Old ideas, new reality
CL involves learning across a variety of settings that are relevant to the learner. Rather than focusing on instructional methods, CL strives to provide optimal learning conditions. Learning occurs naturally and most efficiently when learners have a personal interest in what they learn. CL principles are consistent with the theory of constructivism, which supports the idea that learning is deeper when learners have the opportunity to construct their own knowledge. More specifically, CL principles adhere largely to social constructivism where peers and adults act as catalysts for learning. CL also draws on George Siemens and Stephen Downes’ emerging theory of connectivism, which views the learner as a node within a network of dynamic knowledge. Connected learners work toward developing their ability to access, filter, and communicate information over memorizing facts and procedures. In contrast with other models of education, CL takes into account the new reality engendered by an explosion of information and the creation of new pathways between individuals.
Although CL is a relatively new concept, it is based on ideas that have been around for decades. Many of these ideas are widely accepted in principle, yet have only marginally penetrated the domain of institutional education. Promoters of CL are essentially revisiting these ideas in the context of the high connectivity afforded to us by new technologies. The question we need to ask is: Will the conjuncture of today’s educational reality, with easy access to a multitude of networks, be sufficient to allow educators to put in practice those widely accepted learning theories?
To spark some thinking around this question, we’ll examine two of the many theories influencing CL: Italian doctor and educational reformer Maria Montessori and the radical philosopher, Ivan Illich.
I was wondering whether you wanted also to comment on a third approach to connected learning, Connectivism, advanced by George Siemens (Athabasca U) and Stephen Downes (National Research Council of Canada).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Connectivism
http://www.elearnspace.org/Articles/connectivism.htm
http://steve-wheeler.blogspot.ca/2012/10/theories-for-digital-age-connectivism.html
Hi Dave, as we developed our OER, we made a conscious decision to go around connectivism in order to keep our presentation more focused. Since you asked, here is my take on it, and I am sure my teammates will join in to add or critic my expansion of the concept as we presented it in the introduction of the current section.
If Illich seemed radical when he was asking his contemporaries to rethink the way they were facilitating learning, Siemens and Downes are a lot more radical in that they ask us to reconsider the very notion of knowledge. In fact, unlike the previous paradigms in the theories of learning, which required a change in how we conceptualized the way we acquired knowledge, connectivism invites us to adopt a new way to practice knowledge.
In order to adapt to the ever increasing amount of information available in our world, we need to transform the way we handle that information. Just as the advent of the combustion engine required that we learned new ways to travel over the developing networks in our transportation infrastructure, we need to learn new ways to access, filter, and communicate ideas over the new digital infrastructure afforded to us by the advent of the Internet. As we increased our material comfort by adopting new ways to produce and transport goods, we all get to become smarter, if we develop more efficient ways to handle information. A very simplistic representation of connectivism can be depicted in an image where people’s brains are connected to each other as well as to a series of computers. As an example, I no longer need learn a second language if I have access to someone or to a computer who can translate for me, I don’t necessarily need to go through years of medical training if I can effectively access an use tools to identify my ills and their remedies. Obviously I don’t recommend that we ditch our family doctors just yet, but in theory we can certainly gain a better understanding of our physical condition by tapping into the resources that are available to everyone.
How does this connect to CL?
The interconnected and collaborative aspects of CL help the learners to develop the skills necessary to effectively use and develop the knowledge networks available to them. CL is adaptable and dynamic, it uses tools that can easily take into account new ideas and realities. Connected learners didn’t have to wait for the next edition of the science textbook to know that Pluto is no longer a planet. Connected learners use their connections to extract knowledge about what is relevant to them; they don ‘t have to learn something just because someone decided to put it in a textbook.
Apologies, I meant to say “comment further…” above.