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Learning Theory and Concepts

Connectivism

Social and Sociocultural Learning Theories

Connectivism is a theory of learning for the digital age, proposed by George Siemens in a 2004 blog post and published as an article the following year, with Stephen Downes developing the idea alongside him. It argues that in a networked information environment, actionable knowledge can reside outside any individual, distributed across people, organizations and databases, so the ability to form and navigate connections between specialized nodes of information matters as much as what a person already knows personally. Siemens and Downes tested the idea directly in 2008 by teaching an open online course to more than two thousand participants worldwide, widely credited as a founding example of the connectivist MOOC. Critics argue connectivism describes a genuinely different information environment without yet establishing that it constitutes a new theory of learning distinct from existing accounts. This description is adapted from Wikipedia contributors under CC BY-SA 4.0; changes were made. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

Facts
Core Claim
In a networked, digital information environment, learning consists significantly of forming, navigating and maintaining connections between specialized nodes of knowledge, some of which reside outside the individual learner altogether. 2
Origin Year
2004 2
Classification
Education Level
All Levels 1
FAQs

What counts as a node in connectivism?

Anything that can connect to another node, such as an organization, information, data, feelings or images.

In connectivism the central metaphor is a network of nodes and connections, and a node is anything that can be connected to another node, such as an organization, information, data, feelings and images. The theory recognizes three node types: neural, conceptual (internal) and external. Learning is seen as the process of creating connections and expanding or increasing the complexity of the network.
Connections

Developed By

Source Wikipedia: Connectivism

Includes

Long-Form Articles

Sources
1. Connectivism (Wikipedia)
a theoretical framework for understanding learning in a digital ageView the Source
2. Wikipedia: Connectivism
Wikimedia Foundation
  • Overview
    Connectivism is a theoretical framework for understanding learning in a digital age.
  • Core Claim
    learning (defined as actionable knowledge) can reside outside of ourselves
  • Definition and Development
    Connectivism was first introduced in 2004 on a blog post which was later published as an article in 2005 by George Siemens.
  • Developed By: George Siemens
  • In Group: Learning Communities and Networks, Lead
    Connectivism is a theoretical framework for understanding learning in a digital age.
View the Source
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