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Connectivism: Introduction
Connectivism is a theoretical structure presented by George Siemens in 2004 to explain how learning takes place in the current digital age. Siemens explains that the wealth of information and social networks on the Internet are fundamentally changing the world and the way people learn. He posits “knowledge is distributed across an information network and can be stored in a variety of digital formats. Learning and knowledge are said to “rest in diversity of opinions” and learning takes place when “a community of people with similar interests interact, share, dialogue, and think together.” (Siemens 2004).

So is connectivism a learning theory or is it merely a pedagogical/curriculum construct as Verhagen (2006) suggests? After researching existing learning theories of Driscoll (behavorist), Vygotsky (social constructivism), Papert (constructionism), and Clark (connectionist, cognitivist), Rita Kop and Adrian Hill agreed with Verhagen in stating that it is too soon to tell whether connectivism should be considered a learning theory (Kop 2008). They said: media type="custom" key="9952217" width="80" height="80"**So, our group concluded** that it doesn’t really matter whether Siemens’ theory reaches the level of scientifically acknowledge learning theory or not. His ideas are compelling enough to force us to reflect on how the Read/Write web has changed the way learning takes place in the 21st century. As Siemens said, connectivism is changing how we “design the spaces and structures of learning today.” (Siemens 2006). So we all need to begin experimenting with these new learning technologies. Time will tell whether all the experimenting leads to verifying that connectivism is an actual learning theory. The rest of this discussion will focus on how we as educators are adapting our instructional practices to the changing technological landscape.

Is connectivism relevant to your teaching practice?
//**Simplified Answer:** Connectivism is relevant to your teaching practice and if it's not already, it should start to be.//

The advent of the Read/Write web has transformed the primary source of information from the printed text to a multimedia platform that is accessible anytime and anywhere. Public schools and formalized education institutions no longer must be the exclusive means from which learning occurs. Because of the availability of this information, the role of the teachers should change in order to accommodate how, when and where students learn. Furthermore, technology has made connections with students around the country and around world much easier with tools such as email, blogs, wikis and video conferencing. The ideals of connectivism need be considered to provide the opportunities for students to learn from one another in an increasingly smaller world.

Connectivism in Action
Flat Classroom Project media type="youtube" key="F7H5VLbLmXE?version=3" height="273" width="448"

Does connectivism support your students?
//**Simplified Answer:**// Connectivism supports the way students learn today.

Today's generation of students have been coined the "Net Generation" because they grew up in the media-rich environment of the Internet. They communicate with peers through social networks; they are expert multi-taskers and they are visual learners. Since they've been using technology routinely during their lives they expect educators to provide innovative technological tools that parallel the way they learn at home. As Prensky stated, kids should not have to "power down" when they come to school.

In //Educating the Net Generation//, Diana and James Oblinger (2004) offered a detailed overview of today's learners: digitally literate, constantly connected, socially-driven, engaged, visually-driven, and a host of additional pronounced characteristics. Simply stated, today's learners are different. They are digital natives.

Today’s learner needs to be proficient in the following digital literacies:
 * 1) How to interact, collaborate, and publish with peers, experts, and others online and form personal learning networks.
 * 2) How to locate, organize, analyze, evaluate, synthesize, and ethically use information from a variety of sources and media.
 * 3) How to make sense of all the complex information and make connections between various concepts.
 * 4) How to aggregate the constant flow of information.
 * 5) How to become lifelong learners.

ISTE (International Society for Technology in Education), George Siemens, and educators like us interested in reforming public education agree on the necessity of teaching these skills.

This video succinctly explains why educators need to explore Connectivism and use it in their classrooms. Teaching in the this century requires skills never used before in a classroom. It's an exciting time to be an educator if one embraces new ideas and theories such as this! || media type="youtube" key="_A-ZVCjfWf8" height="279" width="339" ||
 * ===What a Connected Student Looks Like:===

Are parts of the theory more compelling or relevant to you than others?
The most compelling aspect of the collectivism theory is that at its basic core, it is merely the fact that knowledge isn't in any one place or person, as it was in previous centuries. The concept that learning happens by connecting various places and analyzing all that you gather to create new knowledge is pretty unique to mankind. Never before in the history of the world has this been possible on such a global scale. The Internet has transformed what was a local network into a global network. We may take this type of communication for granted, but if people circa 1950 were shown what we can do today using a home computer (or a smartphone) it would blow their minds. That concept is the most compelling part of connectivism.

Are there parts of the theory which you find confusing?
The theory is generally difficult to understand when initially reading Seimen's article. The technical vocabulary and obscure references to nodes and networks makes the theory tough to comprehend in written form. Many times a picture (or video in this case) is worth a thousand words. Here's a wonderful explanation in [|Plain English] design: media type="youtube" key="XwM4ieFOotA" height="349" width="425"

[|**Connectivism**: A **learning theory** for the digital age]
SEIMENS, G.. Connectivism: A Learning Theory for the Digital Age. dec. 12 2004. Available at: . Date accessed: 05 Jul. 2011

Downes, Stephen. "What Connectivism Is." Available at: [] .Date accessed: 05 Jul. 2011

Connectivism: Learning theory of the future or vestige of the past?
KOP, R., HILL, A.. Connectivism: Learning theory of the future or vestige of the past?. **The International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning**, North America, 9, jul. 2008. Available at: <@http://www.irrodl.org/index.php/irrodl/article/view/523/1103>. Date accessed: 07 Jul. 2011

===[|Social Networking Theories and Tools to Support Connectivist Learning Activities]=== PETTENATI, M.C., CIGOGNINI, M.E.. Social Networking Theories and Tools to Support Connectivist Learning. Electronics and Telecommunications Department, University of Florence (IT) 2007 Activities. Available at: <[|http://elilearning.files.wordpress.com/2007/09/ijwltt2007_pettenati_cigognini.pdf>]Date accessed 06 Jul. 2011

Rethinking (e)Learning: A Manifesto for Connected Generations
SIMS, R.. Rethinking (e)learning: a manifesto for connected generations. Distance Education. Vol. 29, Iss. 2, 2008. Available at: < @http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/01587910802154954>. Date accessed 06 Jul. 2011

Towards Web 2.0 Schools: Rethinking the Teachers Professional Development
ROUMEN, N.. Towards Web 2.0 Schools: Rethinking the Teachers Professional Development. Joint IFIP Conference: WG3.1 Secondary Education, WG3.5 Primary Education: Informatics, Mathematics, and ICT: a 'golden triangle' IMICT 2007, Boston, USA Available at: < http://dspace.ou.nl/handle/1820/1064>. Date accessed: 07 Jul. 2011

Other Resources:
[|Connectivism-in-Plain-English] WDrelxler Nov 26, 2008

[|What Connectivism Is] Steven Downes, February 3, 2007

Flat Classroom Project