Connectivism

My mindmap of connectivism is as follows.

The Current Developments in Networks is very useful in today’s learning. My mind map above shows most of the features available in networks. These tools and information are available in the network and are very useful to me as an adult leaner as well as to young school students.

Initially I used emails and internet search engines for my studies. Emails are very useful to send messages or to get information from another person. Search engines are very useful and are used very often to find information. When I need to find anything, search engines provide web sites that include such information. They always provide thousands or millions of websites where the information is available. But, by specific search through advanced search methods, we can select the most appropriate web sites. Hence these search engines are very useful. Similarly searching directories also are very useful to search for information although the information available in directories is relatively less than what is available in search engines. Chatting, video conferencing and using face book also provide good applications in education.

Search engines facilitate me in learning. Similarly, Web 2.0 tools such as Blogging, Youtube, Wikis, Myspace etc. also make a remarkable contribution to education. Application of blogging sites, provide great advantages for education. Most blog sites are available to be used free of charge. Hence, teachers can post material to be discussed with students using these blog sites.
CAL software makes the greatest contribution to learning. The features available in a CAL software such as multimedia, animation, video, interactive models, interactive simulation model, questionnaires, Artificial Intelligence Models are very useful to a learner. Specially, interactive models, interactive simulations, artificial intelligence activities cannot be acquired through any technology other than a computer or networked computer. Therefore, such CAL software makes a remarkable contribution to education. These software packages are categorized under Web 3.0 tools among which are data mining, semantic web, matching learning etc. Artificial Intelligence techniques available in such software convert these machines to almost human beings. This means, it supports the learner like a real teacher.
The most appropriate method that I used to gain new knowledge is that of the use of search engines and blog sites. Some CAL software also provides me with new knowledge.

All that I have discussed earlier support the concept of connectivism in education. It helps me from operating in isolation in that I have been able to enrich my education by having access to the views of others thinking along similar lines. At the same time, I believe others have benefited from my views. As an educationist, I perceive certain areas where the central tenets of connectivism are refuted. This is specially so in the instance of young people who could use connectivism to exchange undesirable information (with respect to particular cultures) such as unqualified information or sensitive views on sex and sex related matters. This is quite an unhealthy outcome of connectivism which might in certain instances be used as a club to hammer the very principle.