Connectivism

Presented by:
Monica N. Ofracio
MS AgExtension
 To what extent do existing
learning theories meet the
needs of today’s learners, and
anticipate the needs of
learners of the future?
 HISTORY
Siemens’ Connectivism: Learning as
Network Creation
 Downes’ An Introduction to
Connective Knowledge.
 a writer, theorist, speaker, and
researcher on learning, networks,
technology, analytics and visualization,
openness, and organizational
effectiveness in digital environments.[1]

 He is the originator
of Connectivism theory and author of the
article Connectivism: A Learning Theory
for the Digital Age and the
book Knowing Knowledge - an
exploration of the impact of the changed George Siemens
context and characteristics of
knowledge.[2][3]
a Canadian philosopher and
commentator in the fields
of online learning and new
media.

Downes has explored and

promoted the educational use of
computer and online
technologies since 1995.[2] Stephen Downes
 Connectivism
George Siemens
 “Connectivism is a learning theory for the Digital
Age” (Siemens, 2004).

The “starting point of learning is the individual who

feeds information into the network, which feeds
information back to individuals who in turn feed
information back into the network as part of a cycle”
(Siemens, 2004).
DIAGRAM OF CONNECTIVISM
Online learning

collaboration

improve communication
between teachers and students
 Principles of Connectivism
1. Learning rest in Diversity of Options, (Siemens, 2008,
para. 8)
 Knowledge is distributed across an information network and can
be stored in a variety of digital formats

 Learning transpires through the use of both the cognitive and

the affective domains
 Principles of Connectivism
2. Learning is the process of Connecting nodes or
information sources
In the connectivist model, a learning community is described as a node, which is
always part of a larger network. Nodes arise out of the connection points that are
found on a network. A network is comprised of two or more nodes linked in
order to share resources. Nodes may be of varying size and strength, depending
on the concentration of information and the number of individuals who are
navigating through a particular node (Downes, 2008).
 Principles of Connectivism
3. Learning may reside in non-human appliances

 learning happens inside the head of an individual.

Siemens believes that learning today is too complex to be processed in

this way and that “we need to rely on a network of people (and,
increasingly technology) to store, access, and retrieve knowledge and
motivate its use” (Siemens, 2006).
 Principles of Connectivism
4. Capacity to know more is critical than what is
currently known

 Individualized instruction and material designed based on

learner's needs and current level of expertise

 Promote deep, meaningful and contextual learning with

constant support in the process
 Principles of Connectivism
5. Nurturing & maintaining connections

needed to facilitate continual

learning.
 Principles of Connectivism
6. Ability to see connections

The peripheries of knowledge fields are porous, allowing for

the interdisciplinary connections to be made. Siemens
asserts, “The ability to see connections between fields, ideas,
and concepts is a core skill” (Siemens, 2008, para. 10).
 Principles of Connectivism
7. Currency is the intent

Connectivism stresses that two important skills that contribute

to learning:
 the ability to seek out current information, and
the ability to filter secondary and extraneous information.
 Principles of Connectivism
8. Decision-making is a learning process

The ability to make decisions on the basis of

information that has been acquired is considered
integral to the learning process.
  the young are more predisposed to use the
latest technologies (National Statistics,
CHALLENGE 2007) and will displace the learners who
have grown up with books and pen and
paper as resources for learning.

 With the increased in accessibility to information and a

rapidly evolving technological landscape, educators in
higher learning institutions have been forced to adapt their
teaching approaches without a clear roadmap for attending
to students’ various needs.
 "to TEACH is to
model and
demonstrate, to
LEARN is to practice
and reflect."