I like threads like this... they allow me to ramble.
I don't no the connectionist model.
I do know a little about NN (Neural Nets) and parallel and distributed processing models. None, of them strongly model the way the brains works. At least not how I understand how it works from a physiological view point.
Other comments on the conscious-subconscious issue:
I agree some people have trust (control) issues with accepting non-conscious processing of information.
The AI and learning and no other than conscious. I know about several learning models (AI) and no they don't have a conscious / non-conscious split, although I can see one being developed. I believe we do. I strongly believe that learning is possible without a conscious mind. In fact, I strongly suspect that many life forms do not have a conscious mind and operate with what we call a non-conscious mind.
Now, some might infer an evolutionary idea that the conscious is a higher and more power ful mind. I suspect it is evolutionarily further along, but not necessarily more powerful. It probably serve a different function. However, since is resides in the same organ (let's not do the whole body learning thing )it has many similar characteristics with the "non-conscious" mind.
Well that was much more than my recording a stream of consciousness.
Iam2 
