Connectivism

My network connections such as: blogs, online discussions, social networking, and research databases has changed the way that I learn in several ways. I utilize the online discussion posts to create a deeper level of understanding and reflect on what I am learning (Cercone, 2006). As an adult learner I have to manage my time to create a balance between my career, school and personal life. According to Cercone (2006) "adult learners are autonomous, independent self reliant and self directed towards goals "(p.143). So I rely on research databases through Walden University, students responses on discussion boards, blogs and the internet to help understand the different concepts in class. These tools help facilitate my learning as an adult learner.
　
The tools that best facilitate learning for me would be the internet, search engines, and blogs. I never used the internet until I got into college. My parents didn’t have a computer at home when I was in high school in the 1990’s. So when I entered college I started to really utilize the internet. I remember asking a computer technician how to log onto the internet and how to use the search engines. As I started to use the computer and the internet more often, I gained more knowledge about certain concepts through many of the search engines. One search engine that I use on a regular basis is Google. I search for resources for my lessons and for assignments for my online classes. I also utilize many of the websites for planning and instructing such as, proteacher, edhelper, NEA and Illuminations. The research databases and the online library through Walden University has been very convenient for me. I no longer have to go to the public library to access information about a certain topic, I can access these materials from the comforts of my home.


When I have questions about certain topics or new information that I am learning about I usually use the internet to research some of these topics. When developing new knowledge I tend to use the social constructivist way. According to Ormrod, Schunk and Gredler (2009) they stated, “social constructivists view the classroom as a community whose task is to develop knowledge” (p. 19). As an adult learner I try and construct knowledge through the course materials as well as from other students in the class. If I don’t understand something and I have a question about what we are learning in class, I use the online discussions to help me develop a better understating of a concept. If I have read through the assigned readings and I really cannot connect my prior knowledge to the new information I read other students posts to try and gain a new perspective and hopefully I am enlightened by their understating of the assignment.
The main principles of connectivism are

• Learning and knowledge rest in diversity of opinions.
• Learning is a process of connecting specialized nodes of information sources.
• Nurturing and maintaining connections is needed to facilitate continual learning.
• The ability to see connection between fields, ideas, and concepts is a core skill.
• Currency is the intent of all connectivist learning activities.

I believe that I can argue that my map supports all of these principles of connectivism, I believe learning is a process of connecting information through these different networks. It’s up to the learner to make a connection between these fields and ideas. I try and make these connections through these fields and ideas so that I continually acquire new information and maintain the important information.

References:
Cercone, K. (2006). Characteristics of adult learners with implications for online learning design, AACE Journal 16(2), 137-159.
Davis, C., Edmunds, E., & Kelly-Bateman, V. (2008). Connectivism. In M. Orey (Ed.), Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved from :http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/index.php?title=Connectivism
Ormrod, J., Schunk, D., & Gredler, M. (2009). Learning theories and instruction (Laureate custom edition). New York: Pearson.