I read through two PDFs and articles about Self Determination Theory and Cognitive Load Theory to understand how they define motivation and relate it to online learning. While doing this, I also started answering some of the guiding questions I developed, such as what cognitive effects occur when learning happen in isolation compared to collaborative settings, however I will be researching the other guiding questions more in step 4. I explored studies comparing different learning environments and noted key findings about how isolation can affect engagement and comprehension. Throughout this process I took detailed notes on my notion page which you can see under weeks 1-3. This helped me organize me ideas and evidence under each question and connect the theories to real world examples of remote learning.
Starting Step 4:
I’ve moved beyond forming new questions and am now focused on creating a plan to answer my questions from step 3. My goal for step 4 is to organize a focused plan on Notion with weekly due dates and activities that connect psychological concepts I have learned with real world evidence and examples.
To be able to connect it more with real life examples, I plan on asking some peers some questions and having a discussion about their remote learning experiences. I want to compare experiences. I also plan on reflecting on my own past experience being a remote learner in high school during COVID.
To stay organized, I will be using Notion as i’ve said in previous posts. Notion will help me stay on track with deadlines and research tasks each week. It has already been a helpful tool with step 1 and 2. I will be summarizing my findings and looking for patterns across age, socioeconomic background, and learning tools to see if there are any differences.
Image made by me, Parmis Banihashemi, Made on Canva, (October, 2025)
Connectivism is a new theory of learning that tries to explain how people learn and create knowledge in a world connected by technology. Connectivism isn’t focusing on how we learn as individuals, it’s more about how knowledge exists in networks, not just in our heads. Essentially, it argues that knowledge lives in connections, it’s not stored in one persons’ brain, but spread across many “nodes”. Different forms of nodes can be websites, organizations, databases, and people. Learning happens when you make new connections between these nodes. As cited in the textbook section 2.6, Siemens 2005 quote says “ the pipe is more important than the content of the pipe”, I thought this was such a clever way to put it, he is saying that knowing where and how to find information is more valuable than memorizing facts and content. The author also says that with connectivism, knowledge is chaotic and I agree, knowledge is meant to be chaotic as information flows in and “nodes” come and go.
The concept of connectivism reshapes how I think about online learning and where knowledge actually lives. According to Trembley (2025), a learning management system (LMS) is a software created to track and deliver online learning, education, and any form of online training. The instructor organizes materials, sets due dates, creates quizzes to assess online learning, and controls the flow of information. Traditional learning management systems (LMSs) such as what we use for our courses here at UVic (Brightspace), are usually built around a structured, top-down model of education. LMSs have more of a contstructivism approach where students have the opportunity to develop an understanding from the materials provided within a closed environment.
However, with connectivism, knowledge isn’t only within us as individuals or the institutions we attend, but within the networks of connections we create and this is how it can challenge LMSs. In today’s digital society, we can make meaningful learning connections when we are able to navigate and make sense of diverse sources of information which exist outside an LMSs. From my perspective as a student, a LMS like Brightspace for example, can be very limiting because it focuses on the tools and information given on that system instead of encouraging students to go beyond and explore the web of knowledge that exists outside of it.
A networked approach to online learning would mean using tools like social media or discussion forums to better reflect connectivism principles. As cited in the textbook, some principles include diverse learning, being able to see different opinions, and the ability to find, evaluate, and connect information across multiple contexts. Using this approach, makes learning less about memorizing static content or “the content of the pipe” as Siemens said, and more about building a dynamic personal network of ideas and tools. It supports lifelong learning and helps strengthen the ability to connect new information sources which is more valuable than any single piece of knowledge.
Reflecting on my own experience, I notice that when I engage with my peers through online communities, follow experts on social media platforms like Instagram and Tik Tok, and explore readings online, my understanding of the material deepens. When information is presented in different forms, it helps me, as a visual learner, understand the material better. These networked connections help me see relationships between concepts and apply them in real world contects which is exactly what Siemens and Downes describe in the textbook as the essence of connectivist learning. While the LMSs provide structure and organization, it’s the networked interactions that push me to think beyond the classroom and make my learning more personally meaningful.
Good online learning needs a balance between the structure of a LMS and the flexibility of a networked environment. Lms offers a very solid base, but connectivism shows that real learning happens when we go beyond it and connect with others while exploring new ideas.
For Step 1 I have chosen: The Psychology of Remote Learning: Does studying in isolation impact motivation and cognitive development?
I have created my Notion as a resource to help me stay on track with my personalized learning plan. Notion can help me with my plans on creating a survey for step 2.
This week my goals were step 2 and 3.
Step 2:
I started with defining motivation, exploring and understanding concepts like intrinsic vs extrinsic motivation. One of the main questions that I started with was:
What psychological theories explain motivation in remote learning?
I will also be creating a survey (on Notion) to send to family and friends to gather some evidence on how remote learning can affect motivation from real life examples. My survey will be 10 questions that can help me learn more on how remote learning affects people individually and compare answers. I have started brainstorming for the survey and will ask questions like:
How connected do you feel to your peers or teacher during remote lessons or in remote environments?
Do you feel confident in your ability to learn and complete homework/projects online?
How often do you feel mentally overwhelmed or over worked during online learning lessons?
Step 3:
My focus is more on refining my inquiry questions and narrowing my topic to make it more meaningful. For step 2 my inquiry started broadly but I realized I needed to focus a bit more on the motivation aspect of remote learning and what psychological factors influence this. In this stage, I have reviewed some of the notes I’ve made on different theories and the meaning of motivation to start and will be using the two main theories I mentioned above as a guide. These frameworks can help me see how motivation and learning are interconnected processes.
Based on this understanding, I created a list of more targeted questions to answer in step 4, including:
Is there any case studies or “proof” on the effects (cognitively) of learning in isolation compared to in person/ collaborative settings?
What age groups are affected the most?
Are there any differences in how isolated learning affects students with different subjects?
How does socio or economic differences affect students motivation in remote learning?
Which open learning tools are commonly used to support motivation and learning in remote educational settings?
How can certain design features of online platforms worsen isolation effects? (zoom breakout rooms, discussions forums, etc)
I’m using google scholar to find articles related to these topics and to help me answer the questions above. I am documenting my findings and notes on Notion.
