Includes links to valuable classroom websites for General Science, Physics & Mathematics, Chemistry, Biology, Environmental & Earth Sciences, Space Science - Astronomy & Astrophysics, Medicine & Nanoscience, and iPad Apps.
This tool has been the best thing I have added to my classroom this year. Even better it is free! I can easily check books in and out by scanning with my ipad and I get a weekly overdue list. I love this app!
Great resource! I am looking for ways to help my students memorize scriptures and I think this app might be a good opportunity to adopt and adapt for that purpose. Thanks for sharing!
The authors look at connectivism through the lens of a literature review and a qualitative interview session with educators. With these sources the paper examines the pros and cons of connectivism including its limitations as a postulated theory. The conclusions drawn are that behaviourism, cognitivism and constructivism fall short to fully explain modern learning realities, but that it is unclear if connectivism can be seen as the next stage of learning theory evolution for several reasons.
I think the explanation on how established beliefs and learning help new information to be routed through connections that have previously been made really helps to establish the point that in Connectivism in order to gain knowledge, one has to continually update existing connections and seek to make other connections outside of the realm of what is already known.
I like how this article points out that you HAVE to have the "ability to see connections between fields, ideas, and concepts is a core skill" in order for connectivism to really have a chance to work!
This is a great article. It talks about how knowledge is growing faster and what we need to do to keep up with it. It was great to read about Pros and Cons because you would think there would mostly be Pros but you have to think how this affects older generations not just younger generations and how technology is constantly changing. Thank you!
As educational technologists, connectivism almost seems like a natural next step to ensuring that are graduating students are prepared for college and the work force. This includes a working knowledge of technology and many of its applications. This seems as though it is as important as reading, writing and arithmetic. However, for many educators technology is a source of great anxiety. They feel as though teaching connectivity and networking is a waste of precious time in the classroom. This article did a great job of bringing to light the pros as well of the cons.
You are right about this being a "very detailed" definition of connectivism. I appreciate is the "conclusions and suggestions" section which challenges the labeling of connectivism as a learning theory as opposed to a pedagogical approach. I completed a research paper in EDTECH501 in regards to the relationship of connectivism and mastery learning, and never once did I read about this debate. To me, the fact that connectivism is more concerned with the process of learning rather than the end product proves that it is in fact a learning theory.
I really agree this article does a nice job contradicting the value or criteria of connectivism as a learning theory versus a pedagogical approach. Many of you discussed this above so I will leave it alone. The piece I wanted to comment on came at the end of the article when the author brought up the idea that older teachers take longer to learn the digital aspects and are less likely to engage in adapting the practice. Where younger teachers who grew up in this era are more apt to use and utilize web 2.0 tools in their teaching and engage in this model of teaching and learning themselves. I have to be honest that I saw some of these same things in our school when we went to a 1:1 iPad. Many of the younger and newer teachers jumped in and had very little learning curve in understanding what was happening. Where older teachers struggled or resisted the change. I would be interested in what others experiences were as well?
This was a short source but it detailed how teachers can easily create a PLN using the Independent School Educators Network. From this resource they have access to professional development opportunities ranging from Google apps, iPads, Digital Citizenship, and others.
Nearpod is a tool that enables teachers to use their devices to manage content on students' devices. It combines presentations, collaboration, and real-time assessment tools, allowing teachers to embed polls, quizzes and drawings, as well as video and other content, into slides in Nearpod.
Intuitive by design, iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch also come with assistive features that allow people with disabilities to experience the fun and function of iOS. With these innovative technologies built right in, iOS devices become powerful and affordable assistive devices.
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