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This article reviews how behaviorism, cognitivism, and constructivism have all been central ideas that we based our teaching on. However, in the new digital age, it is becoming evident that we need to shift to a connectivism point of view. We need to use the resources we have to connect with teachers and learn from each other.

This article, written by George Siemens explains how connectivism is the theory behind the PLNs. The author describes how connectivism fills the limitations of behaviorism, cognitivism and constructivism, the learning theories developed when learning was not impacted by technology. It is the complement. The author compares the connections in a PLN with pipes and says "The pipe is more important than the content within the pipe. Our ability to learn what we need for tomorrow is more important than what we know today." (Siemens, 2014)

A detailed article on connectivism, written by one of the biggest promoters of Connectivism- George Siemens. There is a lot of great information on how this impacts organizations which was particularly interesting. We struggle with this all the time at my company- "Connectivism addresses the challenges that many corporations face in knowledge management activities. Knowledge that resides in a database needs to be connected with the right people in the right context in order to be classified as learning".

Abstract A complementary relationship exists between technology and constructivism, the implementation of each one benefiting the other. Constructivism is a doctrine stating that learning takes place in contexts, while technology refers to the designs and environments that engage learners. Recent attempts to integrate technology in the classroom have been within the context of a constructivist framework (e.g., Richards, 1998).

In this scholarly article, Bessenyei discusses the current desire in education to decrease the alienation of traditional schools. He looks at connectivism and network theories as a way to decentralize learning into self-organizing networks. These networks allow information sharing to become more significant as students information sources are varied to include experts as well as other students from multiple institutions.

In this article the author discusses the importance of connectivism that is dependent upon learning in a web 2.0 platform. As the influence of the web has spread so to has the importance the ability to share and distribute information to people all over the world. The premise of this article is that as costs continue to soar in education the connectivism platform offers an alternative way to disseminate learning. The web is now no longer a medium for learning, it is the platform and center for personal learning. One final point that is made is the importance in educating students how to use the available online resources to construct learning for future use because as online resources and CoP's continue to be the primary sources for information it is important to understand how to use and identify these resources for continued learning.

Bessenyei takes an interesting look at the history of elearning as it relates to student learning requirements, societal norms and Connectivism today. The authors perspective on Web 1.0 to Web 2.0 and the policital development of elearning provides the reader with a new lens to look at the variety of social media that is used today.

This article presents an argument on PLNs and CoPs in the sector of public affairs education. It states that in order to strengthen PLNs and CoPs, emerging technologies must be used to accurately connect students with proper practitioners, which in turn---will enhance knowledge and present various new learning opportunities. This includes a major shift in practitioner delivery systems so that emerging technologies are adequately integrated.

This article comes with a downloadable PDF that shows visuals of PLNs. It gives examples on what a PLN is and how to create your own. It also provides a list of experiences that will be available to someone who creates a PLN based on their needs.

This blog by Tom Spiglanin discusses what a Personal Learning Network is and how his was constructed. He discusses specific characteristics that he believes makes his PLN valuable and describes it as a hardware store, rather than a tool in his toolbox.

When I designed my creative expression on PLNs, I thought of keywords that were consistent in my research such as share, network, connections, etc. In this article, I found it interesting that the author described his experience as "on-fire learning." I found other keywords and phrases in this article that I can add to my list, such as global sounding board, camaraderie and support. When reflecting on this topic, it makes me realize what strength PLNs provide individuals and groups.

This discusses the importance of connected learning and all the ways one uses a PLN. It also talks about how the definition of a PLN has changed over time and how many of the original ideas are now obsolete but that the idea behind it all is still that it is about being connected and learning from others, and also helping others learn.

This article makes a connection between social networks and the theory of connectivism and how this theory can help education through social networks.

The article addresses one of the concerns I have regarding connectivism and social networking: the credibility and accuracy of information. Even in my PLN of educated people, misinformation can spread like wildfire. Unfortunately, if one of the respected members of a social network passes on information without checking the veracity of the information, misinformation can be given an air of legitimacy. In my networks, if the information is incorrect or outdated, I include a link to clear up the misinformation. However, you cannot "unring a bell", and the misinformation takes on a life of its own as "truth"

This article discusses the learning networks that have been created with the rise of so many social networking websites and how that relates to connectivism in terms of how people of this generation learn. The author asserts that today's learners are different from learners of the past because they require a social aspect to successfully acquire knowledge. This supports the proposed learning theory of connectivism, which they cite as meaning that "knowledge and cognition are distributed across networks of people and technology, and learning is the process of connecting, growing, and navigating those networks" (Siemens and Tittenberger (2009). The article identifies the need for a new perspective of integrating social networking websites using connectivism as an instructional strategy.

This study shows a very specific CoP example, using geography teachers in New Zealand as the subject of research. In the introduction, the researcher states "mandating professional development services to several hired geography teachers is impractical...and needs to be voluntary rather than mandatory." This statement is consistent with CoPs having membership of like-individuals connecting because of their learning needs and wants. Furthermore, the study shows a positive result when connecting 'distant' people as a cost effective way to circumvent budgetary restraints for professional development.

Communities of Practice need to be voluntary and non-threatening in order for an individual to join. In this study, I like how they set up their Community of Practice so that the individual could join a topic or subject matter group that was relevant to their situation or needs. As teachers we are often placed in professional development training that has no relevance to the needs of our classroom. I also like how they set up a dialogue for the members of the group. Participants not only posted their own ideas but shared thoughts and ideas through discussion with others in the group. It seemed to be less intimidating because much of the dialogue took place online. One of the factors that impacted the participants was time. Just like educators in the U.S., the educators in this study found it difficult to find the time to fully participate in these Communities of Practice and some did not even finish the modules. As a result, dialogue toward the end of the module fizzled out and was less engaging for some participants. That is one of my concerns with Communities of Practice. Sometimes if one is not being forced to complete a project, it does not get completed. It takes a lot of discipline to be part of a Community of Practice and a willingness to be there for the other group members.

This blog post discusses what a PLN is and how educators can create a PLN to support meaningful and relevant learning. It describes a PLN as an aspect of a PLE (personal learning environment) and then compares and contrasts the two. The author also provides examples of PLNs and discusses how to use MOOCs (massive online open course) and cMOOCs (connectivist massive open online course) to help build a PLN.

In this blog from Debbie Morrison it looks at creating a PLN. However, what make it interesting is her discussion of the difference between PLE's and PLN's which she states are often used interchangeably but shouldn't be.

This article has some interesting points about personal responsibility in creating a PLN.

In this peer-reviewed article by researcher, Gail Dickinson, she begins by offering a anecdote about copier techicians and how in their initial practice, they did not have a network of technicians to share their craft with. The body of knowledge they observed through trial and error was vast, so they developed a network of like individuals to share and grow their knowledge beyond previously perceived capacity. Dickinson then makes a close analogy between these techicians and the current state and practice of librarians on the topic of publishing. Quick good article.

This is a collection of resources on connectivism. It contains quotes, interviews and a summary of the theory. It states here that the capacity to learn more is of more value than what is already known. The focus is on creation.

This video is a lecture on George Siemens. He says that transparency is extremely important in learning. He also states that a lack of knowledge about the students contributes to a deficit of learning especially in heavily structure and regimented learning. "The formal learning process is irrelevant for meaningful learning."

This is a resources describing the effect of connectivity in a PLN. "If I surround myself with people doing great things, then I am going to benefit." This video explains PLNs and how these networks cause exponential creative growth.

This video really describes PLNs and CoPs in a nutshell. It shows how valuable these networks are to education and learning in general. As the video states, "there is no way I can be the best at everything." It takes a network to benefit from the knowledge of many others. No longer do we, as teachers, have to to know all of the facts.

Animated Science, Health, Technology, Math, Social Studies, Arts & Music and English movies, quizzes, activity pages and school homework help for K-12 kids, aligned with state standards. My students love these videos!

BrainPOP - Animated Educational Site for Kids - Science, Social Studies, English, Math, Arts & Music, Health, and Technology

"From the Page to the Classroom: Implementing the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) in English Language Arts and Literacy" provides the background of the CCSS and the three shifts that are inherent in these standards. Their use of videos is very effective and interesting.

This article really helped to define knowledge in the Connectivist theory. To know something, means that you are able to organize and connect ideas together. The author makes a brilliant point that the more connections you have to the idea, the stronger your knowledge of it is. It also states that it is more important to continue to search for more knowledge and connections than it is to be satisfied with what is currently known.

This article discusses different learning theories. One of the theories was network semantics and connective learning. This section describes what it means to be a network. Then it connects networks to what it means to be connective.

After reading this article I can get my head around how important PLN are and I applied it to my corporate job. Both my peers and the people who report to me connect in many ways.

PLN have been around forever but now we use technology to help increase those who can be involved. Most of the Personal Learning Networks are online and we can communicate with others from around the world. This article gives examples of how to use a PLN and how to build your own.

I liked the video clip that showed how networking can be beneficial. Simple video that explains it for people like me who are new the world of PLN's.

I like the chart of resources. I'm still trying to wrap my brain around all of the social media tools available out there on the Internet, so the chart in this blog post is helpful. Thanks!

The "community of practice" is defined and there are examples. The characteristics are the domain, the community, and the practice. There are examples given and explanation of where the concept came from and where it is being applied.

Great article on Community of Practice. It is defined and there are examples listed. Its very basic.

Wegner describes three important criteria for a community of practice, the domain, the community, and the practice. When the three criteria are combined, it creates the basis of a community of practice where interaction takes place and participants gain knowledge on a topic/topics.

Introduction of Digital Connectivism and it's impact on learning. This article focuses on the impacts in English Language Teaching. It defines connectivism, states the principles, and relates it to English Language Teaching.

Connectivism breakdown from Massive Open On-line Course called Connectivism & Connected Knowledge 2011 by a learner and EFL teacher.

This blog post discusses the role of the teacher in the light of a connected world.  Beginning with a look at how the teacher's role (and curriculum) become fragmented, the post then discusses the "new" role of teachers in such a connected environment.

Alyssa, I appreciate that fact that you highlight the role of the teacher here. I sometimes feel lost in the world of learning theory as I tend to teach between them. That is, my teaching is a mixture of many different theories. I really like the idea of the teacher being the filter.

This is a great article. It starts with business and but then moves into teaching and how connectivism changes out roles. I love how it states that learners are not confined to one person's beliefs. It brings up outcomes/assessment and relates them to real-life. Thank you!