Connectivism and dimensions of individual experience
Published | January 2012 |
Journal | The International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning Volume 13, Issue 1, Pages 124-143 |
Original Publication | The International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning |
Editors | McGreal, Rory and Conrad, Dianne |
ABSTRACT
Connectivism has been offered as a new learning theory for a digital age, with four key principles for learning: autonomy, connectedness, diversity, and openness. The testing ground for this theory has been massive open online courses (MOOCs). As the number of MOOC offerings increases, interest in how people interact and develop as individual learners in these complex, diverse, and distributed environments is growing. In their work in these environments the authors have observed a growing tension between the elements of connectivity believed to be necessary for effective learning and the variety of individual perspectives both revealed and concealed during interactions with these elements. In this paper we draw on personality and self-determination theories to gain insight into the dimensions of individual experience in connective environments and to further explore the meaning of autonomy, connectedness, diversity, and openness. The authors suggest that definitions of all four principles can be expanded to recognize individual and psychological diversity within connective environments. They also suggest that such expanded definitions have implications for learners’ experiences of MOOCs, recognizing that learners may vary greatly in their desire for and interpretation of connectivity, autonomy, openness, and diversity.Keywords | autonomy · connectedness · connectivism · diversity · identity · learner experience · · · motivation · openness · personality theory · self-determination |
ISSN | 1492-3831 |
Other number | 1 |
Refereed | Yes |
Rights | by/4.0 |
URL | http://www.irrodl.org/index.php/irrodl/article/view/1143 |
Other information | IRRODL |
Export options | BibTex · EndNote · Tagged XML · Google Scholar |
AVAILABLE FILES
Viewed by 175 distinct readers
CLOUD COMMUNITY REVIEWS
The evaluations below represent the judgements of our readers and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Cloud editors.










Click a star to be the first to rate this document
▶ POST A COMMENT
SIMILAR RECORDS
The ideals and reality of participating in a MOOC
Mackness, Jenny; Mak, Sui Fai John; Williams, Roy
CCK08' was a unique event on Connectivism and Connective Knowledge within a MOOC (Massive Open Online Course) in 2008. It was a course and a network about the emergent practices and the theory of Connectivism, proposed ...
Match: mackness, jenny; connectivism; connectedness; diversity; openness
Rhizo14: A Rhizomatic learning cMOOC in sunlight and in shade
Mackness, Jenny; Bell, Frances; Gil-Jaurena, Inés
The authors present findings from the first stage of research into a ‘home-grown’ connectivist MOOC, Rhizomatic Learning: The Community is the Curriculum (Rhizo14). We compare the surface view of the MOOC that has ...
Match: mackness, jenny; ; learner experience
Blogs and forums as communication and learning tools in a MOOC
Mak, Sui Fai John; Williams, Roy; Mackness, Jenny; Dirckinck-Holmfeld, L.; et al.
This paper presents the findings of research carried out into the use of blogs and forums as communication and learning tools in Connectivism and Connective Knowledge (CCK08), a Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) that ...
Match: mackness, jenny; connectivism
A cross-modal analysis of learning experience from a learner’s perspective
Nkuyubwatsi, Bernard
Abstract: Learning experience has been one of the most debated aspects of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs). Various perceptions on learning experience offered by MOOCs have led to many claims about the quality of ...
Match: experience
Connectivism and Interactionism reloaded knowledge networks in the cloud
Siemsen, Sabine; Jansen, Rainer; Uden, Lorna; Sinclair, Jane; et al.
Knowledge is not 'a thing' and not a mere pool of data which can be managed. Knowledge is the process of learning. So what really matters is the question of how the process of learning changes in context with Social ...
Match: connectivism
From OER to OEP: Shifting practitioner perspectives and practices with innovative learning experience design
Karunanayaka, Shironica Priyanthi; Ratnayake, H U W.; Naidu, Som; Rajendra, J C N.
Like any other educational resource, the integration of OER in teaching and learning requires careful thought and support for the teaching staff. The Faculty of Education at the Open University of Sri Lanka approached ...
Match: experience
Connectivism: Its place in theory-informed research and innovation in technology-enabled learning
Bell, Frances; McGreal, Rory; Conrad, Dianne
The sociotechnical context for learning and education is dynamic and makes great demands on those trying to seize the opportunities presented by emerging technologies. The goal of this paper is to explore certain ...
Match: connectivism
A practical experience on the use of gamification in MOOC courses as a strategy to increase motivation
Hernández, Rocael; Pirker, Johanna; Gütl, Christian; Morales, Miguel; et al.
The rapid and constant pace of change in technology and the increasing involvement of educational institutions in the massive online open courses (MOOC) movement elicit a large myriad of opportunities and challenges. ...
Match: experience; motivation
Participant association and emergent curriculum in a MOOC: Can the community be the curriculum?
Bell, Frances; Mackness, Jenny; Funes, Mariana
We investigated how participants associated with each other and developed community in a Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) about Rhizomatic Learning (Rhizo14). We compared learner experiences in two social networking ...
Match: mackness, jenny
Towards full engagement for open online education. A practical experience for a MicroMaster
Hernández, Rocael; Amado-Salvatierra, Hector R.; Kloos, Carlos Delgado; Jermann, Patrick; et al.
This work explores on the different phases of the student's participation in a MOOC. For this particular study three phases of a MOOC are defined: pre-MOOC, MOOC and post-MOOC. This work presents an innovative framework ...
Match: experience; motivation