By reading
the article “Connectivism: A Learning Theory for the Digital Age”
by George
Siemens and watching the
listed videos, I gain deeper understanding about learning, especially some new
observations of learning in the digital age. With technologies nowadays, there
is abundant information available in the internet, and a learner may search
information and learn through Google, YouTube, or some social networks. I like
the viewpoint in the article and the videos that learning is a process of
connecting a learner with information sources. I feel that a learner is like a tree root system: a learner searches
and acquires information through on-line digital world just likes tree roots
growing and expanding deep in the soil to obtain water and nutrients. Finding
useful information from the internet, one may have to search from website to
website and eventually get the right information, so the connection between a
leaner and the information source may not be direct and it can be zigzag. This
is similar to that tree roots may expand in all directions and zigzag to reach
water and nutrients.
Dr. Siemens also explained
how internet technologies have created new opportunities for people to learn
and share information across the world. He pointed out that “New information is
continually being acquired. The ability to draw distinctions between important
and unimportant information is vital, and the ability to see connections
between fields, ideas, and concepts is a core skill.” I agree that a key
feature of connectivism is that much learning can happen across peer networks
that take place online. In connectivist learning, a teacher can guide students
to information and answer key questions as needed, in order to support students
learning and sharing on their own. Students are also encouraged to seek out
information on their own online and express what they find. Teachers should be facilitators to help
guide students through the learning process. It would be great that students
can make more connections and reflect on the process of learning. As emphasized
by Dr. Siemens that learners successfully acquire greater profile will be more
successful at acquiring additional connections.
I like the video “What is Connectivism” which uses simple language to explain
the concept of connectivism in learning. Dr. Siemens explained that “knowledge
is networked and distributed, the experience of learning is one of forming new
neural, conceptual and external networks”. Learning and connecting
learners with information sources are increasingly aided by new technologies
especially on-line social networks. To better help students learning in the new
digital age, we need to better understand the fundamental of learning, we need
to better understanding how and why connections form between learners and
information sources. With new and better understanding of learning, we are able
to better design our classrooms, better create our curriculum, better teach
subjects, and better connect students with knowledge.
