They say that Connectivism is a learning theory for the digital age. Learning has changed over the last several decades. The theories of behaviourism, cognitivism, and constructivism provide an effect view of learning in many environments. They fall short, however, when learning moves into informal, networked, technology-enabled arena.
George Siemens is a theorist on learning in a digitally based society. In his article, A Learning Theory for the Digital Age, he says:
“One of the most persuasive factors is the shrinking half-life of knowledge. The “half-life of knowledge” is the time span from when knowledge is gained to when it becomes obsolete. Half of what is known today was not known 10 years ago. The amount of knowledge in the world has doubled in the past 10 years and is doubling every 18 months according to the American Society of Training and Documentation (ASTD). To combat the shrinking half-life of knowledge, organizations have been forced to develop new methods of deploying instruction.”
I thought this paragraph was very interesting. I had to go back and read it a second time. It sounds similar to buying a computer/camera/camcorder and the fact that it is obsolete before you even get it home to unpack it.
I often wonder if there will ever be a generation not afraid to embrace change. Ultimately that is what it comes down to. Are we ready to transition our teaching/school system into this digital age that we have found ourselves in? Some of us are ready and willing, but some will never be willing. I know a third grade teacher who only uses the computer in her room to put her grades in online, which we have to do, otherwise she wouldn't use it at all. She had the opportunity for a mimio and turned it down. Will she ever be open to the digital age? Probably not.
While I remain hopeful, in my optimistic mindset, the truth is, I am afraid school systems are not catching up quick enough. I know it is a process, but by the time we think we are getting better, we are just further behind.
Dee, I totally agree with your point that 'school systems are not catching up quick enough".
ReplyDeletePerhaps we need to give the students more freedom to guide what happens with technology and learning.
If they are ahead of the curve, and we are behind, shouldn't we let them educate us on how technology can shape communication, learning, and socialization?
Even though I feel fairly tech savvy, three years ago I had to have a student shoe me how to send myself a sound file to create a ring tone for my cell phone! A sixth grader! I felt humbled...
Maybe schools should create technology and learning committees that include students as well as teachers, technology administrators, and administrators. They should be working together to create policy to allow flexible and real use of technology in education.
Yours,
Aaron
I have been watching different schools approach the modern world in different ways. Ultimately there are two sides to the coin. First is the personality of the professionals in the building and their fear relating to the outside world, and second is the willingness of the community to pay for their neighbors' kids to be educated.
ReplyDeleteWe are currently having some budgeting issues in the town where I live. It seems easy to see why. More than 80% of the town's population and one could argue that well over 90% of the voters (meaning those who actually show up to vote) don't have kids in school.
In the end though things change and things adapt. The world moves forward and if our organizations don't take the initiative to better themselves as a whole then we need to take the initiative to better ourselves as individuals.
I think that the biggest thing about this class has been a paradigm shift for me from I'll follow the rules in selfless and self destructive stagnation to I'm going to do what's right for my students and myself and let the products of my efforts speak for themselves.