Constructivism vs Connectivism

Connectivism and Constructivist

In the early 2000s, George Siemens and Stephen Downes developed the learning theory called Connectivism. Because new technologies like the internet and digital communication were becoming popularized, this new technological wave was also impacting the way people were receiving and sending information. Based on the theory of Connectivism, knowledge is shared through networks and exists within digital databases, technology and human interaction. After conducting research on the subject of Connectivism, I am very interested in finding ways to incorporate it into my daily teaching practice. Currently, as a middle school math teacher, I consider myself a Constructivist. Under this philosophy, I strive to create experiences where students can interpret information and build their own understanding of it, rather than simply delivering information (Smaldino, Lowther, & Russell, 2019). Furthermore, a Constructivist understands that students learn best when they are thinking in real-world contexts to find solutions. As a Constructivist educator, I believe the best way to begin to integrate a more Connectivist philosophy in my classroom is by evaluating the current technology platforms I use in my everyday practice.

Putting Connectivism into Practice

I believe students best understand math when they learn it through real-world contexts and it is applied to their everyday lives. As a Connectivist, knowledge is acquired through networks, organizations, databases and of course, technology (Plueger, 2024). I believe that the best way to introduce the theory of Connectivism in my classroom is through small group projects. As we begin our unit on solving absolute value word problems, I can break up the class into small groups of 4 and have the students share strategies and ideas for solving word problems in their groups. Later, student groups can post their problem-solving steps on Schoology and students will have the opportunity to comment on other group strategies and share new insights (Tao, Ruannakarn, Jiraporn, & Ran, 2024). This would be a way to create a learning network, through the use of technology in the classroom. To tie in real-world contexts, I will ensure that the word problems connect with student interests like shopping, budgeting, or traveling to name a few.

Teacher Professional Learning or Student Learning

As a Connectivist novice, I believe that it is best applied for student learning, rather than teacher professional learning. In conducting research for the discussion on Connectvisim, I encountered the idea of “The Flipped Classroom” (Chien, Chen, & Liao, 2019). This is an idea I wish to propose to the 3rd and 4th grade math teachers in my school. In a “Flipped Classroom”, teachers post instructional materials like videos, readings and interactive lessons online to introduce a new topic.  While reviewing this information at home, the students will build on their knowledge before their assigned class. When they arrive to class, students can engage in hands-on activities, working in groups and learning from each other through peer interactions. Groups can then interact online by asking questions to their teacher, asking their classmates questions and commenting or providing insights they found useful. Personally, I am very excited to try these new methods in my teaching practice to promote collaboration, critical thinking skills and real-world contexts in my math class.

References

Chien, C.-F., Chen, G. Y.-H., & Liao, C.-J. (2019). Designing a connectivist flipped classroom platform using unified modeling language. International Journal of Online Pedagogy and Course Design, 9(1), 1–18. https://doi.org/10.4018/IJOPCD.2019010101Links to an external site.

Plueger, C. T. (2024). The significance of educational technology in higher education: An hermeneutic phenomenology examination for expanding the theoretical bases of connectivism theory. Turkish Online Journal of Educational Technology, 23(4), 206–220.

Smaldino, S. E., Lowther, D. L., & Russell, J. D. (2019). Instructional technology and media for learning (12th ed.). Pearson.

Tao, L., Prasert, R., Jiraporn, C., & Ran, W. (2024). Practical curriculum development in TVET: Integrating Taylorism and connectivism for operational skill enhancement. Journal of Higher Education Theory and Practice, 24(3), 206–220. https://doi.org/10.33423/jhetp.v24i3.6842