As mentioned in this blog, learning theories such as behaviorism, cognitivism, constructivism, and connectivism influence how instructional designers design. Siemens mentions that learning is a continuous process that lasts a lifetime and that informal learning is just as significant to our learning experience as formal education is (Siemens, 2005). According to Siemens, connectivism is influenced by the understanding that learning and knowledge rest in the diversity of opinions and is a process of connecting information sources (Siemens, 2005). One belief of connectivism is that individuals learn through the networks they construct to obtain knowledge. The networks you create throughout your life can change over time; however, no matter what, these networks can provide you with information and support in your learning. In addition, you can have different people, technologies, and resources to help you learn. Your mind map could include various social networking sites, personal learning networks, virtual worlds, blogs, coworkers, and more. Below is my personal mind map, which represents the various connections that I use to help me gather bits of information and help me learn.
Over the years, the way and how I learn has changed. I remember in junior high and high school, I would go to the library to acquire new information, such as books like the encyclopedia. Now, in today's times, finding information is relatively easy, and you can find knowledge at your fingertips. I can rely on "non-human" appliances, such as computers, smartphones, tablets, etc., to help make learning easier (Siemens, 2005). The Internet and smartphones have changed how I acquire knowledge. My smartphone and iPad are two digital tools that best facilitate my learning. I have my smartphone wherever I go; therefore, I can, no matter where I am, anytime I need to look something up. Thus, I can connect to people and information from any location for as long as I have my smartphone. I use social media, like Facebook, Instagram, and X (formally known as Twitter) for sports or celebrity news. YouTube when I need visuals, for instance, if I need to fix something. Google search is my primary source of search engine on most given topics. Lastly, Grammarly has become my new best friend as I pursue my Master's degree in Instructional Design and Technology.
Whenever I want or need to gain new knowledge, I can use my learning map posted below. Where I go to receive answers from my learning map depends on the questions. For instance, if I have a quick question about a basketball player's stats and my brother is near me, I would ask him the question first. Then, if he didn't know the answer, I would turn to Google Search. Another example is if I have a question about my teaching, I will ask my colleagues. In addition, if my question is academic, I go to Google Scholar, resources for my course, and other websites or books. I mainly use Google Search to find answers to most questions because it is on my phone or tablet, and you can find an answer within seconds.
My learning network supports the central tenets of connectivism, which is how my learning exists in non-human appliances (Siemens, 2005). My networks enable me to gather information when needed and allow me to gather bits of information to help me draw conclusions from my questions. In addition, the primary connections that I use are through the use of the Internet. Without the use of technology in terms of the Internet, where I gather information is not diverse. Therefore, my knowledge and ability to gather information are limited. Thus, it may not be an accurate representation of connectivisim. Having a network of connections to acquire information is an important part of instructional design.
Siemens, G. (2005). Connectivism: A learning theory for the digital age, International Journal of Instructional Technology and Distance Learning, 2(1). http://www.itdl.org/Journal/Jan_05/article01.htm
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