Connectivism - A Reconstruction

Connectivism –A Reconstruction

Have you ever accomplished a task and have had to re-do it because you thought it was not well done? That is the learning process at work. When I read the assignment from my online class about constructing a mind map to represent my learning network, I knew I did not know how to complete that assignment. I grasped the concept of being connected to my network well, but failed to accurately represent that network in a mind map. Furthermore, I did not know how to use the resources given to me by my professor since it was the first time I had even seen the programs used to make mind maps.

In spite of my lack of knowledge, and after researching some more on how to complete my assignment, I finished the first mind map in due date. I was not happy with it. I had to find a way to create a mind map which would better represent my learning network, in other words: solve a problem. Problem solving is learning.

Vygotsky talks about learning through his zone of proximal development model which is the difference between what a learner can do on his or her own and with the assistance of others (Ormrod, J., Schunk, D., & Gredler, M., 2009). Cognitivists view problem solving in a metacognitive way. In other words emphasis is given to how the problem is solved and constructivists include problem-based instruction as a way to construct knowledge (Ertmer, P. A., & Newby, T. J., 1993).

I understand learning to be a process, not an end result. In my continuous intent to understand the application of learning theories I try to find the links of my actions while trying to solve a problem. In other words, my metacognition is at work. I have found that all the theories I have studied are applicable to this process. Including the fact that I could not have learned to represent my learning network in a map mind had not been for my professor. In this case, he is the more knowledgeable person that Wegner, E. talks about in his presentation about community of practice. Wegner, E. states that in a community of practice, meaningful learning occurs when “engaged in social activities”.

My social activities in this case begin with being enrolled as a student at Walden University, joining a class in which I am learning about theories of learning and within it having a professor and classmates who are exploring with me the same topic. Specifically for my mind map assignment I was able to access information provided and also given a platform for questions and answers. This gave me the opportunity to ask questions and for my professor to answer me.

Again, concepts of behaviorism are in the middle of our actions, but also when I think of the consequence of these actions it leads me to connect them with yet another learning theory: Andragogy. This is the theory which tries to explain how adults learn and describes activities which are helpful for adults to learn more effectively (Conlan, J., Grabowski, S., & Smith, K. , 2003). One of the things that happened after getting my professor’s feedback was that it led me to increase my interest for “immediate application of knowledge” (Conlan, J., Grabowski, S., & Smith, K., 2003). As a result, I began to do my second mind map.

Engaging in the construction of my second mind map is not sufficient to say that now I have acquired the knowledge to represent many things through mind maps. The information I have now is in relation to my learning network. However, the next time I engage in making a mind map, I will have prior knowledge on the subject and it will be a bit easier. I can affirm this because of how meaningful I have made this assignment to be for me. Using my experience to create meaning goes hand in hand with what constructivist theorists talk about (Ertmer, P. A., & Newby, T. J., 1993). Reflecting on my assignment helps me create meaning and is one of the reasons I decided to post a blog about this learning experience.

Furthermore, the experience of making my mind map serves me as an example not only for my own learning experience but for my teaching and future instructional design experiences. In facilitating the completion of one assignment (a problem to solve for students), one can put into practice many of the concepts from all the theories of learning. In doing this, connections can be made with the learning strategies that have been identified by scholars. The most common ones are visual, verbal and auditory (Ormrod, J., 2011). Though there are other strategies such as reflective, reasoning and analyzing (Gilbert, J., & Swanier, C., 2008). The strategies used during my assignment where:

• Verbal: reading the assignment and resources.
• Visual: seeing finished samples.
• Auditory: listening to explanations of the assignment.
• Reflective: In using metacognition and searching for further insight and information.
• Reasoning logically and intuitively: with help while getting feedback.
• Analyzing: Finding the meaningfulness of the assignment.

In applying all these strategies there is more of a chance to create a meaningful experience than applying only one or two. I realized that in comparing my two mind maps, the first one represented people in my network at the same level as things. We learn from people though we use things (technology) as tools to connect with the people we learn from.

The way I am making all these connections beginning with an assignment of mind mapping is part of the theory of connectivism. Salmon (1999) as cited by Davis, C, Edmunds, E, & Kelly-Bateman, V. (2008) wrote that “regardless of how unrelated events may seem, when studied together, they create a pattern that can show relevance beyond the individual events themselves.” I have found this to be true with my assignment. The tools I have used to gather information from the people I have learned makes that connection.

I hope my second map mind is a better representation of my learning network for those who read this; however, it already is a better one for me because of all the experience it led me to build it. I was better of as a learner when more than one theory and strategy were applied for my learning experience. In other words this experience was good for re-shaping my connections. Specially by leading me to reconstruct not only my mind map but also the meaning that each of the learning theories and strategies have for me.

Please see the table below as I found it easier to organize my thoughts. It helped me visualize all the concepts that were used and the application of each during the assignment. This table is a list of the concepts from each theory that came to my mind while solving my problem of constructing my mind map.

Resources

Ormrod, J., Schunk, D., & Gredler, M. (2009). Learning theories and instruction (Laureate custom edition). New York: Pearson.

Video Program: “Learning Styles and Strategies” Dr. Jeanne Ormrod, (2011)

Video Program: “Theory of Social Cognitive Development” Dr. Jeanne Ormrod, (2011)


Conlan, J., Grabowski, S., & Smith, K.. (2003). Adult Learning. In M. Orey (Ed.), Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/index.php?title=Adult_Learning 

Ertmer, P. A., & Newby, T. J. (1993). Behaviorism, cognitivism, constructivism: Comparing critical features from an instructional design perspective. Performance Improvement Quarterly, 6(4), 50–71.

Gilbert, J., & Swanier, C. (2008). Learning styles: How do they fluctuate? Institute for Learning Styles Journal [Vol. l]. Retrieved from http://www.auburn.edu/~witteje/ilsrj/Journal%20Volumes/Fall%202008%20Volume%201%20PDFs/Learning%20Styles%20How%20do%20They%20Fluctuate.pdf

Davis, C, Edmunds, E, & Kelly-Bateman, V. (2008). Connectivism. In M. Orey (Ed.), Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved Feb. 14th, 2011, from http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/