Connectivism

Social Learning Theory and Connectivism go hand in hand when discussing Cooperative Learning and many of the other technology learning tools. For instance just going online to a blog or facebook account you are able to discuss with a certain person any topic of your choice. Dr. Michael Orey discussed that in Social Learning Theories that there is a zone of Proximal Development or what students are able to learn, at a certain point. However there is the level above and below that Dr. Orey also talked about the low being information that is already known about something, things that we do not need to teach them and the higher order being information they students are not able to learn at a certain point.

I think it is so important that teachers keep this in mind when coming up with lessons. In math I see this all the time, teachers going over topics that the students learned in the past and have mastered and then topics that need much more prior knowledge to even begin to understand. This is where I think that Connectivism really is important. Students and teacher use this on a daily basis. When I am teaching a topic in physics and I need information on something I go straight to my email or the Math and Physics teachers of Michigan Blog and look for an answer. I am connecting with others that are more knowledgeable.

A way that our staff meetings usually start off is by using the jigsaw method of collaboration. We are usually asked to do something in our department and then when we get all together we break out into smaller groups and discuss our department topics. It works great because you are able to talk about it in a small group and ask questions, whereas if each department head got up and described what was going on it would be less personal and much more boring (I have found).

Cooperative Learning as discussed in or course text Using Technology with Classroom Instruction that Works by Howard Pitler et al, really puts into perspective all the possibilities in grouping students that allows them to learn by sharing knowledge, experiences, and expertise on different topics. There are so many ways for students to interact and discuss even if they are in different sections of the same class at a school or in a different part of the World. Just to name a few students could use email, wikis, blogs, skype, voice thread and not even to mention facebook or myspace which most students use on a regular bases for social networking.