Creating Linkages

Our task this week in the Connectivism course was to begin developing a concept map to visually represent the relationship between ideas. Although I’m still considering how to complete this daunting task, I thought I might begin with an examination of relationships from a more linear perspective – time. To me, this perspective is imperative in understanding how we’ve gotten where we are. Theories of learning do not exist in a vacuum and this is particularly true of emergent theories which tend to be embedded in the development of more and more sophisticated forms of technology. Students in my Theoretical Foundations of Educational Technology class have been contributing to a shared time line (http://www.xtimeline.com/timeline/Theoretical-Foundations-of-Educational-Technology) over the last three semesters. This activity is an attempt to visually represent the connection between technological innovations AND the development of learning theories over time. I’m not sure where this will take me in my quest in understanding the potential (and pitfalls) of Connectivism, but I think it’s a good place to start.