Connectivism and Social Learning in Practice

Social learning theories contend that people learn from their environment and develop through social interaction and experiential learning.  As Dr. Orey suggests, active construction of knowledge using interaction with more knowledgeable others solidifies that knowledge contextually (Laureate Education, Inc., ND).  

Heterogeneous cooperative learning groups containing mixed levels and learning styles may encompass a variety of instructional strategies and opportunities for all students to be successful in an area they may enjoy and have an interest in.  According to Johnson & Johnson (1999), this type of group work should contain “basic cooperative learning components: positive interdependence, group processing, appropriate use of social skills, face-to-face interaction, and individual and group accountability” (p.57).  More in-depth research might be required pre or post activity for gifted students.  

           

Instructional strategies such as cooperative learning correlate with principles of social learning theories, such as social constructivism, by providing students with the opportunity to construct that meaning through the collaboration with others (Kim, 2007).  Strategies that are included under the umbrella of cooperative learning include reciprocal teaching as in a jigsaw, peer collaboration through think-pair-share, and peer-centered problem-based instruction (Palmer, Peters, & Streetman, 2007).

           

Social networking and collaborative tools such as Webquest, Wikis, Google docs and Edublogs correlate nicely with cooperative learning and social learning theories by infusing a connectivist social dimension into creating contextual knowledge relevant to real life (Laureate Education, Inc., ND).  The web has evolved educationally from an electronic encyclopedia to a collaborative and innovative system of specialized connections that provide diverse perspectives and opinions (Davis, Edmunds, & Kelly-Bateman, 2007).  The unparalleled access to information, along with the skill set to analyze, synthesize, and evaluate it, allows students to creatively collaborate all over the world (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & Malenoski, 2007).  Students are engaged, interested, resulting in enriched learning experiences.    

References

Davis, C., Edmunds, E., & Kelly-Bateman, V., (2007). Connectivism. In M. Orey (Ed.),

            Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved from

            http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/

Johnson, D.W., & Johnson, R.T. (1999). Learning together and alone: Cooperative,          

            competetive, and individualistic learning. Boston: Allyn & Bacon

Kim, B., (2007). Social Constructivism. In M. Orey (Ed.), Emerging perspectives on learning,

            teaching, and technology. Retrieved from http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/

Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (ND). Connectivism as a Learning Theory.

            Bridging learning theory, instruction, and technology. Baltimore: Author

Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (ND). Social Learning Theories. Bridging

            learning theory, instruction, and technology. Baltimore: Author

Palmer, G., Peters, R., & Streetman, R., (2007). Cooperative Learning. In M. Orey (Ed.),

            Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved from

            http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/

Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using technology with classroom

            instruction that works. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.