Connectivism - A New Technologically-Driven Learning Theory

"The Bean", Chicago, Holly Ables

There is no question that technology has changed the way people work, think and learn. Access to information is immediate for those of us lucky enough to be in a socioeconomic status that makes computers and internet access so convenient. The number of tools that we can use for learning is staggering: wikis, blogs, podcasts, online videos (TED Talks), Learning Management Systems, MOOCS, social networking sites, and any that have been added to the list since this writing. Having such a plethora of information in such a variety of platforms so readily available is the new reality.

My concern with all of these choices and social networking options is a diluted level of learning. I think our culture has gotten used to immediate access and has lost patience for digging deeper into information to acquire knowledge. The immediate access and brevity of research and discussion (listening to sound bytes, reading one-liner media headlines without reading an entire article, reading online Cliff Notes instead of taking the time to sit and read a novel) is disconcerting. Perhaps I'm a bit old-fashioned, but sometimes I'd rather have a paper book in my hand that I can highlight, dog ear, read and re-read for distillation of knowledge - that and face-to-face collaboration and interlocution with other learners and teachers.

I'm also concerned with the trend of learners not being challenged by an alternate point of view when discussing ideas with those they associate with online. There is a tendency to stick in social networks with those that share one's own point of view. Borrowing from psychology, this is called the selective exposure theory.

Certainly there are positives to the digital world when it comes to learning, but one has to fight the desire for immediate answers. Learning to sit with and mull over ideas - reading and discussing with those who have contrary opinions and theories - is an important aspect of gaining knowledge.

Resources:

http://www.irrodl.org/index.php/irrodl/article/view/523/1103