Module 6 Blog Responses

I responded to the following blogs:

http://jygreensblog.blogspot.com

http://anethaj.blogspot.com

Module 6 Blog: Learning in a Digital World

The Impact of Technology on Learning

Technology has and will continue to have a significant impact on learning. It has changed the very way in which we learn. In this day and age students are “digital natives” and the need to learn in ways that are meaningful to them. This makes the integration of technology into learning of great significance.

Technology had done more than merely support learning, it has ultimately transformed how we learn. Learning can no longer be confined to the years that a student spends in school or the hours that they spend in the classroom; learning must be lifelong, life-wide, and available on demand.

In order to effectively prepare our students to learn throughout their lives and in settings far beyond the brick and mortar classroom, we must change what and how we teach to match what our students need to know, how they learn and where and when the6 learn and change our perception of who need to learn. We must bring technology into learning in meaningful ways in order to engage, motivate, and inspire our students to achieve.

Differences in the Online Learning Environment and the Face to Face Learning Environment

The online learning environment provides a learning experience that is different than in the traditional learning environment. Historically learning has been content driven and teacher centered. Online learning has been widely accepted as student-centered learning. In the online learning environment students are in control of their learning. This environment gives students the opportunity to take ownership of their learning.

Constructivism

Driscoll (1994) describes constructivism as a learning theory that makes the assumption that knowledge is constructed by learners. It is so important for students to be given the reigns, when it comes to their learning. Educators must take a step back. Their roles will no longer be the same. They will transform into facilitators; they will facilitate student learning.

References

Driscoll, M. P. (1994). Psychology of learning for instruction. Needham Heights, MA: Allyn & Bacon.

 Pamela Loder

Module 5 Responses

I responded to the following:

http://raycoxphd.blogspot.com

http://anethaj.blogspot.com

http://jygreensblog.blogspot.com

Module 5 Blog: New Technologies

 New Technologies

Clickers were introduced as a pilot program they were distributed to teachers chosen by their principals to be technology ambassadors. The devices allowed students and teachers to instantly receive feedback during lessons or tests. Each student was given a clicker; the device was numbered, allowing teachers to identify each student’s answer. This technology was to engage students and encourage them to participate as opposed to teachers calling on just the students with their hands raised.

I quickly discovered that some teachers found the change in teaching style daunting, and as a result I was met with some resistance. Their attitudes about this new technology were far from positive. One behavioral characteristic that some of the teachers developed was they asked for more and more information about the new technology but, no matter how much information I provided the, they insisted that they needed more.

Resistance is an emotional response; it is a very natural reaction to change associated with the implementation of new technology. I thought that this new technology was so great I failed to realize that resistance might occur. Now that I look back on it I realize that the realization that resistance may occur was critical, in order for me to successfully manage the resistance so that the energy that the teachers were using on resisting could have been used to support the implementation of this new technology rather than cripple it.

If I had used Keller’s ARCS Model I could have promoted and sustained motivation in this technology using attention, relevance, confidence, and satisfaction. I could have used inquiry arousal to stimulate curiosity by posing challenging questions or problems that could be solved using this technology. I could have established the relevance of this technology to increase motivation. I could have elaborated further on the present worth of the technology and the future usefulness of it. Confidence could have been further established by expressing my confidence in the technology. I could have presented evidence of the success of the technology. This model could have changed the motivation of the teachers and encouraged success.

References

Driscoll, M. P. (2005). Psychology of learning for instruction (3rd ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson Education.





Module 4: Connectivism Mind Map Responses

I have responded to the following student's blog posts

Jessica Green
Raymond Cox
Carolyn Alm

Module 4 Blog:Connectivism Mindmap

Module 4 Blog: Connectivism Mind map

• My network has changed the way I learn in many ways. I use my network to locate information, make connections with other knowledgeable individuals, to access resources, to reflect on content, to relate that content on what I already know or to an earlier experience, and to share my knowledge with others in my network.
• Blogs best facilitate learning for me. Blogging has been helpful in helping my knowledge acquisition and reflection process. I can easily access resources and express my views and thoughts. I use this digital to share my knowledge and to ultimately promote deeper learning by linking multiple ideas and concepts together within a personally engaging environment.
• I learn new knowledge when I have question through the use of resources. These resources may include the university library, a search engine, or even a peer.



Module 3 Blog: Collaboration

Module 3 Blog: Collaboration

Rheingold made some very significant points in his discussion of the evaluation of Wikipedia as a collectively developed encyclopedia. The most significant point that Rheingold made in his discussion was that we all have a human instinct to interact and work as a group.  

It is the basic instinct of humans to want interaction with others. Humans are very much social beings and interacting with others is an integral part of human life. We are not merely social in the slight sense that we enjoy the company of others, or in the evident sense that we depend on others, but we are social in an elemental sense; solely to be human obliges interaction with others. Our need to interact with others is a human instinct and need.

Technology has long been seen as an optimal medium for the application of the constructivist principles (Murphy, 1997). The constructivist approach to learning is facilitated by technology, more specifically the web. The Constructivist Theory focuses on making connections and making meaning in the learning process.

Web based courses are frequently designed with constructivist principles in mind. These principles inspire learners to collaborate with others, to navigate and create their unique knowledge base. Technology facilitates collaboration by joining together learners and bringing them together in the same space so collaboration can take place. Chat rooms, allow groups of learners to collaborate with each other through the use of synchronous communication.

An empirical study conducted by Papnikolaou & Boubouka (2010) investigated the value of collaboration and found that collaboration is an effective learning tool. Papnikolaou, K., & Boubouka, M. (2010). Promoting collaboration in a project-based e-learning context. Journal of Research on Technology in Education. (43) 2, 135-155.

References

Murphy, E. (1997). Constructivism from philosophy to practice. Retrieved from http://www.stemnet.nf.ca/~elmurphy/emurphy/cle.html.

Papnikolaou, K., & Boubouka, M. (2010). Promoting collaboration in a project-based e-learning context. Journal of Research on Technology in Education. (43) 2, 135-155.



Module 2 Blog Topic 1

After reading the blog posts by Bill Kerr and Bill Kapp I gained a new perspective on the use of various learning theories.

I definitely believe that the –isms: constructivism, behaviorism, cognitivism, and more recently connectivism are useful guides on what to think and what to do. The –isms are necessary. Each learning theory offers something useful. They provide valuable insights into human learning. The concept of taking an idea from each school of thought almost seems genius. Using ideas from various learning theories is essentially the essence of a good educational design. We need the integration of all the –isms. Taking bits and pieces from each theory and using them collectively will only benefit us.

It would be simplistic to assume that one learning theory alone has the potential to be used across the board for all. All of the learning theories have a place in the learning process and using ideas from them makes sense. None of our students learn exactly alike, we all leaner differently that is why the concept of using ideas from various learning theories makes sense. Learning is multi-facetted and it is not possible for one learning theory, one school of thought to do it all. We can take the best ideas and concepts from various leaning theories and use them to create an effective educational experience for our learners.

I believe that Kerr (2007) said it best, “learning theories are indispensible to the curriculum reform effort.”

References

Kerr, B (2007). _isms as filter, not blinker (Web Blog Post). Retrieved from http://billkerr2.blogspot.com/2007/01/isms-as-filter-not-blinker.html.

Kapp, K (2007). Out and about: Discussion on educational schools of thought (Web Blog Post). Retrieved from http://www.kaplaneduneering.com/kappnotes/index.php/2007/01/out-and-about-discussion-on-educational/.

Module 1 Blog Topic 1

Module 1 Blog Topic 1

What are your beliefs about how people learn best? What is the purpose of learning in educational technology?

How people learn best has been an old age debate and there are many learning theories that have seeming provided an answer to this very question.

The most common learning theories are Behaviorism, Cognitivism, and Constructivism. Behaviorism which asserts that people learn best in response to stimuli, Cognitivism which suggests that people learn best by connecting new ideas with prior knowledge (Ally, 2008), and Constructivism which implies that people learn best through discovery and reflection (Driscoll, 2005).

While these theories do explain how some people learn best. Does one learning theory alone explain how everyone learns best? “To each its own” what works for one person may not work for the next. Some people may learn best in response to stimuli, some people may learn best by connecting new information to prior knowledge, while others may learn best through discovery and reflection.

It would simple of me to assume that everyone learns best through the use of one learning theory, or one instructional method, or one concept. Some people may learn best through the use of drill and practice or repetition.

Learning theory in educational technology offers educators a framework upon which they can build by implementing ways to integrate technology into their instruction and teach their students through the use of it. Instructional methods are often at the heart of learning theories. The presence of learning theories is prevalent in the use of educational technology. Drill and practice software is frequently used in educational technology, and drill and practice operates on a learning theory.

References

Ally, M. (2008). The theory and practice of online learning. (2^nd ed.) Edmonton, AB: Athabasca University Press.

Driscoll, P. (2005). Psychology of learning for instruction. (3^rd ed.) Boston, MA: Pearson Education.

Siemens, G. (2008). Learning and knowing in networks: Changing roles for educators and designers. Paper presented to ITFORUM. Retrieved from http://it.coe.uga.edu/itforum/Paper105/Siemens.pdf