Morning Reflections: Adopting Connectivism

As we learned today, the theory of connectivism is an important shift in the way knowledge and networking happens today. However, I predict that we may face obstacles when trying to implement it in our classrooms. Many high school classes are still content-driven instead of capacity-driven. And in our schools, we may have to teach a particular set of books or topics that students may or may not see as relevant. As Jeff Utecht mentioned, no matter what we are handed, we need to find a way to adapt the curriculum to the students' passions.

So, how can connectivism help us make innovative learning happen if we are faced with out-dated methods and unengaged students?

I did some more investigating on the theory and found that it is also being talked about for the collegiate level. I know we are all seeking to teach younger children, but I thought that one author’s way of explaining the concept was very helpful for my understanding of how to combine the content we will be expected to cover and the technological skills that will help students succeed. Graduate student Suzanne Darrow explained, “This framework places emphasis on building the learner’s ability to navigate and connect current information beyond knowledge of the existing linear curriculum” (Darrow, 2009, p. 9). As this author suggests, using connectivity in a classroom would mean taking the focus off of the content and onto functional skills—ones that students will need after their school assessments. This doesn’t mean that we don’t make sure our students know their stuff, it simply means we teach them through platforms they will need to use again in other scenarios. One of the most important things that I learned this week is that implementing technology that connects students to the world can be an effective method to engaging them in the required material and teaching them the digital literacies they need for the future.