Connectivism and Social Learning in Practice

Connectivism and Social Learning in Practice
With the vast improving technologies in the classroom there is no question that social learning, collaborative learning, and connectivism go hand in hand. The classroom these days seem to be constructed of allowing students to derive to their own conclusions by independent completion of tasks. Allowing students to cooperate together in some manageable group allows, not only the educator to deliver more direct instruction, but also develops multiple life skill traits and content knowledge at the same time of interaction for students. As an educator’s main goal is to prepare students for future success in the real world, cooperative learning strategies help prepare students for the fast-paced, virtual workplace that they will encounter (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, Malenoski 2007).
The instructional strategies discussed in this week’s learning resources can be directly beneficial in the proper structure of this style of learning within the classroom. Technology can play a unique and vital role in cooperative learning by giving structure to groups and allowing students to communicate without being face to face (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, Malenoski 2007). In my special education classroom I tend to use cooperative learning quite often, but it is more in the traditional way rather than what I have discovered through this week’s learning resources. My classroom has used such multimedia tools to complete research for projects, development of power points, and organization of rubrics or group responsibilities. One collaborative project, using multimedia tools that I would like to complete in my classroom is the creating of a video. I understand that the preparation, up-front, has to be adequate. I believe that allowing my special education students to use visual displays and their own verbal input in the video, instead of written input, to direct the task would allow them to be more accommodated. This type of social learning project would not only develop responsibility skills within the group but also develop leadership skills, keep an active learner, and improve interpersonal skills.
The final collaborative technological tool that I would like to incorporate into my classroom that directly relates to the social learning theory is the use of key pals. Keypals is a way, similar to e-mail, for students to communicate in other cities, states and even countries (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, Malenoski 2007). Many of students would benefit from this strategy of learning due to the fact that it would broaden the perspective of others and challenge them to learn (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, Malenoski 2007). I believe that this style of project would be one that would motivate my special education students to push themselves to learn. It also would hide some of their physical disabilities, that some other students cannot get past, to create a more comfortable atmosphere. This strategy allows the cooperating students to not only develop proper internet communication skills but also learn content in a different way or style from a distant student trying to achieve the same objective.
Overall technology can be adapted in many ways to fit into the collaborative, social style of learning. This style of learning seems to be the most needed during this day in age where employees are expected to be able to work cooperatively, even if they never see there peers face to face. Educators are responsible for developing this “etiquette” in our students so their future has the opportunity to become successful.

Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using technology with classroom

instruction that works. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.