I see Connectivism as an outgrowth of Constructivism enabled by new technologies. Instead of learning being constructed by the individual, the network reshapes the construction, then the individual reshapes the new product based on the connections…externalizes the knowledge…the network is the individual. As soon as I type such statement I think: “We are Borg.” Or “Resistance is futile.” Another image that comes to mind is pixilation, the individual’s knowledge is patterned and reverberates into a larger form. But there can be no static description, by nature, of the form of learning…
If “the bulk of learning occurs as a desire to make sense, understand, develop personally,” (Siemens, 7) then the level of input and the amount of desire that the learner contributes to the community, the more value they are to likely achieve, right? Surely we all agree that we get the most out of the learning we that we put the most into, but isn’t there a certain type of ‘voyeur’ learner who scans the internet, reads the blogs, etc and rarely contributes, if at all? Will these learners get any less out of the learning community? I’m not sure—but certainly we need to look at what evidence there is that learning occurred. According to Siemens, we need to externalize our knowledge into order to cope with the plethora of information we take in.
I like the idea that “when knowledge is communicated through dialogue, the progressive growth of understanding is tied to the process, not the artifact.” (Siemens, 11) This seems to be what Connectivism is all about, that we don’t possess knowledge, but instead we share, participate in the evolution of ideas—we all progress together, transform together.
4 comments:
That's the same thought I had when I learned about what connectivism is! We are Borg! Glad we have at two people that watch Star Trek. However, I think we are a litte different from the Borg such that we still have our individuality.
In your post you discussed about 'voyeur learners' and I think you brought an interesting point to the table. How do we address them? How do we get them to contribute? What are the reasons behind them not contributing? I'm sure there are many reasons of why not such as not enough knowledge in certain subject, not enough time, and etc. But still, would be nice to know what they have to say...
k.e.nn.
Perhaps the issue of the quite voyeur is a difference of learning style...but how do we address that in a web 2.0 environment--how do we know what, if anything, they are learning?
that should be "quiet voyeur" !yeesh
Absolutely, as the old saying goes...new technology is develop out of necessity. So, so will the development on the idea of Connectivism.
As further technology is required to make our lives grow and advance, so will the idea of connectivism.
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