Connectivism Research Articles

Connectivism Learning Theory to Enhance Higher Education in the Context of COVID-19 Pandemic

ABSTRACT The global pandemic of the COVID-19 has posed a significant challenge to educational organizations, necessitating obligatory changes in practically education. In a short period of time, educational organizations have been compelled to adapt to distance learning approaches and platforms. The primary goal of this research is to examine to present Connectivism Theory as an effective motivated theory to help the higher education learners to learn more successfully. Connectivism Learning Theory offers the best learning environment by establishing an explicit connection between social interaction and knowledge sharing. A review of literature has been done. The findings of the literature review highlight the fundamental theoretical assumptions that underpin their evolution. It also illustrates that connectivism learning theory improve higher education student’s engagement in the learning process. The researchers conclude that connectivism learning theory has the potential to disclose new insights into the use of the social network in education leading to successful outcomes.

A Preliminary Study on Connectivism—Constructivism Learning Theory Based on Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience and Spiking Neural Network

Based on a new theoretical perspective, this paper attempts to unify the seemingly incompatible learning theories of Connectivism and Constructivism into a scientific theoretical framework. The Connectivism-Constructivism learning theory is not a simple superposition of the two theories. Instead, it absorbs the essence of the learning theory of Constructivism, Connectivism and Neo-Constructivism, and takes the two empirical scientific experimental results of developmental cognitive neuroscience and spiking neural network as the factual basis, and develops two theories from the perspective of development. Integration, to achieve the resolution of contradictions, complement each other, and then rebuild. This paper discusses Connectivism-Constructivism learning theory. The theory holds that the essence of knowledge is the connection between the subject and the environment. There are two forms: physical form and logical form. The only logical form can be realized and utilized by people. Learning can be divided into two stages: connection and construction. Connection is the premise, construction is the core, and the network action generated in the connection stage as a raw material is pruned, and processed by various systems in the construction stage to become psychological representation. When the psychological representation is used, the relevant network shaping is finished, and the meaningful network is formed, which completes the change of knowledge from physical form to logical form and from logical form to physical form. Therefore, learning is the process of constructing meaningful network. We should not only promote the students’ connection stage, but also help the students’ construction stage. The innovation and breakthrough contribution of this paper is that it is the first time to look at the topic of learning theory from a new research perspective. In order to explore a more convincing learning theoretical framework, this article takes the lead in seeking theoretical support and factual basis from developmental cognitive neuroscience and Spiking neural network. As a result, Connectivism learning theory and Constructivism learning theory are successfully integrated into a rather complete and effective theoretical framework to reconstruct Connectivism-Constructivism learning theory.

Digital Learning Environment in Higher Education: New Global Issues

Research background: Living in a digitalized connected world changes the dynamic of the learning process. Recent issues in the world economy and society have increased the demand for online education drastically. But many enterprises in higher education find themselves unprepared to satisfy this demand effectively because digital learning is a relatively new and under-researched field especially regarding digital instruments and social aspects. For this study we adopted connectivism learning theory proposed by George Siemens in 2005 together with the “old” behaviourism, cognitivism, and constructivism theory put forward by Ertmer and Newby in 1993. Purpose of the article: The study intended to investigate elements of digital learning process using student feedback and to suggest ways to improve the quality of digital higher education based on learning theories applied to digital environment. Methods: A total of 2347 university students participated in this study. Data were collected through an online survey and were analysed with the use of SPSS software. Findings & Value added: The study revealed that students pinpoint three groups of problems in online learning: the process of getting feedback form tutor and peers; the process of concentration and self-management; the technical difficulties of staying connected. The paper studies the theoretical background of problematic areas and proposes tools for their improvement.

Potential of the higher mathematics course in digital education

Rapid changes taking place at present in the society determine the vector of education development, form requirements to an educated person. The connectivism theory, disclosing the features of education environment under conditions of education digitization, allows to outline the learning strategy in individual subjects. The connectivism education is a complex process including plunging into information environment, maximum use of accumulated knowledge, skills to determine timeliness of the acquired knowledge and its relevance under modern conditions, various trends of communication among participants in learning, ability to detect links among various areas of knowledge, theories, concepts. Objective of the research is to substantiate opportunities of application of connectivism education environment during studying mathematics in higher school, to disclose potential of the higher mathematics course and to confirm experimentally the efficiency of the proposed learning strategy. Methods used in the research were as follows: analysis, statistic methods, generalization, systematization, the method of rising from the abstract to the concrete upon consideration of functionality of digital products, system approach, experimental verification of research results. Results and novelty of the research implied the following: substantiation and development of principles of connectivism learning theory, development of the strategy for construction and implementation of educational programs of higher mathematics course, experimental verification of the dependence between the level of mastering the higher mathematics course and the level of use of digital technologies. The use of the connectivism learning theory allowed to outline the approaches to expansion of content of the higher mathematics course. The main features of the presented course are plunging of students into information environment by means of assignments aimed at maximum use of programs for symbolic mathematics. Studying of certain sections of the higher mathematics course, in particular, analytic geometry and linear algebra, is exemplified based on the developed learning strategy.

El conectivismo y las TIC: Un paradigma que impacta el proceso enseñanza aprendizaje

El artículo es resultado de una tarea del Grupo de Investigación en educación y tecnología, desarrollado en la Universidad Nacional de Educación de Ecuador (UNAE), específicamente de la Línea de investigación Tecnología e innovación Educativa, del grupo de investigación en Educación y Tecnología (GIET); en el artículo se evidencian los fundamentos didácticos del uso de las TIC en el proceso de enseñanza aprendizaje; se asumen posturas teóricas que permiten asirse de los elementos esenciales del conectivismo como enfoque pedagógico para el uso de las TIC en el proceso de enseñanza aprendizaje. En este trabajo se analizan diferentes concepciones sobre el aprendizaje y se presenta una propuesta fundamentada en el conectivismo y la teoría de la actividad. Se propone un modelo de la influencia del conectivismo para el uso de las TIC en el proceso de enseñanza aprendizaje, en el que se establecen nuevas relaciones entre los elementos que componen el conectivismo y las categorías del proceso de enseñanza aprendizaje desarrollador, en el marco del buen vivir, así como, que se describen los nuevos rasgos que caracterizan al modelo y se define como cualidad resultante entre las relaciones de los componentes del modelo pedagógico de Aprendizaje Emprendedor.

Connectivism: Implications for Distance Education

Background: According to the connectivism learning theory, learning has a different form in the digital age compared to the industrial age, where traditional learning theories were applied. Thus, this study aimed at identifying and discovering implications of connectivism learning theory for distance education. Methods: The present study was a qualitative research. Population of this study was all the documents that were published in Iran during 2007 and 2015. Based on this search, about 100 valid published academic materials including papers, books, websites, conferences, and other academic materials were recognized. Because of the large overlap of these materials, by using purposive sampling, 10 cases were selected as the research sample. In this study, Mayring’s deductive qualitative content analysis method was used to extract implications of connectivism learning theory for distance education. According to the deductive model of qualitative content analysis, research question was identified in the first step. In the second step, valid and relevant publications and texts were determined. In the third step, aspects of theoretical analysis and categories were defined. In the fourth step, encoding of analysis units was done to infer the subcategories. In the fifth step, the main categories were extracted based on their most consistency with the subcategories; and in the final step, results were interpreted and quantitative assessment (e.g., frequencies) was done. Results: The results of this study referred to 9 connectivism implications as follow: networked teacher, networked students, networked learning, ecosystem, information and knowledge stream, connection and interaction, pluralism, and value measuring. Conclusion: Findings of this study may be useful and helpful for instructional and learning designers in e-learning environments.

A Target Design of a Mobile App Providing Supportive Service for Flipped Classroom

With the continuous development of E–Learning, blended Learning which integrates online Learning and face- to- face Learning has gradually become a trend of Learning. Flipped classroom is an innovative teaching mode of blended learning. Flipped classroom caused the attention of many scholars and front-line teachers at home and abroad, but its most studies focused on the flipped teaching model and the application on subject, about research of flipped teaching supportive service is less. To some extent, the lack of network support services increases the difficulty to implement flipped classroom and limits its advantages. Therefore, the study about supportive service system of flipped classroom is necessary. This paper focused on the practice of flipped classroom in the educational reform. on the basis of connectivism learning theory and the analysis of the pattern of flipped classroom home and abroad, this article discussed the design study of structure, model and function module block of the mobile learning APP which supports the flipped classroom .So as to prepare for the development of mobile APP and seek for new idea and support for the effective practice of flipped classroom. DOI: 10.5901/jesr.2016.v6n1p27

Development of Instructional Model based on Connectivism Learning Theory to Enhance Problem-solving Skill in ICT for Daily Life of Higher Education Students

This research explores that the instructional model based on connectivism learning theory to enhance problem-solving skill in ICT for daily life of university students as well as its impact in the classroom on learning and teaching, especially in student's problem-solving skill and practices that refer to awareness, connection, and contribution process as part of the learning efficacy improvements. In this process, web technology particular social networking site has a necessary role to engage and integrate knowledge and learning activities within the problem based learning (PBL) process. In this respect, this research aims to study and develop the appropriate instructional model based on connectivism learning theory to enhance problem- solving skill in ICT for daily life by the 10 experts’ opinion. The research results exhibited that the instructional model based on connectivism learning theory via web-based learning was appropriated and raised the level of problem-solving skill among students.

Connectivism and Information Literacy: Moving From Learning Theory to Pedagogical Practice

Connectivism is an emerging learning theory positing that knowledge comprises networked relationships and that learning comprises the ability to successfully navigate through these networks. Successful pedagogical strategies involve the instructor helping students to identify, navigate, and evaluate information from their learning networks. Many principles of connectivism align with the information literacy standards of the Association for College and Research Libraries (ACRL). Librarian educators should consider connectivism learning theory when implementing pedagogical strategies in the network domains of students.

Connectivism as Learning Theory: The Force behind Changed Teaching Practice in Higher Education.

The advancement of technology has reorganised how we live, how we communicate and how we learn. Learning has changed to a continual process in which knowledge transforms into something of meaning through connections between sources of information and the formation of useful patterns. In contradiction to traditional theories, learning can result from social interaction, implying that learning can be envisaged as connectivity, because people derive skills and competencies from forming connections with outside sources while focusing on connecting specialised information sets. This has altering implications for the way that lecturers teach university students. This article illustrates how the process appreciative inquiry was applied to restructure a division that facilitates e-learning at a South African university to accommodate the changing learning needs of students.