Saturday, October 8, 2016

Connectivism in Learning

Learning in today's society is like trying to move an ice cube through a funnel, no matter how hard you try, it takes a long time to get to where you're going without diluting the message.

One of the most persuasive factors is the shrinking half-life of knowledge. In today's society, we are constantly bombarded with information. Whether it comes from peers, the media, or the internet, information comes at a much lower cost than it did in the past. A learner is often presented an objective, and then told to get to the result. But how does this work? As more and more information is produced, we must filter out (funnel) what is really important. While some of the information we find will slowly seep through, it takes a long time to really get what you need. 

The knowledge in a technology field changes extremely quickly, but it's extremely reliant on the connections you've made with others. So with all this information out there, what is the best way to find what you're looking for? In many cases, virtual communities have begun to pop up as ways for learners to share ideas and get feedback from those who have similar experiences. This can provide a much more fluid exchange of ideas resulting in much better results at a faster pace. While this is not necessarily a benefit for all topics, it can allow many to proceed much more quickly than they could have otherwise.

Connectivism: A Learning Theory for the Digital Age
Siemens Video


1 comment:

  1. This is a good analogy because it provides us with an opportunity to see how being thoughtful, patient, yet persistent can help us to pursue the right information for the task at hand. I also Iike what you said about being reliant on the community of learners and educators that you build. I can't say enough about the importance of this .

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