Connectivism - What is it all about?

http://www.elearnspace.org/Articles/connectivism.htm

After reading Siemen’s  (2004) theory about Connectivism, for me it all made sense when the article stated that it was no longer  ‘know how’  or ‘ know what’  that was important but to’ know WHERE’ has become the most important thing in the digital age.  Siemen’s uses the statistic taken from the work of Gonzalez (2004) that states:

“The amount of knowledge in the world has doubled in the past 10 years and is doubling every 18 months”.

It is simply no longer possible for one person to have all the knowledge. Finding ways of identifying how do I find good information, and where do I find it has become more important to the way we learn.

I tend to agree with Siemen’s that the theories of behaviorism, cognitivism and constructivism are probably slightly outdated ( but not obsolete) because the way we learn today is so vastly different from the way we learnt even 5-10 years ago.

I finished my last year of school in 1991 and would say that we modelled behaviourism. We were asked to know and to be able to recall the information when we were assessed. It was learning by rote and H.O.T wasn’t really encouraged.  I agree with Siemen’s theory of connectivism and believe it also would suit my learning style better. I like the idea that connectivism is all about group contribution.

Siemen’s quotes the work of John Seely Brown who states that the internet “leverages the small efforts of many with the large efforts of few”. To me that’s what this course will be all about and is also an example of a way in which the theory of connectivism will be used in our own learning context. Through our wikis and blog’s and online forums and chats our Tutors and CC will act as a mediators, guides and mentors but it will be the students who will be reflecting on each other’s work.

Siemens, G (2004) Connectivism: A Learning Theory for the Digital Age

http://www.elearnspace.org/Articles/connectivism.htm

Do we enrage them or engage them? Prensky (2005)

Prensky’s argument of engage or enrage

http://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/erm0553.pdf

Prensky’s (2005) concept of engage or enrage seems to me to be far too black and white. Just as there are multiple learning styles identified in test in tests such as Felder’s Multiple Intelligence Test surely there are many different types of students in today’s classroom.

I would suggest that we look at today’s classroom and approach it just as Felder would have and that is with an eye to balance. Trying to cater to one particular type of learner will only seek to alienate those other types.  Even Prensky himself identifies three kinds of students. Those who are self motivated. Those who go through the motions and simply “play school” and those who choose to tune out. The last group are the ones that Prensky suggests have a motto “Engage me or enrage me”.

Do teachers need to engage their students… the answer is YES every day in every classroom, but they need to do that using a range of teaching strategies and resources.  Use the curriculum as your framework but make sure the “tools” with which you teach are as interesting and varied as the students’ backgrounds, history, culture and learning styles.

Prensky,M. (2005) Engage me or Enrage Me Educause, Sep/October  60-64

Questionnaire by R. Felder & B. Solomon of the North Carolina State University (http://www.engr.ncsu.edu/learningstyles/ilsweb.html)

Mobile Phones not allowed in the Classroom?

Just a question after reflecting on the last three days in the residential school. We talk about embracing technology and allowing the learners of today to embrace all kinds of ICT's so why do we ban mobile phones in the classroom.

Apart from the obvious which is that they can be an incredible distraction... couldn't we use them?

Was it Rickie that gave the example of giving students 1 minute to receive a text from someone outside Australia?

ABC Catalyst Story about the Future Classroom

http://www.abc.net.au/catalyst/stories/3141437.htm


Thought this was pretty relevant to the ICT's Course. It's about the "future" classroom and a bunch of kids down in Victoria.

Don't panic... it turns out the red colour in my printer had run out... I'm not as body dumb as initially thought!

MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCE TEST

I have finally managed to post up the actual colour graph onto my blog. At first I had to print it and as I had run out of red ink it looked like I was word and people smart but body dumb?? Luckily I have my "smarts" spread pretty evenly. Although I do agree with Rickie that the mood you are in could affect the results considerably. It's also funny how we see ourself.

Analysing the Data... How would I... teach Me?

1. What is your learning style? What sorts of learning experiences would suit you best with your learning style?

So it turns out that I have a moderate preference for active, visual and sequential learning, yet I am fairly well balanced when it comes to sensing and intuitive learning.

So I guess no real suprises in that I'm not really strongly one way or the other and would prefer a balanced and varied style of all the dimensions of learning.

As in any classroom anywhere in the world the teacher needs to have balance in the way he or she addresses the learners and presents the information and activities. For active learning, where possible it would be ideal to allow a reasonable amount of time for class discussion and problem solving activities. Group activities are ideal and traditional lectures where the teacher talks and the students write would best be avoided.

For the sensing and intuitive sides of my learning style... a mixture of facts and hands on lab work would be good, balanced out with ways of allowing the students to be more innovative in the ways they are permitted to deal with the information. Copy and paste and routine and memorization won't sit well with the intuitive style of my learning.

Visually I would respond well to information presented in pictures, diagrams charts and demonstrations, and as I prefer a sequential style of learning, I would respond better to the coursework, lectures, asssignments and readings following a sequential sequence that leads me through step by step.

2. In a traditional classroom of 25 students, how would you support the range of learning styles each lesson?

Balance is the key word here. As Felder himself regualrly states in readings and interviews it would be impossible to find out and then cater directly to 25 individual leanring styles. So the teacher needs to address balance in the different dimensions of learning and present the information in a variety of ways so that each student will be engaged.

All students need to learn to use both sides of the dimensions, even when they strongly favour one or the other. Things like traditional lectures will be suitable, providing you mix it up with hands on activities, group activities, visual and verbal ways of presenting the information. Allow all the students time for personal reflection about the information they have been given. Question time after personal reflection would cater to both the active and reflective learners. Make sure you give the big picture of what you are trying to teach and then break it down into individual steps so that sequential and global learners will be engaged.

Mix it up is really the key message. Too much of one thing or style will bore almost anyone. You should engage your "audience" because in a way that's what your students are and make the information exciting, interesting and challenging to every person in the class.

3.With your current knowledge of ICT, how could your design and digital pedagogy support your learners better?

Information communications technology is key. The times have changed dramatically even from less that 10 years ago when I was at university. Back then you were lectured at with the occasional overhead projector fired up while you sat and wrote notes and then you got together for tutorials, after sifting through readings stuck at your desk at home. The classroom now, is live and exciting and in order to engage all students and all the different dimensions of learning you need to use a bit of everything. Books, maps, diagrams, writing on a blackboard, handouts, searching the world wide web, CD-Rom, DVD's, Radio and TV, Music. Group work, informal chats and traditional stand up lectures, blogs, twitter, all the things I am beginning to learn about. 


4.What sorts of profiling questions would you be asking about your learners to ensure you cater for everyone's preferences?

I would use the Felder-Silverman model as detailed in one of the readings which is four key questions to determine a students learning style. Aimed at a primary student I have tried to simplify them ( and I'm not saying I did it successfully!)

In simple terms the questions are these...

What would you prefer... information in pictures, sights, and sounds ( i.e sensory) or if I let you think about it yourself?

Do you prefer me to talk about it or show you with a picture or a diagram or map? ( visual or verbal)

Would you prefer to work with a group or do you prefer to work on your own? ( active or reflective)

If you think about something and try and work it out... do you go through it step by step or just think about the big picture and go from there?

5.How does ICT support differences in learning styles?

If you are an active learner then ICT's could allow you to engage in online learning with others to cater for a group work preference. But just as a reflective learner prefers to work through things on their own it may even allow them to connect informally with others through chat rooms or group discussions so that they can learn to be better at active learning. Posing questions to others online is a great example of this.

Sensing learners are able to access facts and information online and even better by connecting with the bigger world they may be able to better relate the information they are learning to the real world which is something a sensing learner prefers to do.

Visual and verbal learners would both be well catered for with a range of ICT's. Visually you can present students with a range of colourful and inventive diagrams, sketches, photographs, flow charts through a CD-Rom. Verbally ICT's could access radio presentations, lectures online, interviews and the like. 

Questionnaire by R. Felder & B. Solomon of the North Carolina State University (http://www.engr.ncsu.edu/learningstyles/ilsweb.html)

Learning Styles... The Results Are In?

So I took the Felder test and managed all 44 questions?  Does this count as my first assessment completed???

The results are in but I was unable to cut and paste them onto this page ( the learning process continues) so I will have to retype them.

• Active Learning was a 7. That's a moderate preference.
• Sensory Learning was a 3. That's a well balanced score between the two dimensions.
• Visual Learning was a 5 which represents another moderate preference.
• Sequential Learning was a 5. Moderate again.

Next up I have to answer the questions.... Now back to the readings.

Showing my skills...

Yes I just realised that some people might be laughing at me because I blooged and not blogged.

CATCHING ON

If the best way to learn is to give something a go then here it is. So far I've nothing interesting to say but wanted to attempt what I thought was the impossible.

Maybe I missed the digital age. I last studied at university back in 1991 when we still photocopied readings from the library and the WWW was just taking off.

Times have changed and I need to change with them if I'm to become a successful teacher so here we go.