From the Saturday, February 03, 2007 article
What Connectivism Is by Stephen Downes http://halfanhour.blogspot.com/2007/02/what-connectivism-is.html
“Hence, in connectivism, there is no real concept of transferring knowledge, making knowledge, or building knowledge. ….
This implies a pedagogy that (a) seeks to describe 'successful' networks (as identified by their properties, which I have characterized as diversity, autonomy, openness, and connectivity) and (b) seeks to describe the practices that lead to such networks, both in the individual and in society (which I have characterized as modeling and demonstration (on the part of a teacher) and practice and reflection (on the part of a learner)).”
In my experience as a trainer and taking into account recent demonstration of tools available on Tower Control Simulators I have come up with the following distinction:
Trainers can create and provide a simulator or a stimulator to model an experience .
a) A simulator is a virtual reality tool , where like in the Matrix a person is completed immerse in a scenario . Events and interfaces with the body of the learner are not real or do not mimic the real world. Due that there is no limitation of frontiers in the presented environment and to its intrinsic properties a simulator induces a delusion – we know that we cannot believe in the experience . Example Flight Simulator from Microsoft
b) A stimulator is tool where we materialize a scenario in a real environment . The events are displaced (another time ) or misplaced (another physic location). A stimulation is an illusion. We can distinguish perfectly that is not real although the human interfaces are meticulous mimicked. Example : A Tower Simulator at an Air Navigation Service Provider .
I think that this course (CCK09) is a simulation of a class. There are no teachers and no real students . The scenarios are well constructed and each learner can conduct the experience as he thinks is best .
