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This author is new to me, so thanks for the resource. Her experiences in MOOCs and how to think about using them as a PLN resource is a new twist to participating those environments. I liked her list of strategies - will probably relay some of those to my students in the coming year.

I love the specific suggestions that the author offers so as to maximize the power of a PLN. As with all of the articles I've looked at, the onus falls on that of the participants in order to make the PLN successful. The author of this article emphasizes the ways in which individuals can contribute to the overall success of a group.

I enjoyed reading this blog post. I especially liked the explanation of what a PLN was vs. a PLE. That concept is something that I struggled with during this module. I also liked the discussion of MOOCs because I have never gotten to participate in one.

Bell, F. (2010). Connectivism: Its place in theory-informed research and innovation in technology-enabled learning. The International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning, 12(3), 98-118. Unlike the other articles I've discussed regarding Connectivism Frances starts by detailing the world Internet market. Which is an interesting starting point because in order for Connectivism to be a qualifying learning theory for everyone, the actual "connection" part must be prevalent. This is the first article that draws attention to the potential digital divide that could keep some countries and regions from the potential benefits of Connectivism. From his subtle inclusion of what can be read as the digital divide, he details the history of sharing on the Internet, and the general practice of sharing the Internet in itself has created. I also like that Frances describes Connectivism as a learning theory not looking to take over past practices but collaborate with them. This was an important note compared to the other articles I read that were determined to sell Connectivism as the all or nothing approach towards the future of web 2.0 in learning either for or against. Finally Frances discusses Connectivism role in research and those looking for a more fundamental understanding of research done on Connectivism and regarding Connectivism. The author tackles both topics with great research backing up all scenarios and discussions.

Is connectivism a real learning theory? This article explores the theory through different aspects of the digital era and how other learning theories (i.e. behaviorism, constructivism) are observed through various scenarios involving technology.

This is a very interesting article. I like reading more about connectivism because for some reason I find it difficult to understand. It questions whether connectivism should be considered a learning theory.

This article provides some great background on the theory of connectivism: its beginnings, major influencers, and basic principles. The article goes on to question whether connectivism alone is enough to answer all of the questions regarding how best to reach students in the technology-abled classroom. The article provides 5 scenarios to tackle the question, and offers some thought-provoking findings.

Like many other educational articles, this writer questions whether connectivism deserves a place as a learning theory in its own right. Bell discusses the growing use of the internet as a classroom and how connectivism applies. He also discusses connectivism as a phenomenon versus a learning theory.

Connectivism: Frances Bell explores theories in technology-enabled learning. Bell states, in 5 different scenarios, that it is proven that with our global society we should keep researching how to improve connections and learn from the past. Not all countries or people are equal when it comes to technology.

This 2011 journal article discusses how researchers can bring more rigor to research into Connectivism to counter the claims of some analysts that insist the concept lacks true academic support. Their final results indicate that Connectivism alone can not be a theory for education, but instead needs to work in congruence with other theories. A wide variety of reasons from personal preference to funding will influence which theories we use. As technology expands, so does research.

This article examines connectivism and its role as a learning theory in the digital age. It explains the principles of connectivism and provides scenarios that connectivism could help in an educational setting.

There is significant debate as to whether or not connectivism is a stand alone learning theory. While the data does not fully support connectivism as separate and distinct learning theory, there is considerable support for it a a learning phenomenon. The author of the article emphasizes the connected world in which we live has evolved, and therefore, has influenced the manner in which people learn.

From the development of the internet to present day, using technology for informational purposes and learning development continues to grow and become more common. Connectivism supports the theories that learning occurs as a more intrapersonal experience and occurs while the learning creates information and deeper understandings. This resources presents the development of technology as a cause for a new view of learning and education.

The chart clearly shows the differences and relationships between the different theories of learning. I particularly like the idea that our knowledge through our network is always growing, the more connections we make the more our knowledge base grows.

This is a really good source of information. I really appreciated that I could just look in one place and compare the different learning theories. I'm still trying to get a grasp on all the differences. I'm definitely glad I took a look! Cheers, Buffy

The main idea of this article is to explain how and why he and George Seimens offer MOOCs to the world. Downes believes that all learning is about connections made among the learners, just we are the neurological connections that our brains make every second. He does not believe knowledge is acquired or transmitted, but rather experienced. One of his most telling statements is his belief that the process of taking the course is more important than what people may happen to learn from it--which is at the heart of what he believes connectivism is.

I was very excited to find this article! In it, Stephen Downes, Canadian Education Technology Research Specialist, describes his and George Siemens,' Associate Director, Technology Enhanced Knowledge Research Institute, free course, 'Connectivism and Connective Knowledge' -- or CCK11. It is a twelve week course of readings and online seminars, where learners are invited to read selected materials and study the content with a connectivist's approach. Downes says, "What is important about a connectivist course, after all, is not the course content. Oh, sure, there is some content -- you can't have a conversation without it -- but the content isn't the important thing. It serves merely as a catalyst, a mechanism for getting our projects, discussions and interactions off the ground. It may be useful to some people, but it isn't the end product, and goodness knows we don't want people memorizing it." I want to register for the next one!

This is a blog post from Steven Downes about the courses on connectivism he offered with George Siemens. It offers a good argument for taking the connectivist approach to learning and explains what connectivism is. It offers an explanation for connectivist teaching and learning falling into the 4 major activities of aggregation, remixing, repurposing, and feeding forward. He stresses that connectivism is a pedagogy based on the realization that knowledge is not something you can solidify into a single perfect product to pass along because different people/communities will always interpret/learn from it differently.

George Siemens and Stephen Downes provide online courses call 'Connectivism and Connective Knowledge' to over 2,000 educators on the philosophy of teaching and learning they instill in their learners. http://cck11.mooc.ca is a twelve week course that is free for those who register. They disclose attributes to connectivist teaching and learning. Aggregation provides a starting point. Remixing draws connections to others. Repurposing is practicing the concepts learned, not just repeating them with route memorization techniques. Feeding forward consists of sharing with others and being able to collaborate on others' projects to use them as your own.

What I find really cool about this is that the content of the course is not what is important, but rather the fact that they are connecting and networking. The networking is more powerful than the content is what seems to be the focus.

I found this quote interesting, "So what a connectivist course becomes is a community of educators attempting to learn how it is that they learn, with the objective of allowing them to be able to help other people learn." I like that there is no distinction between the "teacher" and the "student". Instead, everyone is seen as both learner and educator. However, I have some concerns about how this works with middle school or high school students. Are they mature enough to really take on that role and stay on task? How do you ensure the respect and authority in the class when you are putting yourself on nearly an equal foot with the students? Kids are so used to a traditional direct instruction class they they often get confused or rebel against anything different.

This is one of the resources listed in the video I posted earlier. It is an introduction to the Connectivism and Connective Knowledge course. It explains how the core aspects of connectivism are built into the course and gives a description of each aspect.

This article introduces the term connectivism as a "network-based pedagogy" Through the article the author makes references to a course that he will be providing. Overall though there is some really good information about connectivism from both the teacher and learner perspectives.

Along with George Siemens, Stephen Downs is one of the intellectual leaders of connectivism, which he describes in this article. One of the things I really like about this article is the fact that it is written for a wide audience via an outlet like The Huffington Post, rather than an exclusively academic audience.

I enjoyed this article because it identified 4 connectivist "activities." They are aggregation, remixing, repurposing, and feeding forward. It explains these concepts clearly while also giving a succinct overview of connectivism, and their relationship to connectivism.

This article provided me with a clearer understanding of the Connectivist approach and the four activities that surround it--aggregation, remixing, re-purposing, and feeding forward. It was interesting to read under the Aggregation portion that Siemens and Downes have to tell participants to pick and choose what they read for the course. We are still very pre-conditioned to want to read and study everything that is handed to us and regurgitate it back. There is something about Connectivism that bothers me. It seems a little "loosey goosey" at times. I like the idea of people being able to gather and share ideas and make meaning from them, but I wonder if one can become a true expert in something by just solely using this approach.

A great article about the connectivist theory. It is very brief but it is very clear and concise. There are many examples of Web 2.0 tools that people use to learn and share.

This article describes connectivism as a "learning theory" that uses the internet in multiple ways to help people learn and share with one another. It discusses tools such as social media sites, YouTube, email, discussion forums, and many others as ways that people can share new information with one another through the internet. After explaining this, it explains how teachers can use connectivism within the classroom to guide students in the right direction for their own learning. The article says it can help encourage students to find information on their own and help them learn to explain it themselves.

Kathleen, what a great summary of connectivism! I really like that it explains how connectivism could be seen or fostered within a classroom. Great read!

learning-theories.com was very helpful to me in our 501-505 courses. I think this is a very helpful resource on connectivism!

The authors in this article define what connectivism is and the key features of connectivism. Connectivism "is a learning theory that explains how Internet technology have created new opportunities for people to learn and share information across the World Wide Web and among themselves." People can use email, social networks, YouTube, web browsers, etc. to learn and share information with other people. A connected community is formed with shared information.

Connectivism is a theory that explains how connecting with other people using the internet and technological tools creates a positive and effective learning environment. The teacher is a guide for learning while the students work collaboratively to find information for their learning. This theory is often used in online distance learning.

Connectivism is a theory that explains how connecting with other people using the internet and technological tools creates a positive and effective learning environment. The teacher is a guide for learning while the students work collaboratively to find information for their learning. This theory is often used in online distance learning.

This is where I like to start before I dive deeper. This is a down and dirty, concise explanation of the connectivism theory. It is based in the belief that Internet technologies provide opportunities for people to learn and share info among themselves online. It explains how the teachers guide students to information and then students seek answers and create ways to share their knowledge online. Communities and peer networks often form as a result of this process. It mentions massive open online courses (MOOCs) which will help as we dive deeper into models of connectivism.