Connectivism: Learning theory for Digital Age by George Siemens 2005 - ITEC830: Week 1

Connectivism is a new learning theory (2004) crafted to address the shift in how information is shared and learned in world changing because of advances in technology. Author George Siemens asserts that, "learning needs and theories that describe learning principles and processes, should be reflective of underlying social environments." Since technology has changed the way individuals communicate (email lists, blogs, social networking, etc.) and the rate at which information is created, changed and becomes obsolete, it stands to reason that a new theory which takes into consideration the effect of this new environment on learning is appropriate.

The principles of connectivism are:

1. Learning and knowledge rests in diversity of opinions
   
2. Learning is a process of connecting specialized nodes or information sources
   
3. Learning may reside in non-human appliances
   
4. Capacity to know more is more critical than what is currently known
   
5. Nurturing and maintaining connections is needed to facilitate continual learning
   
6. Ability to see connections between fields, ideas, and concepts is a core skill
   
7. Currency (accurate, up-to-date knowledge) is the intent of all connectivists learning activities
   
8. Decision-making is itself a learning process. Choosing what to learn and the meaning of incoming information is seen through the lens of a shifting reality. While there is a right answer now, it may be wrong tomorrow due to alterations in the information climate affecting the decision.
   

As a multimedia and graphic designer, I was instantly struck by the idea that #6 (the ability to see connections) is a skill valued in designers. Making connections across fields often results in the most appropriate and effective design. Principle #4 (capacity to know more is more critical that what is currently known) threw me back to my undergraduate days studying  civil engineering at San Joaquin Delta College. My professor, Roger Crawford, often would remark that although we may not know everything, it was important for us as individuals to recognize that knowledge gap and then to go seek the answer from other sources. I always felt that this skill was so important, but rarely taught. In the modern information age, being able to find the information one needs while wading through large amounts of irrelevant data is a skill that everyone needs. Again, this point paths back to graphic design since it is essentially calling for recognition of the importance of problem solving and graphic design is problem solving.

The bullet points I walked away with from this article were:

• "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."
• "When knowledge, however, is needed, but not known, the ability to plug into sources to meet the requirements becomes a vital skill."

From my experience in silicon valley high tech firms, these points are well known, believed, and implemented within firms.