TASK 2: Tema - Connectivism

Complete

Know	Want to Know	Learned
-Es una teoría del aprendizaje alternativa a las teorías instruccionales. -El aprendizaje es continuo (toda la vida seguimos aprendiendo), co-creativo (implica crear conocimiento con el otro), complejo y conectado.	-¿En que consiste?    -¿A quién o quiénes le podemos atribuir su descubrimiento? -¿Tiene que ver con las nuevas tecnologías?   -¿Cuáles son los objetivos educativos que se plantea?   -¿Cuál es el rol que plantea para estudiantes y docentes?	-Es una teoría del aprendizaje para la era digital. -Fue descubierta por George Siemens y Stephen Downes. "En su corazón, el Conectivismo es la tesis de que el conocimiento está distribuido a lo largo de una red de conexiones, y por lo tanto el aprendizaje consiste en la habilidad de construir y atravesar esas redes" (Stephen Downes). -Es una teoría que conecta el pensamiento y las emociones.    -El aprendizaje es un proceso de formación de redes. Es el proceso de conectar nodos o fuentes de información especializada, no solo los humanos aprenden, el conocimiento puede residir fuera del ser humano.   -Es importante conectar las fuentes de información.

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Texto A

Texto B

-George Siemens y Stephen Downes fueron los descubridores de la teoría del aprendizaje social para la era digital llamada Conectivismo. Denunciando las limitaciones del Conductismo, Cognitivismo y Constructivismo. -Siemens analizó las teorías anteriores en tres perspectivas: el aprendizaje, la epistemología y la pedagogía concluyendo que hay otras explicaciones para el aprendizaje que se está produciendo mediante las nuevas tecnologías como por ej. Internet. Se han dado nuevos fenómenos relacionados con el aprendizaje producto del avance de las ciencias y las tecnologías. -Esta teoría plantea un debate entre lo que es una Teoría del conocimiento instructiva o una simple perspectiva pedagógica. -El Conectivismo se caracteriza por una reflexión acerca de nuestra sociedad que está cambiando rápidamente, cambio mediado  por el incremento de los avances en tecnología. -El conocimiento consiste en la habilidad de construir y atravesar las redes de información. La capacidad de aumentar el conocimiento es más importante que lo que ya se sabe. Es necesario nutrir y mantener las conexiones para facilitar el aprendizaje continuo. El aprendizaje es un proceso de creación de conocimiento y no solo de consumo de conocimientos.

-Conectivismo es una teoría del aprendizaje para la era digital. La forma en que se adquiere el conocimiento ha ido cambiando desde hace varias décadas. -Las teorías del Conductismo, Cognitivismo y Constructivismo proporcionan distintos puntos de vista acerca del aprendizaje, en diferentes contextos. -Es una teoría alternativa a las teorías instruccionales mencionadas donde la inclusión de la tecnología y la identificación de conexiones como actividades de aprendizaje, empieza a mover a dichas teorías hacia la era digital.   -El pensamiento  y las emociones se influyen unos a otros. La integración del pensamiento y las emociones es importante en la construcción de conocimiento. Una teoría que solo considere una dimensión (pensamiento o emoción) excluye una gran parte.  El conocimiento es un proceso de conectar fuentes de información. -La palabra clave es Conexión: el aprendizaje presupone mantener conexiones permanentes a tres niveles; entre comunidades especializadas, entre fuentes de información y entre redes. -La circulación / interconexión de conocimientos es fundamental porque así se generan los conocimientos.

TEXTO A

Connectivism as a Learning Theory for the Digital Age

Betsy Duke, Ginger Harper, Mark Johnston

Kaplan University, Ft. Lauderdale, FL

Abstract

George Siemens and Stephen Downes developed a theory for the digital age, called connectivism, denouncing boundaries of behaviorism, cognitivism, and constructivism. Their proposed learning theory has issued a debate over whether it is a learning theory or instructional theory or merely a pedagogical view. While the theory presented is important and valid, is it a tool to be used in the learning process for instruction or curriculum rather than a standalone learning theory? It has also forced educators to look at what is being done in digital education and rethink, debate, and philosophize over how each part fits. Continually evaluating how each new generation learns with regard to instruction and curriculum serves to hold education to high standards. Certainly this theory is worth our thorough consideration.

Connectivism as a Learning Theory

George Siemens and Stephen Downes developed a theory for the digital age, called connectivism, denouncing boundaries of behaviorism, cognitivism, and constructivism. Their proposed learning theory has issued a debate over whether it is a learning theory or instructional theory or merely a pedagogical view.

What are the essential criteria for something to be a learning theory?

A theory generally applies to the synthesis of a large body of information. The criterion of a theory is not whether it is true or untrue, but rather whether it is useful or not useful for explaining or predicting behavior. A theory is useful even though the ultimate causes of the phenomenon it encompasses are unknown. A theory can be refined, or with new information, it can take on a new direction.

If thoroughly tested, a theory may be widely accepted for a long period of time but later disproved (Dorin, Demmin, & Gabel, 1990). So a useful theory of learning must have resulted from considerable testing and observation. In the evaluation of the quality of a theory, one must consider several other criterions as well. The criterion of falsiability, developed by Sir Karl Popper, requires that a researcher carefully examine any negative evidence that proves their conclusions untrue. Additionally, a rule of parsimony is the preference of simple theories over highly complex ones (Johnson & Christensen, 2004).

What is connectivism?

Stated simply, connectivism is social learning that is networked. Stephen Downes described it as, “… the thesis that knowledge is distributed across a network of connections, and therefore that learning consists of the ability to construct and traverse those networks” (Downes, 2007). Connectivism is characterized as a reflection of our society that is changing rapidly, complex, connected socially, global, and mediated by increasing advancements in technology. It is the orchestration of a complex disarray of ideas, networked to form specific information sets. Ways of knowing are derived from a diversity of opinions. The individual does not have control; rather it is a collaboration of current ideas as seen from a present reality. The core skill is the ability to see connections between information sources and to maintain that connection to facilitate continual learning. Decisions are supported by rapidly altering fundamentals as new information is quickly integrated to create a new climate of thinking. This constant update and shift of knowledge also can be contained outside the learner, such as in a database or other specialized information source. For the learner to be connected to this outside knowledge is more important than his or her existing state of knowing. The first point of connectivism is the individual. Personal knowledge consists of a system of networks, which supplies an organization, which in turn gives back to the system. The individual continues the cycle of knowledge growth by his or her access back into the system.

https://www.hetl.org/wp-content/uploads/gravity_forms/2-298b245759ca2b0fab82a867d719cbae/2013/01/Connectivism-hand-out.pdf

 

TEXTO B

Connectivism is a learning theory for the digital age. Learning has changed over the last several decades. The theories of behaviourism, cognitivism, and constructivism provide an effect view of learning in many environments. They fall short, however, when learning moves into informal, networked, technology-enabled arena. Some principles of connectivism:

The integration of cognition and emotions in meaning-making is important. Thinking and emotions influence each other. A theory of learning that only considers one dimension excludes a large part of how learning happens.

Learning has an end goal - namely the increased ability to "do something". This increased competence might be in a practical sense (i.e. developing the ability to use a new software tool or learning how to skate) or in the ability to function more effectively in a knowledge era (self-awareness, personal information management, etc.). The "whole of learning" is not only gaining skill and understanding - actuation is a needed element. Principles of motivation and rapid decision making often determine whether or not a learner will actuate known principles.

Learning is a process of connecting specialized nodes or information sources. A learner can exponentially improve their own learning by plugging into an existing network.

Learning may reside in non-human appliances. Learning (in the sense that something is known, but not necessarily actuated) can rest in a community, a network, or a database.

The capacity to know more is more critical that what is currently known. Knowing where to find information is more important than knowing information.

Nurturing and maintaining connections is needed to facilitate learning. Connection making provides far greater returns on effort than simply seeking to understand a single concept.

Learning and knowledge rest in diversity of opinions.

Learning happens in many different ways. Courses, email, communities, conversations, web search, email lists, reading blogs, etc. Courses are not the primary conduit for learning.

Different approaches and personal skills are needed to learn effectively in today's society. For example, the ability to see connections between fields, ideas, and concepts is a core skill.

Organizational and personal learning are integrated tasks. Personal knowledge is comprised of a network, which feeds into organizations and institutions, which in turn feed back into the network and continue to provide learning for the individual. Connectivism attempts to provide an understanding of how both learners and organizations learn.

Currency (accurate, up-to-date knowledge) is the intent of all connectivist learning.

Decision-making is itself a learning process. Choosing what to learn and the meaning of incoming information is seen through the lens of shifting reality. While there is a right answer now, it may be wrong tomorrow due to alterations in the information climate impacting the decision.

Learning is a knowledge creation process...not only knowledge consumption. Learning tools and design methodologies should seek to capitalize on this trait of learning.

Retrieved from: http://www.connectivism.ca/about.html [21/05/2012