Teaching Students to Connect

Connectivism focuses on teaching how to attain knowledge, not on the knowledge itself. It is about giving students the tools to continue learning. My job as a teacher will not be to teach my students about technology, they already know more than I do in that field. My job will be to connect the knowledge my students have and inform them of the tools that are in technology that can make technology purposeful for learning.  

The ISTE standards talk about giving students the opportunity to develop their own way of learning. This is something I want to develop in my classroom. If students in the classroom learn the tools to building connections to gain knowledge, then they can take these tools with them into higher education or the job field. This process of learning by making connections can become exciting for students. In exploring information for one assignments, students can find other information that interests them and can connect to other assignments or other classes. They can use technology to link something they are passionate about to the learning process, creating a learning environment that they enjoy.

As a teacher, I want to give my students the opportunity to explore different ways of learning. If they find a way that they enjoy, then they will continue to want to learn.