fall apart; the Center cannot hold; Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world” (Yeats)

Learning Technologies Centrewww.umanitoba.ca/learning_technologies

Decentralization and distributed

representation of knowledge

• Critical in diverse, rapidly developing knowledge spaces

• Conundrum: – complex environments, without a

filtered center, are overwhelming

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Our current solution

Learning Technologies Centrewww.umanitoba.ca/learning_technologies

Connectivism

• Learning as a connection-forming process (neural and external)

• The learning is in the network• Diversity• “Know where”…know who• Pattern recognition

Learning Technologies Centrewww.umanitoba.ca/learning_technologies

Learning TheoriesTheory Learning model Learning

resides

Behaviourism “Black box” Behaviour demonstration

Cognitivism Computer-model In the mind of the individual – processed

Constructivism

Creation or construction of meaning (Building)

In the mind of the individual –constructed

Connectivism Networks and ecologies, connections

Distributed, in network

Learning Technologies Centrewww.umanitoba.ca/learning_technologies

Move from creating content to creating space in which content

is explored

Learning Technologies Centrewww.umanitoba.ca/learning_technologies

Connectivism Taxonomy

• Awareness and Receptivity• Connection-forming• Contribution and Involvement• Pattern Recognition• Meaning-making• Praxis

Learning Technologies Centrewww.umanitoba.ca/learning_technologies

What skills are needed?

1. Anchoring2. Filtering3. Connecting4. Being human5. Creating and deriving meaning6. Evaluation/authentication

Learning Technologies Centrewww.umanitoba.ca/learning_technologies

What skills are needed?

7. Critical/creative thinking8. Pattern recognition9. Navigate knowledge landscape10.Acceptance of uncertainty11.Contextualizing

Learning Technologies Centrewww.umanitoba.ca/learning_technologies

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