Reflection of Connectivism

Warning: 

I am writing this post while my two year old throws an epic tantrum in the next room because I won't let him watch any more YouTube videos of rubbish trucks due to the fact that I need the computer for blogging.  Worst. Mother. Ever.  So if I don't sound particularly coherent, please try to understand the sheer volume and irritating howl that I'm trying to work around.  Thanks!

Connectivism:  new ways of thinking about learning in a digital age

There's no doubt that the way we can access, store and share information has changed dramatically in the last 15 years or so.  The development of the Internet has revolutionized how we seek information; if you don't know something off the top of your head, all it usually takes is a search engine and a couple of clicks before you can find out almost anything.  Therefore, I agree that there is a need for a new way of thinking about how we learn, or at least thinking about how to most effectively use these new technologies to support learning.

After reading from several sources about Connectivism, my understanding is that these are the three main points of the theory:

1. It is more important to know how to access information than to be able to recite facts off the top of your head.  Therefore, education should focus on how to perform internet sources, how to ascertain if a source is credible and how to check that information is current and accurate.
2. Connectivist theory emphasizes the need to ensure information is always kept up-to-date with new developments; this continual updating of information makes it a collaborative experience between users (and is therefore subject to cultural bias).
3. It is a vital skill that students are able to ascertain what information is important and which is not.  With such a sheer volume of websites and links on every subject, it's easy to get distracted by unimportant side-trips while missing the big picture.

Siemens also raises the question of whether online education should be open to all; to those who are willing to engage in it, not just those who can afford to.  With the physical constraints of education not really being so much of an issue anymore perhaps the idea of open education is finally something that could be viable?  Potentially this could lead to a globally higher skilled society, although regulation of both the online programs and awarding qualifications would be issues that would need to be thoroughly addressed.

I found the most useful source was an article from Siemens himself entitled Connectivism: A Learning Theory for the Digital Age, along with one of his blogs on Connectivism.  If further reading on Connectivism tickles your fancy, they're a great place to start.

Note: This short post, (with toddler in tow) has literally taken me three hours to complete.  Also, if I hear the words 'rubbish truck' again today I may go mad.  Luckily he is absolutely adorable when he's asleep (I'm fairly certain his cuteness is a biological survival mechanism...)