(The title may be click bait, sorry!)
The Problems I See With Connectivist Learning
Using social media platforms in classrooms! That sounds like it could be a great idea! Right?
Friesen and Lowe’s article The questionable promise of social media for education: Connective learning and the commercial imperative introduced me to a Learning Theory that I had not been exposed to before. Connectivist learning theory stresses the importance of collaboration, peer networks and social media platforms within an online community. At first glance, this learning theory seems to have glimpses of constructivism with the addition of an online community. The emphasis according to Friesen and Lowe (2012) should be centered on the student and the learning community they find themselves in, where teachers are not necessarily needed. This is very constructivist. However, Siemens (2005) disagrees with this point and suggests that conventional “Learning theories are concerned with the actual process of learning, not with the value of what is being learned. In a networked (Connectivist) world, the very manner of information that we acquire is worth exploring. The need to evaluate the worthiness of learning something is a meta-skill that is applied before learning itself begins” (Pg.2).
However, without a teacher, how does one game a sense of this “worthiness of learning”? This is where I begin to question this learning theory and the fact that it can be potentially dangerous because of the potential lack of prior teaching as outlined here by HBO’s John Oliver.
(Just a heads up there is strong language and profanity.)
As he states here much of the information that one is receiving through their Facebook Feed is cherry-picked because of algorithms where “audiences can be very precisely defined” (Friesen & Lowe, 2012) based on previous activity on these sites as well as their browsing history. This opens up a huge can of worms within the Connectivist theory. This learning theory says that a teacher is not needed and thus allows the student to access whatever information they desire. The problem with this is that without prior teaching about credible sources and media biases, a student could be led (like many voting adults) into facts that just simply are not true that back up their own views whether credible or not. These social media platform “by design, clearly serve interests and priorities other than (and in many cases opposed to) those of learning” (Friesen and Lowe, 2012).
Do I think that Connectivist learning theory has a chance of becoming useful within the class? Absolutely! However, direct teaching and instruction are needed for our primary students that just don’t know what information the internet is offering to them. Just like with most things, prior teaching is necessary so that our students can understand what knowledge is valuable, accurate and credible. In conclusion, I will leave you with a quote that backs up why it is essential to have prior teaching about sources from Web 2.0 and describes the state that some of the world is in right now.
“All I know is what is on the internet” (Trump, 2016).
References
Friesen, N., & Lowe, S. (2012). The questionable promise of social media for education: Connective learning and the commercial imperative. Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, 28(3), 183-194.
President-Elect Trump: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO). (2018). YouTube. Retrieved 25 July 2018, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-rSDUsMwakI&feature=youtu.be
Siemens, G. (2005). Connectivism: A learning theory for the digital age.International Journal of Instructional Technology and Distance Learning, 2(1), 3-10.
bradley forsyth
July 27, 2018 — 4:40 pm
Hi David,
The use of social media platforms in classrooms has been of growing interest to me as well. I had not come across the connectivist learning theory, but it sounds intriguing. I agree with your concerns with a lack of a teacher, either as instructor or moderator. Throughout this module we have been presented with concepts regarding the breakdown of the author as an authoritative voice and a rise in “amateurization.” This seems like this is somewhat taking that concept to an extreme. I agree that an educator is necessary to at least guide students through their learning and the responsible use of online resources. I also wonder how quality insurance and assessment practices would operate in the connectivist learning theory.
You are absolutely correct in the dangers present in social media sites using algorithms to present “news” based on our interests. I think the saying goes something like, “If something is free, then you are the product.” Without getting overly political we have seen how this can be used negatively to sway the general public, but on a much more basic level it is dangerous to have one’s own biases constantly reinforced without being presented with contradictory information that can encourage healthy dialogue. The ability to recognize this bias and think critically about the information we are being presented with is an essential skill in today’s society.
Your post reminded me of a podcast that I listened to recently that may be of interest from Jisc, called “What the Edtech?! Transforming your Student Engagement with Social Media,” which can be found here: https://www.jisc.ac.uk/podcasts/what-the-edtech-episode-one-19-apr-2018.
The podcast focuses on the positive and practical applications of integrating social media into classrooms, as well as its potential for professional use and development. Examples of how platforms have been creatively integrated into the classroom include the use of Whatsapp for group discussions, Snapchat for quizzes, and Instagram for the sharing of videos and photos by students and instructors both inside and outside the classroom. They also suggest that platforms such as Twitter and Instagram can be used as a way to share research, and follow and connect to industry leaders for professional development. Students can also be provided with recommended sources to “follow” for educational purposes.
Students are increasingly using these platforms in their personal lives, so why not incorporate them into education as long as it is done so in a thoughtful manner by evaluating the pros and cons of doing so? Students may not only benefit in the classroom, but by learning to use these platforms critically and responsibly it will also be beneficial in the workforce and becoming better digital citizens. This podcast glosses over the potential risks of social media, such as privacy concerns, as well as accessibility issues, but it certainly proposed some interesting ideas.
References
Stoller, E. (guest), Knight, S. (guest), Somerfield, K. (Guest). (2018, April 19). What the Edtech?! Transforming your student engagement with social media. [Audio podcast]. Retrieved from https://www.jisc.ac.uk/podcasts/what-the-edtech-episode-one-19-apr-2018.
kimseto
August 7, 2018 — 5:44 pm
*Accidentally posted the comment above anonymously!
Hi David,
Thank you for touching on this topic. You shared some of the concerns my partner and I discussed on our multimedia project. We may assume that because many kids grow up as digital natives, they naturally acquire the skills to navigate the Web safely. Sure they may already know how to avoid clicking on certain ads or how to keep their online profiles private from the public, but securing one’s private data is much more complex than that. Van de Walle (n.d.) discusses how the affordances on today’s Web are “publisher-driven” (p. 1.). The content publisher is the one who stands at the helm when it comes to deciding what hyperlinks the user will have at his or her disposal. Given a prescribed selection of options, the user is ultimately directed on how to engage with the digital platform and consequently what type of content they are ultimately exposed to. The seemingly innocuous “Like” button on Facebook uses cookies that automatically send personal information, such as your IP address and browser strings. The user may suddenly find more news feeds and advertisements that pertain to the “Liked” subject.
I agree with you that these invisible threats need to be made aware and this is where the teacher’s role kicks in. Rather than resisting and fearing technology, teachers and adults should embrace the changes by attempting to harness the advantages. Media awareness, digital citizenship, and Internet safety are topics that need to be directly taught. “Digital footprint education could help young people develop a strong, positive online presence. Such a presence can showcase the skills and achievements of an individual and signal engagement with and proficiency of internet technologies, a current mandated educational outcome and a desirable attribute for the 21st century” (Van Ouytsel, Walrave, Ponnet, 2014 as cited in Buchanan et al., 2017, p. 286).
Buchanan, R., Southgate, E., Smith, S. P., Murray, T., & Noble, B. (2017). Post no photos, leave no trace: Children’s digital footprint management strategies. E-Learning and Digital Media, 14(5), 275-290. doi:10.1177/2042753017751711
Van de Walle, R. (2013). Distributed Affordance: An Open-World Assumption for Hypermedia. Retrieved August 1, 2018, from https://web.kamihq.com/web/viewer.html?source=extension_pdfhandler&file=http://distributedaffordance.org/publications/ws-rest2013.pdf