In the beginning, constructivism theory sparked my attention because learners construct their own knowledge and are adaptive (Ertmer and Newby, 1993). Based on what I knew at the time, this was my best choice. My quest for adaptability enables me to keep going and to dig deeper when I’m curious about anything. Intrinsically, I have a need to find out “why” to many questions. However, if the tools are not in close proximity, I will give up quickly.
In the previous discussion, I talked about making real-world connections and the urge to understand concepts before moving forward. Connectivism and adult learning include more of my learning behavior; they expand upon the constructivist learning theory. With connectivism, my introverted personality is given an opportunity to thrive by connecting socially through Web 2.0 networks. It enables me to make-sense of learning and by providing resourceful networks like blogging, Wikipedia, Facebook, YouTube, and Delicious. It gives me a voice where I can test and express my views while tapping into a diverse community of learners.
For overly complex concepts, connectivists extract and store information on non-human appliances, meaning computers or networks, to prevent human overload (Siemen, 2005). Decision-making is based on a “rapid changing foundation” (Davis, Edmunds,& Kelly-Bateman, 2008) as information is abundant and readily available. The limits of software license have been reduced by having applications available at all times, called clouding. Siemen (2005) believes that with information changing so rapidly we must constantly adapt and evaluate updated information. Connectivist’s adjust to informal learning, but should draw distinctions between important and unimportant information is vital (Siemen, 2005).
In the role of technology for me, my laptop is my first resource to connect with the world to find out what is going. It is used to locate examples and non-examples of topics to connect with work, school, family, and friends. Web 2.0 resource motivates me to actively learn and connect with others around the world. When I use social media networks, I connect with my community virtually. Human contact is not my preference. Blog posts comments offer welcome feedback that helps to deepen my understanding of a topic and well as provide alternatives.
Davis, C, Edmunds, E, & Kelly-Bateman, V. (2008). Connectivism. In M. Orey (Ed.), Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved February 17, 2012 fromhttp://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/
Ertmer, P. and Newby J. (1993). Behaviorism, cognitivism, constructivism: Comparing critical features from an instructional design perspective. Retrieved from http://uow.ico5.janison.com/ed/subjects/edgi911w/readings/ertmerp1.pdf
Siemens, G. (2005, January). Connectivism: A learning theory for the digital age. International Journal of Instructional Technology and Distance Learning. Retrieved from http://www.itdl.org/Journal/Jan_05/article01.htm
No comments:
Post a Comment