Unit 5: Connectivism

Connectivism: The Power of the Network

Connectivist learning is the process of connecting nodes (i.e., learners) and building personal networks and groups to share knowledge, information, and experiences.

While other theories focus on how we learn, connectivism focuses on the value and currency of the information found.

Key Researchers

George Siemens

Proposed Researcher

"The pipe is more important than the content."

Stephen Downes

Expansion Researcher

"Learning is the formation of connections in a network."

Dave Cormier

MOOC Contributor

"If you could get enough people co-creating knowledge, at the same time, on the same topic, think of the effect you might have."

a web that connects a student with everything educational and cultural specific.jpg

ID Implications

In higher education/adult learning, students tend to thrive when learning is relevant, self-directed, engaging, and collaborative. To foster this growth of knowledge, instructional designers can implement connectivist principles in higher education courses/programs by:

Designing pathways for open educational resources (OERs)
Keeping content/information up-to-date and relevant
Requiring participation in discussion forums, group projects, social media exchanges, and/or connecting with global networks
Presenting new technology as an option for students to utilize and fostering digital literacy

Strengths & Limitations

Strengths

Limitations

Real-time Relevance

Information stays up-to-date as nodes grow in their knowledge.

Content Focus

Prioritizes the value of knowledge over the proess of acquisition.

Decision-Making

Treats the act of choosing what to learn as a core learning process.

Global Citizenship

Creates worldwide communites rooted in shared knowledge

Time Intensive

Constantly shifting knowledge requires significant time and mastery.

Digital Literacy

Success depends heavily on the learner's ability to be knowledgeable of technology.

Cognitive Load

Navigating huge networks can be overwhelming.

Maitenance Cost

Maintaining and nurturing connections requires continual learning and engagement.

References

Bates, A. W. (2022). Teaching in a Digital Age : Guidelines for Teaching and Learning (Third). [Tony Bates Associates Ltd].

Cormier, D. (2013, October 29). Some things MOOCs are good for – Dave’s Educational Blog. Davecormier.com. https://davecormier.com/edblog/2013/10/29/some-things-moocs-are-good-for/

Siemens, G. (2022). Connectivism: A Learning Theory for the Digital Age. In Kimmons, R. (Ed.), Education Research: Across Multiple Paradigms (pp. 151-159). BYU Open Learning Network. https://open.byu.edu/education_research/connectivism