A critical look at 'Connectivism'

 

According to George Siemens(Walden University, LLC, n.d), adults have an abundance of information that needs to be distributed. This idea is further backed by Davis et al.(2008), who note that we cannot learn everything personally. Adult learning is about connecting ideas and seeing relevant patterns from unrelated and diverse contents (Davis et al. 2005). Getting information from various sources has improved my ability to make these connections, make choices of what information is relevant at a particular time, and discard information when it becomes outdated. It has also served best at providing and maintaining information flow which is an essential factor in learning (Siemens, 2005).

It is no news that technology has significantly influenced the half-life of information(Davis et al. 2008) as information relevant today may quickly become irrelevant tomorrow as new information is rendered available enabled by technology. Some digital tools that have facilitated learning are WhatsApp; one great benefit of WhatsApp is forming groups focused on different topics where members share their views, use of video or conferencing tools where I can meet people virtually. Twitter is another innovative tool where I go for updated information. Professional tools like Linked In and blogs on topics of interest remain among my favorite for current professional knowledge. The use of these tools both on laptops and mobile phone makes information readily accessible.

Again, as an adult learner, finding the right platform to ask questions is essential. The right platform will differ for learners influenced by the quality of feedback given, response time, and opportunity to continue the discussion, whether face-to-face or online(Spencer, 2004). I tend to use face-to-face and online approaches to gain new knowledge when I have questions. Asking questions to friends, family, or work colleagues in person serves me the opportunity for an immediate response, noting the time for further discussions on the topic could be scheduled after this initial response. The use of the Google search engine has also proven vital. This brings diverse perspectives in answering a question from persons globally from which I then make necessary connections and develop an answer for myself. Although one may not have the opportunity for discussion, there is a massive transfer of cognitive abilities of diverse people(Siemens, 2005) through this virtual social platform. When I am actively engaged in formal education, my coursemates become an essential source to make connections from the answer they share in response to a question I pose.

Finally, learning using my networks relies on the propositions of connectivism, as learning here requires actively making necessary connections from a wealth of information available from people and data sources(Walden, University, LLC, n.d). I think connectivism is an active, engaging, and informal yet powerful way for learners to develop new knowledge and use and discard outdated information.

References.

Davis, C., Edmunds, E., & Kelly-Bateman, V. (2008). Connectivism. In M. Orey (Ed.),            Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved from                              http://textbookequity.org/Textbooks/Orey_Emergin_Perspectives_Learning.pdf

            Siemens, G. (2005). Connectivism: A learning theory for the digital age. International Journal                 of  Instructional Design & Distance Learning, 2(1).  Retrieved from                                                          http://www.itdl.org/journal/jan_05/article01.htm

              Spencer, B. (2004). On-line adult learning. In G. Foley (Eds.), Dimensions of adult learning:                 Adult education and training in a global era (pp. 189-200). McGraw-Hill Education. 

             Walden University, LLC. (Producer). (n.d.). Connectivism [Video file].