Connectivism is discussed today as a new and specific learning theory that can explain the principles and outcomes of e-learning and the active use of technology in the educational setting. However, the first question that is asked by researchers and practitioners at this stage is whether Connectivism can be viewed as a standard theory. The problem is in the fact that Connectivism is also regarded as an approach to teaching and learning or as a complex of specific techniques to educate students in the digital era (Tschofen & Mackness, 2012). From this point, it is important to discuss assumptions of Connectivism regarding the nature of learning, the nature of learners, and the character of knowledge among other aspects from several perspectives, including the views of an instructional designer, an educator, and a learner.
According to the principles of Connectivism, the nature of learning is based on connectedness in the context of networks, openness, students’ autonomy, and diversity (Tschofen & Mackness, 2012). These principles effectively explain the task of an instructional designer who is expected to apply technology in order to guarantee connectedness and openness. In the context of creating specific networks, these principles are reconsidered with reference to the role of technology in education. Therefore, an educator’s task becomes more complicated because it is necessary to find the best approach to sharing and assessing the knowledge in order to address students’ autonomy and their diversity in expressing ideas (Clarà & Barberà, 2014). Thus, the nature of learning in the context of Connectivism can be explained with reference to massive open online courses (MOOCs) that enable educators to use technology, share information, and build connections (Tschofen & Mackness, 2012). From this point, this theory aims to address such issues related to education as students’ autonomy and their access to knowledge with the help of technology.
Another important question is how Connectivism explains what it can mean for a person to know something. There are four elements that explain the development of knowledge, and they are context, salience or recurrence, emergence, and memory (Clarà & Barberà, 2014). Therefore, a learner begins to explore and understand something when he or she knows the context, understands the appearance of a pattern, and identifies it directly (Tschofen & Mackness, 2012). From this point, Connectivism provides an instructional designer with a model according to which it is necessary to organize concepts to learn. The key elements in this model are a network, patterns, and signals for activating the recognition and memory. Thus, an educator’s task at this stage is to provide students with the necessary technology in order to stimulate the development of knowledge as a result of making connections within a network.
The discussion of the nature of learning and aspects of ‘knowing’ allows for concluding regarding the specific nature of learners and the particular character of knowledge in the context of Connectivism. The theory allows for asking the question about what it can mean to be an autonomous learner. The level of control and autonomy in relation to students is an important question in education. Connectivism explains that students can learn with the focus on the limited control from an instructor, but socialization and connections can play the more important role for them (Bair & Stafford, 2016).
Thus, learners have “a perceived increasing need to derive and express meaning, and gain and share knowledge” in an autonomous way (Tschofen & Mackness, 2012, p. 125). The question is about the level of independence that modern educators are ready to provide to their students and about the technology they can use for this task. In this context, Connectivism also explains the changed character of knowledge where connections at neural and social levels play the key role in constructing and sharing the knowledge. From the perspectives of designers and educators, Connectivism also provides a tool for making connections with the help of the Internet; therefore, the theory adds to resolving the issues of using technologies and the students’ independent use of available resources.
According to the promoters of Connectivism, MOOCs are the main environments in which educators and learners can communicate in order to construct connections and share the knowledge. While comparing Connectivism with other learning theories, this approach is most dependent on the environment and its technological component because it is a guarantee to form necessary connections. If learning is “a series of connections,” it is extremely important for designers to build appropriate networks and communities where learners can develop these connections (Bair & Stafford, 2016, p. 132). Learning platforms provide designers and educators with the most appropriate means to control the teaching process, and they also provide learners with opportunities to develop communities and act independently. From this point, the theory directly accentuates the important role of technology in the modern educational environment, and, in comparison to other theories, Connectivism discusses all tools that are necessary to create the effective learning environment.
One more point to discuss is what teaching means in the context of Connectivism. While analyzing this aspect from the perspective of an educator, it is possible to state that teaching is based on providing learners with opportunities to build their connections and participate in dialogues in order to gain knowledge. However, what is more important is that Connectivism is oriented to learners, and teaching means providing students with autonomy in thinking and analyzing concepts (Tschofen & Mackness, 2012). The other point to focus on is the creation of comfortable conditions for students to gain knowledge with the help of online networks and communities. According to the discussed theory, much attention is paid to students’ motivation, diversity in knowledge, and the creation of a positive psychological environment (Clarà & Barberà, 2014). Thus, the use of technology contributes to creating the specific psychological environment for learners, according to which their diversity and autonomy are respected.
As a result of discussing Connectivism from the perspectives of an instructional designer, an educator, and a learner, it is possible to answer the question regarding the appropriateness of this theory to solve the problem of students’ autonomous learning and the use of technology in the modern educational environment. The main principles of Connectivism accentuate the important role of autonomy in learning, connectedness and socialization, the openness of education, and diversity. Therefore, it is possible to state that Connectivism provides designers and educators with tools to use technologies effectively in order to contribute to students’ autonomous learning in the context of the modern situation when it is important to refer to mobility, openness, and connectivity. The application of the principles of Connectivism is only at the beginning stage, but it is possible to state that this theory contributes to rethinking the role of a student in a teaching-learning process, as well as the role of technologies in instructions.
References
Bair, R. A., & Stafford, T. (2016). Connected and ubiquitous: A discussion of two theories that impact future learning applications. TechTrends, 60(2), 129-135.
Clarà, M., & Barberà, E. (2014). Three problems with the connectivist conception of learning. Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, 30(3), 197-206.
Tschofen, C., & Mackness, J. (2012). Connectivism and dimensions of individual experience. International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning, 13(1), 124-143.