by Ray Schroeder

This month we are looking at theoretical and pedagogical approaches to online learning that can have an important impact on quality and retention.

The Connecticon by Paul Justice, A Book Review – Elearning Scotland – This book makes the case that the changes brought about by the connectivity of the Internet have so transformed the nature of post secondary learning that we need to view it differently. Both the content and the processes of learning have been profoundly altered because of the accessibility of information and the multi-way interactivity provided by the Internet. We call this new phenomenon 'the Connecticon'. The Connecticon encompasses the paradigm created by the infrastructure, the content & the multiple connection devices of the Web, the diverse human resources of Internet users, as well as by the hyper-interactivity of the connected generation for whom attention is the new currency. It is the aim of this book to identify and document the Connecticon its nature, its impact and its implications.

A Holistic Perspective on the Student Dropout Problem with Special Attention to e-Learning – Zane L. Berge and Yi-Ping Huang, DEOSNews – This article introduces a comprehensive model to assist institutions in planning for interventions to address student dropout and to increase student retention. The model is the result of an extensive review, analysis, and synthesis of research and theoretical studies. It is flexible and represents a comprehensive set of factors related to student retention, categorized in meaningful ways, and can be used at multiple levels: institutional, departmental or program, by individual faculty, or by students.

Connectivism: A Learning Theory for the Digital Age – George Siemens, Instructional Technology and Distance Learning – Connectivism presents a model of learning that acknowledges the tectonic shifts in society where learning is no longer an internal, individualistic activity. How people work and function is altered when new tools are utilized. The field of education has been slow to recognize both the impact of new learning tools and the environmental changes in what it means to learn. Connectivism provides insight into learning skills and tasks needed for learners to flourish in a digital era.