Connectivity- the individualized learning process

There were four points of the ISTE student standards that stood out for me; empowered learner, digital citizen, knowledge conductor, and global collaborator. The article on connectivism confirmed for me something that I worried about and this experience has given me tools on how to address those concerns. I was worried that I had to be the vessel of all the knowledge for my kids. If the entire knowledge of the world is updating every 18 months, and I have no way that I can keep up, then what I need to do is introduce the concept, step out of the way and focus the kids on doing the research themselves. This way we all become learners together. I need to be is a designer for creating conduits for my kids to learning how to use the internet and to connect with each other. They can ‘connect with specialized nodes or information sources’ who are experts in their realm. As a teacher, I am seeing my role shift from the keeper of the knowledge to the conductor on the train. How incredibly freeing. What I need to do I design environments with multiple entry points for cirriculum where the students have a choice about how they want to engage with it, conduct their research, and share what they learned. 

I disagree with the statement in the article that “Connectivism presents a model of learning that acknowledges the tectonic shifts in society where learning is no longer an internal, individualistic activity”. For me, connectivity allows learning to be completely individualized for what the student loves. This keeps them engaged and by personalizing their learning, students will internalize the information, adapt it to their lives and then share what they have learned with their community. The great thing is that by putting the student in the driver’s seat, it also provides opportunities for teachable moments to occur when it comes to nurturing connections and community. Within this controlled environment I can come alongside them and talk about how they can appropriately connect with others globally, investigate and validate information, and have productive, learning disagreements.