Constructivism, Connectivism, and Cyborg Theories

Constructivism, Connectivism, and Cyborg Theories
 

Constructivism Theory: 

 

I read and believe that constructivism learning is an individual and personal event.  I also agree that I am a constructivism learner and teacher based on the information I have read regarding six principals of constructivism:  

1.)   Learners bring unique prior knowledge, experience, and beliefs to a learning situation

2.)   Learning is internally controlled and mediated

3.)   Knowledge is constructed in multiple ways through a variety of tools, resources, experiences, and contexts.

4.)    Learning is a process of accommodation assimilation, or rejection to construct new conceptual structures, meaningful representations, or new mental models.

5.)    Leaning is both an active and reflective process.

6.)    Social interaction introduces multiple perspectives through reflective, collaboration, negotiation, and shared meaning.

Citation: Southwest Educational Development Laboratory, (1999). Learning as a personal event: A brief introduction to constructivism. Retrieved from http://www.sedl.org/pubs/tec26/intro2c.html

 

Connectivism Theory:

 

It’s been said in a particular article that caught my eye that connectivism was the beginning of building boundaries on learning due to the mental processes that the mind has to make in order to adjust to new material.  I can relate to this research because knowledge does take place with new information and how the mind receives new information which brings about learning.  The learner includes representation as a medium to translate the values of knowledge that the individual learner understands and expresses as their own way.   Connectivism is best situated to concern itself with the quality of access to distributed knowledge, not with how learners learn.  (Citation: Cochrane, Glen. (2013) Why Connectivism is not a Learning Theory. http://apointofcontact.wordpress.com/2011/09/07/why-connectivism-is-not-a-learning-theory/)  

  

Cyborg Theory:

 

Based on the video observation, I was frightened. My generation has been Biblically programmed to fear “signs” like those demonstrated in the video so I honestly don’t have anything positive to comment regarding this theory at this time.    

 

Author’s Reflection

  

In retrospect, when I think about how people learn and are being asked what factors are pushing schools to change and incorporate more technology use within instruction while taking in consideration the summaries in which I reviewed, I feel that the world is truly evolving.  I’m realizing now more than ever that I do appreciate technology and what it has done for us over time; however, I’m simple.  The technology growth in the classroom has taken educators by storm and in order to keep growing we must receive proper individual training and use that training to equip this generation of students and those following, FIRST with respectable, traditional-based, ethically-driven, core-valued knowledge and common sense BEFORE our students allow misguided cyber-fads to mislead, and destroy their minds along with the generations to come.  Destruction would be easy to do considering the attention span of our students today.  Teachers must educate them about moderation and self accountability so that they are fully aware of what technology such as those mentioned in the Cyborg Theory could reveal in the future.