Research Article
Aras Bozkurt, Murat Ataizi
CONT ED TECHNOLOGY, Volume 6, Issue 2, pp. 155-168
ABSTRACT
English is one of the most spoken languages in the world and widely accepted as a foreign language in many parts of the world. However, though there has been a high demand for English as a foreign language in the 21st century, it has still been taught or learned through traditional methods and conventional pedagogical approaches. In the digital age, learner characteristics, learning environments, and learner needs have significantly changed and new pedagogical approaches or learning systems have emerged as a natural result of the paradigm shift. In this article, these changes were explained and suggestions were made for foreign language learning and acquisition based on the networked learning and the connectivist approach to learning.
Keywords: English as a foreign language, EFL, Web 2.0, Connectivism, Network based learning, New pedagogy
Research Article
Hasan Tinmaz
CONT ED TECHNOLOGY, Volume 3, Issue 3, pp. 234-245
ABSTRACT
With the Internet’s innate structure, new generations have increased their abilities on finding new people whom they have something in common and networking with them. Web 2.0 technologies have altered the ways how new generations manage their learning activities. Many studies showed that most of the social networking websites have created different learning networks and online communities on their bodies. As a result, many educational institutions have taken advantages of social networking websites for maintaining their teaching and learning activities. On the other hand, institutions suffer from the deficiency of guiding learning theories and their effective implementation. This article discusses Connectivism as an alternative platform for instructional processes on social networking websites. Connectivism explains learning in terms of interactions on a network where the learners exchange their knowledge. Social networking websites which offer connections in the form of friendships provide a context for the implementation of Connectivism. Therefore, the article aims to depict a relationship between educational activities on social networking websites and the contemporary Connectivist Learning Theory. The article also presents suggestions on integration of social networking websites’ into education
Keywords: Connectivism, Social Networking Websites, Facebook, Web 2.0