Week 8 - Reflection

As this course comes to a close, I feel that I have gained some valuable knowledge about learning theories and how to apply them in future instructional designs.

To begin with, my past experience and college studies had taught me about the idea of learning styles. In these learning styles, it is believed that most people have a preferred method by which they learn best, be it visual, auditory, or tactile/kinesthetic (Conner, 2003). I was very surprised to discover that in the world of Instructional Design (ID), learning styles are not highly supported. First of all, there is very little research and empirical data to support that learning styles, when used in ID, are effective. Additionally, those students that do subscribe to the idea and believe they have a preferred learning style don’t always learn their best in that style. For example, a person who believes they are a visual learner and prefer to see graphics, charts, photos and drawings to learn at their best, often can learn as well or better when hearing, reading, or even via hands on activities. Additionally the fact that learning styles have been such a heated topic in the class discussion boards, as well as the Blogs that I participated in online, has really changed my point of view on the subject. At this point, though I do feel that I am a visual learner, I will no longer be running around proudly proclaiming that. Additionally, this class has made me see more clearly how my brain may actually work, and I have been given more food for thought on how else to consider how I learn.

For example, behaviorists suggests that people learn through stimuli and responses and suggests that we can only develop instruction based on behavior. The focus is on observable events and can be simply described as task based learning (Ormrod, Schunk, & Gredler, 2009). While I feel this is a good start, it is only the tip of the iceberg of the leaning process and the theories that attempt to define it.

Cognitive theorists tend to look beyond behavior and suggest brain based learning and the existence of human internal cognitive structuring of data and information is the way to go (Information Processing, n.d.). The memory system of the brain is believed to actively organize and processes information. Additionally cognitivists believe that previous knowledge plays a huge role in new learning. While this in conjunction with behaviorism helps me to see things differently, it still does not cover it all.

The constructivist, connectivists and social learning theories share the idea that learning is accomplished by social interaction. Constructivists also believe that prior knowledge combined with current context and the internalization of new information creates or constructs new understandings (Jenkins, 2006). Additionally, connectivists posit that learning is the accumulation of knowledge that exists in the world and not in the minds of humans, something not shared with constructivists. Connectivists suggests as well that pattern recognition and interpretation play an important role in learning and that learning is distributed among a network (Davis, Edmunds, & Kelly-Bateman, 2008). In the connectvist theory, the social network has many diverse connections and ties and is made possible via technology (Drexler & Drexler, n.d.) The theory that actually takes on the name of “social learning theory” itself states that reality, knowledge and learning are created by humans in a social setting and are based on close contact with other, by imitating superiors and role models and the understanding of concepts. (Kim, 2001)

I have not migrated over to any one camp, as I feel they all have a few things to add to the mix. Yet, I do find fault with some of them. I don’t believe that reality is created solely by humans as the social learning theory suggests. The physical world is what it is, and whether humans exist or not, it would still be here. Additionally, I don’t believe that knowledge exists in the world and that we as humans just need to capture it as the connectivism theory suggests. Knowledge to me is the accumulation of information and the use of thought and cognition to logically produce a memory. Yet these theories have deepened my understanding of learning and I have accepted that they can help me to see things other ways which can help me build diverse instruction.

However, it is the study of adult learning (andragogy) that has had the most influence on me. Since my goal is to instruct and train adults, I was more deeply interested in it. The connection between learning theories, learning styles, educational technology, and motivation has helped me to peek into the minds of most adults and pick out a few jewels. For example, adult learning is mainly the acquisition of knowledge, reflection and practice (Foley, 2004). Experiences from life, work, and previous learning are brought to bear when new learning is taken on. Some of the things that affect adult learning are cognitive abilities, time between learning and aging (Conlan, Grabowski & Smith, 2003).

The fact that I am aware of all of these theories now does give me a more informed approach to ID. I feel that this knowledge will allow me to speak intelligently with other ID professionals. I also have a basis for which to set a course of action when ID is needed for projects and base it on the content requirement and the student body.


References

Conlan, J., Grabowski, S., & Smith, K.. (2003). Adult Learning. In M. Orey (Ed.), Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved June 19, 2011, from http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/

Conner, M.L. (2004). Learn more now. Hoboken , NJ : Wiley & Sons.

Davis, C, Edmunds, E, & Kelly-Bateman, V. (2008). Connectivism. In M. Orey (Ed.), Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved June 19, 2011, from http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/

Drexler, W. (Designer). Drexler, A (Artwork). The networked student… in plain english. [Web]. Retrieved from http://www.teach42.com/2008/12/06/the-networked-student-in-plain-english/

Foley, G. (Ed.). (2004). Dimensions of adult learning: Adult education and training in a global era. McGraw-Hill Education.

Jenkins, Jack. "Constructivism." Encyclopedia of Educational Leadership and Administration. 2006. SAGE Publications. 23

Kim, B. (2001). Social Constructivism.. In M. Orey (Ed.), Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved June 19, 2011, from http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/

Ormrod, J., Schunk, D., & Gredler, M. (2009). Learning theories and instruction (Laureate custom edition). New York: Pearson.

Ormrod, J., (n.d). Information Processing and the Brain. Los Angeles: Laureate Education, Inc. Retrieved from http://sylvan.live.ecollege.com

Week 7 – Re-visit how I best learn, after learning about learning…

In Week-1 of this class, I responded to the question of how I best learn based on my life experiences and what I have learned in other college courses, from the Web, and from personal conversations with other students, family members and co-workers.

I posted in the classroom discussion board that it is important that I retain information I learn, since without retention I really have not “learned” anything. The best method for me to retain and learn is to be able to see in my mind images of the things that I have learned about. The learning theories discussed in the past seven weeks, and my realization as to how much a hot topic “learning styles” is, have changed my idea of how I learn somewhat.

I posted that when it comes to some of the learning theories, I felt that I learn better via the details described in the cognitive learning theory. In the cognitive approach, the memory system is seen as an organized storage and retrieval system for information. Additionally, prior information, in the form or experiences and other stored memories, play important roles in further learning. Cognitivists don’t just rely on behavior to explain learning, they consider how memory is used when learning. Studies of how the brain processes memory, what functions certain parts of the brain perform, and how information is encoded and accessed are big in cognitive theory. Retrieval and pruning of long term memory, as well as how short term memory functions and transfer of information to long term memory are also considered. Furthermore, cognitivists generally focus on the individual learner rather than the environment that they learn in.

Ormrod (2011) stated that teachers and instructional designers want students to begin thinking in ways that are going to help them not only understand the material, but also remember it better (Ormrod, 2011). This course has certainly done that. While I still feel that I prefer to learn with visual imagery, and that I use cognitive processes to encode, store, and retrieve learned information and knowledge, I also have more to add to that.

In recapping the theories we have learned, I present to you the following:

Behaviorists theorize that Learning is what people do in response to stimuli and that we learn from conditioning, or successes and mistakes.

Cognitivism sees the memory system as an organized storage and retrieval system for information. Prior experiences and other stored memories further learning. Cognitivists study how the brain processes short term and long term memory and generally focuses on the individual learner rather than the environment that they learn in.

Constructivism suggests that learners actively construct new ideas or concepts based upon current and past knowledge or experience and that knowledge and meaning come from an interaction between our experiences and ideas.

Connectivism states that knowledge exists in the world rather than in the head of an individual and that learning in achieved through capturing that knowledge from the world. In connectivism, knowledge and learning does not have to exist in the human mind. Connectivism shares some of its core principles with the social learning theory, where in it is believe that people only learn through social contact.

Social Learning Theory suggests that interaction of persons, behavior, and environment create learning and that reality and knowledge are created by humans in a social setting. Yet without humans, learning is not possible. This portion of the theory is in stark contrast to connectivism

Adult Learning (or andragogy) is concerned with how humans as adults learn and how the other various theories can be applied to, and made to work towards, achieving adult learning. Since much of our learning is done as we mature from infant to adult, learning as we age takes on different meaning and can be more or less effective, depending on the methods used. Adult learning takes into consideration the idea that as a person matures he or she moves toward self-direction and that they draw on their experiences to help them learn. Andragogy also analyzes how ready adults are to learn and suggest that adults want to know how what they are learning can be applied in their current role in life (or job). Andragogy also states that adults want to know how to use the new knowledge to solve problems. This is all subject as well to what motivates an adult learner.

Conclusion

After taking all of this in, I realize now that pinning my particular “method” or “style” of learning to one theory is not very wise. Yet at the same time, it is often necessary to choose a path and stay with it. This however is not one of those times, unless I were to choose the path that says I am open to all roads and learning theories and that I can apply a little of all of them to my life.

First and foremost, I am an adult learner. From this starting point, I do use social interactions (social theory), learn from stimuli and trial and error (behaviorism and constructivism), use short term and long term memory to encode and retrieve information (cognitive), and I interact socially with the world to gain access to knowledge and learn it (connectivism and social learning theory)

In essence, I have added pieces of all of the learning theories I have “learned” from this class and stored them all under the roof of an adult learner. I find it hard to commit to one particular theory over the other, but I do feel that having learned about all of these, I am better equipped to take the ideas these theories maintain and use them in instructional design. The only question is how I know which theories to use. I think that as an adult learner, my past experiences will guide me in the right direction. However if I fail to choose the correct path, I am sure that I will learn from that as well and do better the next time.

As far as what role technology plays in my learning, I would have to say that it is the biggest contributor. Sure, printed books, the invention and existence of the written language, and society itself are technology exemplified. However, the newer technologies, specifically those that have an “e” in front of them, have sped up my learning and even more importantly enriched it. Almost instantly I can get on the Web, log onto my “e-campus”, post discussion board entries, search the “e-library” for “e-books”, instant message friends and family, and create a number of “e-documents” for use in class or to present to others. So I would say that today’s “e-technology” super enhances my learning. Not only that, but the amount of information and knowledge that is out there really gives my brain lots of opportunity to prune unused synapses.

Thanks

References

Ormrod, J., (2011). An Introduction to Learning. Los Angeles: Laureate Education, Inc. Podcast retrieved from http://sylvan.live.ecollege.com

Week 6 - MI

This week we learned about Multiple Intelligences (MI).

Gardner (1993) introduced the idea of MI (Gardner, 1993). In his book “Frames of Mind”, Gardner (1993) stated that we as humans have certain capabilities, or intelligences, that can be generally summed up into eight categories (Gardner, 1993). These are linguistic, logical-mathematical, spatial, bodily-kinesthetic, musical, interpersonal, intrapersonal and naturalist (Gardner, 1993). MI exist in all of us and most people possess some of each. Typically, individuals are stronger in one or two of these MI and they usually become the driving force behind their life choices.

The category that I fit into most is spatial. A person that has a high spatial intelligence is said to have a keen sensitivity to color, line, shape, form, and space and the relationships that exist between all of these elements. It includes the capacity to visualize, to graphically represent visual or spatial ideas, and to orient oneself appropriately in a spatial matrix (Armstrong, 2009).

I prefer to work with things that I can see. I prefer to learn based on video presentations, graphical representations, photographs, etc. My life choices have revolved around that. I had to have a High Definition Television (HDTV) when the prices became manageable. I love to use computers simply because they are capable of so many ways to display graphic images and videos. I love to play video games just to have my visual cortex stimulated by the vast array of colors and action. I also use AutoCAD (from AutoDesk) to design anything I need in three dimensions (3D). I used AutoCAD in a previous job and grew to love it.

As a side not, I recently decided to rebuild the stairway in my garage and I had to of course use
AutoCAD to design it and then draw up the plans for it. The 3D Image is below:





At any rate, this week was a well spent one learning about learning.

Thanks


References

Armstrong, T. (2009). Multiple intelligences in the classroom (3rd ed.). Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development

Gardner, H. (1993). Frame of mind: The theory of multiple intelligences - 10th anniversary edition. New York: Basic Books

Week 5 - Relfection

This week, as I developed the mind map, I had to think about how it is my brain gets information. The best digital tools for me come from the Internet these days. However, I do read books and I love to watch the discovery channel. Yet again, when I have a question, I go online and do searches to find the answers. Additionally, I use classroom discussion boards, Google searches, online Wikis, etc. I also get a lot of information from social networks, such as Facebook and LinkedIn.

The learning that I do these days is in the category of self directed adult learning. Malcolm Shepherd Knowles’s (1913 - 1997) career was focused on self directed learning. Self directed learning is a process where individuals take on the responsibility for their own learning by diagnosing their personal learning needs, setting goals, identifying resources, implementing strategies and evaluating the outcomes (Conlan. Grabowski,& Smith, 2003). Knowles described his study of adult learning as andragogy. Andragogy is also the philosophy that recognizes that adult learners want to have a hand in, and be responsible for, their own education and their own learning (Timeline, n.d.).

My mind map was in itself a self directed learning process, though it was actually a class assignment. However, since my graduate courses are online, self direction and motivation are a huge part of taking courses online. Therefore, I have to direct myself, motivate myself, and make myself read, study, and do the course work. There are a lot of things that drive me to do this, but mostly it is the desire to obtain new knowledge and the drive to succeed (Timeline, n.d.).

The mind map exercise has forced me to examine how it is I gather information. What is really interesting is what happens once I get it. Though I use a process that can be described by the learning theory connectivism, I still have to process the information. Connectivism assumes that knowledge exists in the world rather than in the head of an individual. Therefore, for me to learn, I must go out and get that knowledge. This week’s mind map not only shows all of my readers how I gather knowledge, but I can also use it when I need to make sure I have checked all of my sources for knowledge.

While connectivism does support the idea that knowledge exists outside the human mind, I prefer to think that we all have knowledge that is not necessarily gathered from the external world. For example, we know that if we punch ourselves in the arm, it will hurt. In that example, we gathered that knowledge ourselves. It was not the external world that gave us that knowledge, it was our fist hitting our arm. This is just one example of how the theory of connectivism is not a catch all theory. However, connectivism does do a good job of showing us as learners and students an effective way of seeing how others may learn and therefore help us to develope instructional programs for others in the future.

Thanks

References

Conlan, J., Grabowski, S., & Smith, K.. (2003). Adult Learning. In M. Orey (Ed.), Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved (2011, May 31), from http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/index.php?title=Adult_Learning

Timeline of the history of learning. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://mym.cdn.laureate-media.com/Walden/EDUC/6115/01/mm/tec_timeline.html

Week 5 - Connectivism

Hello world,

This week we were assigned the task of creating a mind map. I had lots of software at my disposal to do this. Some the choices are Autodesk’s AutoCAD, Microsoft’s Visio, Word, PowerPoint, and Excel, and finally Adobe’s PhotoShop.

However, I chose to go with Visio, it was the easiest to use and it converted to JPG quickly.

I hope you enjoy!

Thanks

My Learning Network
(click on the image for a full size version)