Sunday, February 5, 2012

Connectivism Reflection

Connectivism Reflection
 
            It seems like people used to acquire education just for the moment to attain a job where they would stay until retirement. However, now people may have two or three careers in their lifetime. Learning has changed over the years as well. The digital age has decreased the timeframe of learning by allowing easier access, but with all the knowledge attained, it can quickly become outdated. George Siemens (2005) stated that “access to what is needed is more important than what the learner currently possesses”. “Connectivism is driven by the understanding that decisions are based on rapidly altering foundations” (Davis, Edmunds, & Kelly-Bateman, 2008).
            I included my previous educational institutions because they have helped in my learning which started out in the traditional classroom then moved to online learning. The online network has really changed the way I learn, making it more convenient, but not necessarily easier. Although traditional classrooms require set times, I believe that the online classrooms require more time overall even with the flexibility.
            The internet and email has been the tools that help with my learning, along with Microsoft Office. The internet has made access to libraries and other reference search engines much easier and quicker. Although one has to beware of non-scholarly references, there are numerous search engines like Google Scholar that can return reliable resources. Email has greatly enhanced communication with fellow students, instructors, co-workers, colleagues, and acquaintances. Microsoft Office has provided the ability to save documents and presentations. When I have questions, I can search the internet, query email groups, or communicate with numerous other people to find answers.
            My personal learning network incorporates the view of connectivism as there are many sources of finding information and I can connect them together to gather even more information. Connectivism is based on the knowledge that information is changing extremely fast. The most up-to-date information can quickly become outdated. Technology has decreased the half-life of knowledge due to the easier access to information and the instant retrieval of it (Davis, Edmunds, & Kelly-Bateman, 2008).

References

Davis, C., Edmunds, E., & Kelly-Bateman, V. (2008). Connectivism. In M. Orey (Ed.), Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved from http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/index.php?title=Connectivism

Siemens, G. (2005). Connectivism: A learning theory for the digital age. Retrieved from http://itdl.org/journal/jan_05/article01.htm.

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