What I learned from the readings:
Ways of Learning: Learning Theories and Learning Styles in the Classroom: Learning can occur at any time and in a variety of ways, even outside of the classroom environment. Behaviorism and constructivism are two of the main categories to describe ways of learning. Also, many other learning theories have been developed out of these main categories, such as the multiple intelligences and learning styles. Teachers are considered to be “catalysts” for learning. A teacher is the motivating factor that encourages effective learning.
Psychology, Instructional Design, and the Use of Technology: Behavioral, Cognitive, and Affordances Perspectives: The three main learning theory categories build upon each other instead of being separate from one another. First, is the behavioral aspect or learning, then the cognitive view is added, and finally the affordances perspective. The affordances viewpoint is the combination of the behaviorist and cognitive theories, which consists of internal and external factors working together. Technology is tied into the effectiveness of the overall learning experience and supports the learning theories.
Improving Human Learning in the Classroom: Theories and Teaching Practices: Learning theories promote learner-centered instruction, where the teacher must concentrate on implementing a variety of instructional strategies in order to account for the different ways that students learn best. Learning theories are constantly being researched, and teachers must constantly be aware of learners as individuals.
Behaviorism and Instructional Technology: Behaviorism and instructional technology are a perfect match. Behaviorist theory relies on uniformity and simplicity in order to enhance learning. Instructional technology is an excellent application of behaviorist strategies and methods.
What new things have I learned or thought about as a result of the readings and discussions?
In the readings, I have learned that there is much more to learning theories than I thought regarding research and practical application to educational practices. I especially enjoyed learning about how specific theories were applied in educational situations and educational technology. As a teacher myself, I was interested in how some of the readings portrayed the teacher’s role. The teacher needs to concentrate on learners as individuals and be familiar with a variety of instructional strategies that reflect learning theories in a positive way. Teachers can use behaviorism and constructivism in their daily instruction in order to create a positive and effective learning environment.
In the student-led discussion for this module, I participated in a discussion about the epistemological significance of the Internet on education. We discussed about the positive and negative effects of the Internet on education. The Internet has provided a virtual library of interactive and collaborative resources to each learner’s fingertips. Students are able to search out answers to questions instantly and create digital representations of their learning experiences. However, students and learners are exposed to the negative elements of the Internet as well, which is why it is sometimes difficult to implement effective use of the Internet for educational purposes.
How might my knowledge and experiences influence my actions, and the actions of those around me?
My knowledge and experiences gained from this module will influence me in my daily work and peer collaboration. With more knowledge about learning theories and strategies, I will be able to incorporate theory into practical applications in educational settings. For example, I can integrate behaviorist techniques into my lessons by incorporating the environment into instructional strategies. If I use more variety in my instruction as a result of learning more about learning theories, then my students will have more positive and effective learning experiences. With the behaviorist theory, students can learn how to use the environment and other outside influences to enhance their personal learning experiences. With the constructivist theory, my students can learn how to apply their background knowledge to current learning experiences.
What interactions have I had that have been the most valuable?
The interactions that have been the most valuable are the comments and discussion postings throughout the module. In the student-led discussion, I shared my opinions and thoughts about the epistemological significance of the Internet on education. I believe that the Internet is slowing changing the way that students learn and apply their learned knowledge. In order to succeed in the 21st century, students must have 21st century skills and be able to think critically. I have experimented within my own classroom with the Internet as a tool for improved learning experiences. However, like the other teachers in the discussion, I am apprehensive about using the Internet because of the negative aspects regarding learner safety and appropriate usage of Internet resources.
The resource that I added to the wiki.
The resource that I added to the wiki was actually a link to a professor’s site that included several resources/links about learning theories and other sources relating to educational technology and learning. I especially liked the Powerpoint (http://tinyurl.com/yfehct5) that explained how to apply the different learning theories in the classroom. I definitely saved this Powerpoint to use as a future reference in this course. The main link that I provided was to the section about learning theories and information regarding each individual theory, which is displayed in a table and sub-sections for each theory (http://www.professorlindakennedy.com/research.html#anchor33212). I like how the Powerpoint provides a simple explanation of the main theories and then gives examples of how these theories can be applied in the classroom. I thought that this would be a great resource for everyone in the class. The site’s section about learning theories provides several links that will be extremely helpful for the duration of this class, and the entire site will be a great bookmark for the entire educational technology program.
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