Connectivism: a Google Chrome extension for learning theories.

In today’s technology based world educational theories must grow and adapt.  Learning is no longer achieved in little rows by traditional means.  Technology has revolutionized everything, even the way we learn.  Students are growing up in a time where the half-life of knowledge is only 18 months.  ("Connectivism: ALearning Theory for the Digital Age," 2005)  What does that even mean?  It means that what I learned 18 months ago has probably already been outdated, expanded upon, or nullified.  Knowledge is changing much faster than our textbook companies could ever hope to sell us their new version.  How can our students keep up with this?

The essences of connectivism seeks to answer this dilemma.  We have to harness technology to enhance our student’s ability to join the current knowledge stream.  We can do this by allowing them to be connected and contributing to the information flow, including the web, worldwide news outlets, global hot topics, outside perspectives, social media outlets (gasp), and Wikipedia. See my last post on why Wikipedia.

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That is only the beginning.  Connectivism is by in large just an extension of the traditional learning theories. It cannot stand alone, but is an integral addition that should be utilized to provide opportunity for our students to be successful participants in today’s rapidly changing society. To get the full overview on Connectivism click here.

Connectivism: A Learning Theory for the Digital Age. (2005). Retrieved August 4, 2017, from     

             http://www.elearnspace.org/Articles/connectivism.htm