Thoughts on Connectivism

In this present day and time, my means of learning have changed tremendously. When I was in elementary and middle school I learned basically everything from my teachers and friends. As I entered high school, I mainly learned from my teachers and reading required materials. Then came the college life. Learning took place from listening to lecture after lecture and really delving into doing research on my own. It wasn’t until this time that I began to take an interest in politics and things going on around me. This is when I began to read world news in the newspaper and online. I also learned a lot from talking with family and friends.

Now that I am an adult learner, I know that there are numerous ways for me to learn from others outside of family and friends. Generally, the ideas of my family and friends are similar to mine which can be crippling in the learning process. I am able to learn from outsiders by reading books, using forums, reading blogs, blogging, having online discussions through chatting, and visiting websites that pertain to my level of interest at the moment. These ways of learning definitely tie into the theory of connectivism. George Siemens explains that connectivism integrates technology, social networks, and information. In order to absorb all that there is to learn and make valuable use of it, we must connect with others for continual learning to take place. True learning is not a personal experience and the use of technology allows connections to be made to interact with other learners.

One particular interest that I have learned the most about through networking is photography. I have spent countless hours on the Internet learning tips and tricks. I’ve learned how to take better pictures and ways to use Photoshop to enhance them. I’ve joined several groups and social networks that encourage sharing with others of similar interests. This type of networking allows me to avoid some mistakes and learn from those that have already been made. I love learning from other people more so than simply reading books and manuals. My newfound interest in instructional design has and will be further enhanced through network connections. Connectivism without a doubt will make my learning experiences a lot better.