Connectivism in Language Learning: A Case Study of the English Department at Universitas HKBP Nommensen Pematangsiantar

Abstract

This study investigates how connectivism is understood, applied, and evaluated by English Department lecturers at Universitas HKBP Nommensen Pematangsiantar. Although connectivism has been widely discussed as a digital-age learning theory, empirical studies in Indonesian EFL higher education still tend to emphasize the availability of digital tools rather than the pedagogical logic behind lecturers' decisions, classroom applications, and assessment practices. This qualitative case study involved five lecturers and collected data through in-depth interviews and classroom observation over four months. The findings show that lecturers generally perceive connectivism as relevant for promoting learner autonomy, collaborative knowledge building, and access to authentic English resources. In practice, connectivist principles were applied through Google Classroom, WhatsApp, Zoom, online articles, videos, collaborative tasks, and student-generated digital products. Evaluation of learning outcomes combined conventional assessment with performance-based indicators such as participation in online discussion, group projects, presentations, portfolios, and the ability to synthesize information from multiple digital sources. The novelty of this study lies in its integrated analysis of lecturers' perspectives, pedagogical enactment, and assessment practices within a local Indonesian EFL department. The study argues that connectivism is not merely the use of technology in language classrooms, but a gradual shift toward networked, participatory, and digitally mediated language learning.