Connectivism

Connectivism is a theory about learning that addresses how learning takes place in the age of digital technology. It takes into account the rapid pace at which information is both shared and altered by the availability of technology such as the Internet, email, online social networks, and applications like YouTube. It theorizes that this new flood of available information fundamentally changes how people learn and involves much more connection between people than in the past.

Previous learning theories were developed in a time when there was a greater division between gaining knowledge and using that knowledge in a job or career. Acquiring knowledge usually meant spending time with someone who already had that knowledge or spending considerable time reading and studying a subject. In the digital age, however, people are more directly connected to sources of information and have greater access to subject matter experts. In addition, information becomes obsolete more rapidly. Connectivism proposes that the learning process is faster and more fluid than in the past and lasts throughout life.

Background

Twentieth-century educators used several theories to understand how learning occurs. The three most significant are behaviorism, cognitivism, and constructivism. While each theory agrees that knowledge is gathered through experience or reason, they differ in their understanding of how learning occurs.

Behaviorism is the theory that learning is a passive process that comes in response to a stimulus. This theory is focused on observing the behaviors that result from learning. It was developed in the early twentieth century by psychologists such as B. F. Skinner, Ivan Pavlov, and John B. Watson.

Cognitivism was developed in the 1960s by linguist and cognitive scientist Noam Chomsky. This theory holds that the learning process can be understood as a series of inputs that are received in short-term memory and eventually coded into long–term memory. The brain of the learner essentially functions as a computer, receiving and storing information and then making decisions based on that information.

Constructivism proposes that knowledge is the result of the learner trying to make sense of experiences and information. Instead of simply receiving and acting on knowledge, as the other theories suggest, the learner actively constructs knowledge in the process of understanding experiences. This theory was developed during the twentieth century by experts in various fields, such as education reformer John Dewey and psychologists Jean Piaget and Jerome Bruner (1915–2016).

These theories focused on learning as something that was acquired and then put to use, with little additional related learning needed over time. They also treated learning as a solo activity, where a single learner’s experiences formed the basis of knowledge. Multiple learners could be taught the same information, but they absorbed it independently and based on their own individual experiences.

In the early twenty-first century, researcher and writer George Siemens and philosopher and contemporary commentator Stephen Downes suggested a new learning theory to address the changes brought about by digital technology. Their theory, connectivism, was developed to explain the way the connections forged by technology changed how people learn while creating new opportunities for learning. Those involved in learning and teaching may benefit from understanding how technology affects learning and provide insight into its potential and pitfalls.

Overview

The rise of the digital age created new issues among all the existing theories of learning because they focused on learning as an individual activity. In the digital age, individual learners have become more connected to each other than ever before. People can share information nearly instantly in many different ways. For instance, in the past, someone who wanted to study a historical event needed to find a book, periodical, or primary source document about the event or talk to someone who was already educated about it. The knowledge they could acquire was limited to what they had access to in physical form.

In the contemporary era, however, people can look up the event online and likely find many possible sources. They can access copies of primary source documents and rare resources such as letters or diaries that include first-hand accounts. Depending on the event, researchers may even be able to communicate via email or social media with people who were present. They can also access information that includes people’s opinions, alternate theories, and stated facts that may or may not be true. In addition, someone who has learned something in this way can just as easily share what they have learned—or think they have learned—with others through digital technology.

This increased volume of available information, coupled with the wide variability of its quality and sources, led to another issue: the need to learn how to discern the validity of the information. This additional step, or pre-learning, resulting from the rise of digital information, altered the trajectory of the learning process. Instead of learning in a relatively straight line from little knowledge to more knowledge, learners now need to continually reassess what has previously been learned as they learn new information. The fact that much of this information is delivered via technology means that learners also have another challenge. While in the past, learners acquired all the skills needed to gain information when they learned how to read, learners today need to access and master the technology that delivers the information.

All of this means that people no longer acquire information primarily from personal experience. Increasingly, learning comes through connections with others. A person’s knowledge-acquisition system now includes a large network of other people and their experiences. Part of the learning process now becomes learning how to discern patterns and order in the vast, chaotic mass of information that is available. Learning how to learn and deciding what to focus on in the learning process are now critical skills that help define a person’s capacity for acquiring new knowledge.

This situation presents challenges to others besides individual learners as well. Those involved in education and information sharing are making adjustments. For instance, schools are increasingly providing students with electronic tablets or computers in place of textbooks. Mainstream media has had to adjust as well, using electronic forms such as texting or messaging services to provide up-to-date information. Businesses also have to adapt, increasing the investment in training to help employees learn new technology and programs and providing more digital access to information for customers. The connectivism theory, with its emphasis on the ways people gather and process information and the ways that creates networks between people, helps provide a framework for addressing these challenges on all levels.

Bibliography

Cloke, Harry. “Connectivism Learning Theory: Your Guide to Learning in the Digital Age.” Growth Engineering, 27 June 2024, www.growthengineering.co.uk/connectivism-learning-theory. Accessed 17 Dec. 2024.

“Connectivism by Siemens.” University of Manchester, www.ceebl.manchester.ac.uk/events/archive/aligningcollaborativelearning/Siemens.pdf. Accessed 17 Dec. 2019.

“Connectivism (Siemens, Downes).” Learning Theories, www.learning-theories.com/connectivism-siemens-downes.html. Accessed 17 Dec. 2024.

Duke, Betsy, et al. “Connectivism as a Digital Age Learning Theory.” International Higher Education Teaching and Learning Association Review, 2013, www.hetl.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/HETLReview2013SpecialIssueArticle1.pdf. Accessed 17 Dec. 2024.

“Paradigms.” Learning Theories, www.learning-theories.com/paradigms. Accessed 17 Dec. 2024.

Underwood, Zack. “Connectivism: A Learning Theory for Today’s Academic Advising.” NACADA, 22 Aug. 2016, www.nacada.ksu.edu/Resources/Academic-Advising-Today/View-Articles/Connectivism-A-Learning-Theory-for-Todays-Academic-Advising.aspx. Accessed 17 Dec. 2024.