Traditional and contemporary pedagogical approaches

Connectivism as a theoretical concept was created at a time when the possibilities of including technology in the teaching process were only being considered and re-examined. However, with the maturing of technology in the 1990s and its application in education, there is a redirection of strategies and approaches to learning and the opening of space for new directions such as connectivism. According to George Siemens, the originator of this latest current of thinking in education, the existing lines of interpretation of learning built by behaviorists, cognitivists, and even constructivists, do not explain technologically supported learning in a satisfactory way.

A theory is needed that will consider the new and restructured technologically based learning context. Siemens believes that it is necessary to pay more attention to the direct impact of technology, specifically to chaos and networks, and the new questions that arise: what happens when knowledge is not acquired linearly and systematically and when cognitive processes, which were once performed by learning individuals, are left to machines (e.g. information storage and retrieval). Technology and the establishment of new connections affect learning activities. In this way, connectivism integrates the principles of chaos theory, networks and self-organization.

Learning is a process that takes place in unclear and complex environments and cannot be fully under the control of individuals. It is essentially focused on connecting with specialized sets of information, and the connections that allow us to expand our knowledge are more important than the current knowledge we possess.

Examples of the connectivist approach in teaching:

Example 1. - Economics/marketing study: network market analytics and PLE/PLN

The student builds a personal learning environment (PLE) and a personal learning network (PLN): follows experts, newsletters and data sources and uses dashboards and data repositories to monitor trends. Knowledge is created by connecting the nodes of the network: tagging terms, blog summaries and sharing examples on community platforms. The assessment includes a portfolio, a network map of connections, and a reflection on how connections influenced decisions in the marketing case study.

Example 2. – Architecture studio: studio with open network references

The student shapes the concept through online research of references and communities of practice: open libraries of details, competition databases, forums and workshops. The process uses collaborative boards, parametric design and open evaluation templates. Learning is documented through a learning diary, online mentoring and peer assessment; the final proof is a public presentation.

Example 3 – Journalism Study: online research and fact-checking

The student develops a network of sources and tools for open intelligence gathering (OSINT), participates in the community of verifiers and keeps files of topics in joint documents. With the help of social networks and newsletters, he/she builds a network of relevant sources and shares the learning results as guides and micro lessons.