Learning Theory and Educational Technology - EDUC 8845

Module 4 - Blog 4
Connectivism

I want to spend time on my own to study the materials that are assigned for a particular project. I would like to discovery the solution to every question the project has. At the same time, I do not mind working in a group where each member of the group has to work on a portion of the assignment. At the end, all members get together to finalize the project before submission. My network changed the way I learn in a variety of ways. When I need to use the library I go online to my school library where I can find any article I want. Also, I can buy any kind of book I want from the bookstore online. Moreover, I can meet with my group online by using Skype to discuss the project we have to complete.  Finally, I used to write my notes on a piece of paper but I do not do it anymore because my computer or tablet is always a click way. Computer networks, power grids, and social networks all function on the simple principle that people, groups, systems, nodes, entries can be connected to create an integrated whole (Siemens, 2004, para. 19).

I decided to pursue my doctoral in education with specialization in technology. This was my first experience of taking courses online. In fact, I was afraid to start the Ph.D. program because I thought that I did not have a change of serving in the program. My wife changed my mind by encouraging me a lot. Every digital tool I use online for my studies such as discussion forums, videos, e-mails, webinars are the ones that best facilitate learning more me.

My network community has everything I need to help me get the answers to the questions I have. The type of the questions can vary from time to time depending on the situation. For example, I can use Google on my cell phone to search for information online, look for the definition of a word, or find the directions to a place I have to go. If the question has to do with one of the assignment in the course I am taking online with Walden University, I can always go to the discussion forum and post my question or I can contact the professor. In addition, there are professional blogs that I can become a member and I can post any question(s) I can have related to the type of professional blog. Knowledge does not only reside in the mind of an individual, knowledge resides in the distributed manner across network (Kop & Hill, 2008, p. 7).

Reference

Kop, R., & Hill, A. (2008). Connectivism: Learning theory of the future or vestige of the past? International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning, 9(3), 1–13.

Siemens, G. (2004). Connectivism: A learning theory for the digital age. Retrieved from http://elearnspace.org/Articles/connectivism.htm

Learning Theory and Educational Technology - EDUC 8845

Collaboration

History is the study of past events in particularly in human affairs. Some of these past events ended up in positive outcomes or negative outcomes in human affairs. Humans can study particular the negative outcomes, so they can avoid repeating them over and over again in the future. Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it (Santayana, n.d.).

In addition, history tells us that humans have traveled long way to get where they are now. Humans started with the development of agriculture approximately 10,000 years ago (Rheingold, 2008). The development of agriculture allowed humans to establish the first big civilization. Then, the establishment of the first civilization enabled humans to build the first cities and first empires. The existence of empires forced the administrators of the empires to hire people to keep track of the wheat, sheep, wine, and the taxes that were owed to them by making marks (Rheingold, 2008). Then, the alphabet was also invented and civilizations continued to grow until communication technology arrived and humans became literate (Rheingold, 2008).

It is easy for someone to see that humans always worked together with collaboration to accomplish things in the past. Therefore, I agree with Rheingold that humans have a basic instinct to “interact and work as a group” (Rheingold, 2008).  We have to open our eyes and look around us to see that there is a new form of wealth that must have emerged. Technology enables us to come together in different ways and create new forms of production such as peer-to-peer production (Rheingold, 2008).

There were two economic games that were created the in the early years of nuclear war. It was the time of the period where the only person you could trust was yourself. The two economic games were the prisoner’s dilemma and ultimate game. Two players can play in each economic game. Both players have a chance to survive in game if both payers want to collaborate with each other. If the two players can’t trust each other, they can make suboptimal moves. In fact, they have to prove to each other that they are trustworthy to allow cooperation to take place between them (Rheingold, 2008).

Moreover, Capitalism is a system that is a few years old and that works with collaboration among humans and the use of technology (Rheingold, 2008).  In science, cooperative arrangements have moved from a peripheral role to a central role in biology (Rheingold, 2008). Regardless of what is being learned, constructive processes operate and learners form, elaborate, and test candidate mental structures until a satisfactory one emerges (Perkins, as cited in Driscoll, 2005, p. 387). Therefore, technology can facilitate collaboration among learners based on constructivist principles. We have to ask ourselves, what forms of suffering could be alleviated to have a better future? We have to ask ourselves, what forms of wealth could be created if we knew a little bit more about cooperation?

In conclusion, collaboration is an effective tool for learning that humans should use to promote learning. Added Value Model of Collaboration in Higher Education is a research paper that has been conducted in 2010. This paper describes teaching strategy using an online collaborative methodology with added value based on: (a) generating student profile, (b) online knowledge building and (c) evaluation strategy (Béres & Turcsányi-Szabó, 2010, p. 203).

Reference

Béres, I., & Turcsányi-Szabó, M. (2010). Added Value Model of Collaboration in Higher Education. Interdisciplinary Journal of E-Learning & Learning Objects, 6.

Driscoll, M. P. (2005). Psychology of learning for instruction (3rd ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson Education.

Rheingold, H. (2008, February). Howard Rheingold on collaboration [Video file]. Retrieved from
http://www.ted.com/talks/howard_rheingold_on_collaboration.html

Santayana, G. (n.d.). BrainyQuote.com. Retrieved April 10, 2014, from http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/g/georgesant101521.html