Connectivism A Learning Theory for the Digital Age: by George Siemens
“Over the last twenty years, technology has reorganized how we live, how we communicate, and how we learn.”
This would have to be one of the biggest understatements I have read. It certainly has reorganised all three areas (and created chaos when it does not work) over the last 20 years – but the exponential growth is as yet unrealized. It is escalating at a pace that is mind boggling. In the IT class of 50 people – the level of skill competence and confidence is huge. Multiply that and imagine implications for teaching and learning.
“Learners as little as forty years ago would complete the required schooling and enter a career that would often last a lifetime.”
The learning of a former ISB student – my daughter Alexandra – is on my mind constantly these days as she begins her university studies and pilot training tomorrow! What will flight look like in the future? What will the technology “look” like? What challenges face her and how has ISB prepared her? How do we all prepare students for what lies ahead when we aren’t too sure ourselves? Gonzalez’s (2004) notice of the ‘shrinking half-life of knowledge’ is probably already out of date.
A learning trend “Technology is altering (rewiring) our brains. The tools we use define and shape our thinking.”
Marion Diamond spoke in Egypt (2001) about being at the forefront of neuroanatomy a mere 45 years ago. Pat Wolfe was at the same conference and spoke of implications for learners way beyond “fight or flight”. What are these tools define and shaping us? Interesting to ponder the ‘infantilising’ of the human mind after reading an article in the Guardian about Facebook and Bebo.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2009/feb/24/social-networking-site-changing -childrens-brains
And then there is this...
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