Responses to Learning in a Digital World

Comments were sent to the blogs of the following classmates:

Beth Robinson – Blog Address: http://www.jenniferbethrobinson.blogspot.com/


Amanda Darlington - Blog Address: http://darlingtonsblog.blogspot.com/2011_11_01_archive.html

Learning in a Digital World Blog Post 6

     Technology allows me to access information more quickly and efficiently. The technology gives me access to research databases. I am able to use database filters towards finding pertinent journal articles. I am also able to narrow my search on the research topic. My ability to learn occurs differently in an online setting in comparison with a face-to-face setting. The online environment has its own situated possibilities – constraints (SPC) systems where there is, “a range of what is possible for the learner to learn as well as the appropriate instructional methods and media is to be employed” (Driscoll, 2005, p. 414). Access into the classroom of an online setting is through a course page. There are essential bi-weekly resources which include books, journals, blogs, video webpages, etc. for the learner to review. All assignments go through an online classroom. Interactions take place through asynchronous classroom discussions. As a learner, I am able to reflect on the literature and assignments more easily and develop self-regulatory learning skills.

     Multiple sources of information and problem-solving allow me to develop my own personal theory for learning and instruction. Driscoll (2005) emphasizes teaching and learning instruction as (a) prescriptive – oriented to solving problems of instruction, (b) systemic – focused on relations among possibilities and constraints produced in a situated instructional context, (c) wholistic – based on integration of contemporary learning theory, and (d) humane – founded on respect for the personality of individual learners (p. 413). The Universal Constructivist Instructional Theory (UCIT) covers a, “variety of different learners, different learning environments, and different subject matters” (Driscoll, 2005, p. 413). Instructional designers create learning systems that relate to instructional systems. Instructional designers need to be reflective. New theories provide instructional designers with different experiences. Instructional designers gain different experiences. Practical knowledge will serve to temper theoretical understandings. Instructional designers enable instruction to be as good as it can be (p. 416).

Reference:

Driscoll, M. P. (2005). Psychology of learning for instruction (3rd ed.).

Boston, MA: Pearson Education.

 

Responses to New Technologies

Comments were sent to the blogs of the following classmates:

Beth Robinson – Blog address: http://www.jenniferbethrobinson.blogspot.com/


Elizabeth Scroggs - Blog address: http://escroggs.blogspot.com/

New Technologies Blog Post 5

• Briefly describe a situation in which you have encouraged people to use a new technology and have been met with resistance or disappointing results. What attitudes did these people exhibit? What behaviors did they demonstrate? Using Keller’s ARCS model, describe how you could change the motivation of these people, or learners to encourage success.

Interactive whiteboards became the new technology instrument for middle school teachers to use and design lessons. The whiteboards allow teachers to create lessons on flipcharts. The members of the leadership team and I did insist that teachers learn the new technology and create their own flipcharts. Most of the teachers thought the new technology was exciting. There were also teachers who did not feel comfortable with having to learn the new technology. There was a sense that learning the new technology was too overwhelming. Resource teachers and the members of the leadership team were able to attend workshops on how to design flipcharts. During the summer, resource teachers were able to create 3 introductory flipchart lessons. The initial flipchart lessons were for the teachers within their department. Using Keller’s ARCS model, I was able to support resource teachers. Our goal was to get teachers within each of the departments to design lesson flipcharts for the interactive whiteboards.

Resource teachers gave a fall introductory lesson on how to design lesson flip charts for the interactive whiteboards. They were able to sustain their teachers’ attention by demonstrating the use of the whiteboard features. A stylist or pen drags icons and text-features along the whiteboard. Teachers are able to show learners 5 minute video clips that demonstrate a new concept as part of the teacher’s lesson. Teachers are also able to have their students cast active-votes. The instrument allows teachers to check for understanding or take a quick poll from a question the teacher will give students. Students who receive an active-vote are able to anonymously cast their response. The student’s response will show on a line/bar graph along with the response from the other students.

As teachers began to see the features from the interactive whiteboards, they began to realize how relevant it was to implement the new technology. Interactive whiteboards support learners in achieving important goals and outcomes from a lesson. The features on the interactive whiteboards encourage student involvement. Learners have many opportunities to demonstrate their understanding of what they are learning with the use of the stylist. The active-vote is another beneficial feature relevant to show teachers how well their students are learning. 

     The resource teachers are also able to build the confidence levels of teachers from their department. The resource teachers establish a positive expectation for success in giving the message that interactive whiteboards support all types of learners.  The interactive whiteboards provide an opportunity for learners to utilize technology and demonstrate what they are learning. The resource teachers were also able to instill confidence by assisting/supporting their teachers in learning how to design and create lesson flip charts.

     In department meetings, the teachers are able to analyze other colleagues’ lesson flipcharts as a method to generate satisfaction with the implantation of the new technology. During meetings, “the use of positive consequences such as verbal praise, incentives, or real or symbolic awards, may be effective in generating satisfaction” (Driscoll, 2005, p. 337). In using Keller’s ARCS model, “satisfaction within particular achievement might be dimmed by the observation that everyone else performed just as well or better” (Driscoll, 2005, p. 338). The new interactive whiteboard technology allows teachers to share their ideas and their own flipcharts with colleagues’. The teachers receive satisfaction in knowing their students will achieve the goals from the lesson outcomes.

Reference:

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

Responses to Connectivism as a Learning Theory: Mindmapping

Comments were sent to the blogs of the following classmates:

Sarah Dillahunt – Blog address: http://sarahdwaldenu.blogspot.com/

Elizabeth Scroggs - Blog address: http://escroggs.blogspot.com/

Connectivism as a Learning Theory: Mindmapping Blog Post 4

• How has your network changed the way you learn?

A network arises when two or more learning communities known as nodes connect and form a larger learning community for learning. Networks can store and distribute information by digital means. Connectivism is a process where, “the starting point for learning occurs when knowledge is actuated through the process of a learner connecting to and feeding information into a learning community” (Kop & Hill, 2008, p. 2). Networks allow information to exchange very rapidly. The, “validity and accuracy of information may change over time depending on the discovery of new contributions pertaining to a subject” (Kop & Hill, 2008, p. 2). I find my own process for learning and decision making changes through attainment of current updates. Constructivism emphasizes “two important skills that contribute to learning which are the ability to seek out current information and the ability to filter secondary and extraneous information” (Kop & Hill, 2008, p. 2).

• Which digital tools best facilitate learning for you?

I use digital tools that foster and guide my learning process. Constructivism learning principles emphasize learning as, “a network formation process of connecting specialized nodes or information sources” (Siemens, 2006, p. 31). The digital tools emphasize different types of learning ecologies. They are adaptive and provide effective means for knowledge exchange. An example is the e-college classes that I take online through Walden University. The teaching staff where I work use promethean board technology  as a facilitative tool for guiding student learning. Other examples include game-based learning programs such as study-island and hoodamath . An example of a community - based learning tool for data learning discussions is Edmodo. Our teaching staff receives professional development using Edmodo. Another community-based tool for collaboration is Google Docs. Wikis and Blogs are excellent sources for self-learning that is independent. Skype - is a tool for recurring conferences. Digital tools provide a continuum for learning as an exploratory process.

• How do you learn new knowledge when you have questions?

I use self-learning digital tools as a way to learn new knowledge or when I have questions. They are a good source for getting background knowledge and learning additional information. Informal learning conference tools are also a source for asking meaningful questions. As a learner, I may find meaning through the chaotic conversations. If the process is more formal, I value community-based learning programs as a tool for getting a multifaceted view of the latest information. Descriptions of the types of learning in a learning ecology are on Table 1 of the Siemen’s (2006) text.

References:

Blogs. (n.d.). Retrieved on October 22, 2011 from  http://www.blogger.com/.

Edmodo. (n.d.). Retrieved October 22, 2011 from http://www.edmodo.com/.

Google Docs. (n.d). Retrieved on October 22, 2011 from 
           http://docs.google.com/demo/.

Hooda Math. (n.d.). Retrieved October 22, 2011 from http://hoodamath.com/.

Laureate, Education, Inc. Login. (n.d.). Retrieved October 22, 2011 from

http://sylvan.live.ecollege.com/

Promethean Technology for Educators. (n.d). Retrieved on October 22, 2011 from

            http://www.prometheanworld.com/.

Siemens, G. (2006). Knowing knowledge. Retrieved from http://www.Lulu.com.

Skype. (n.d.). Retrieved on October 22, 2011 from
            http://www.skype.com/intl/en-us/home.

StudyIsland. (n.d.). Retrieved on October 22, 2011from http://www.studyisland.com/.

Wikis. (n.d.). Retrieved on October 22, 2011 from http://www.wikispaces.com/.

Responses to Collaborative Learning Theory

Comments were sent to the blogs of the following classmates:

Jennifer Robinson – Blog address: http://www.jenniferbethrobinson.blogspot.com/

Elizabeth Scroggs - Blog address: http://escroggs.blogspot.com/

Collaboration as a Learning Theory Blog Post 3

Humans do have a basic instinct to collaborate in order to evolve and discover new forms of wealth. Rheingold mentions the evolution of nomadic hunters banding together in order to hunt bigger game. The evolution of civilization starts with housing structures made from mud. As people began collaborating, the structure of civilizations became empires. The evolution of communicative literacy enables, “new forms of collective action to emerge” (Rheingold, 2008). People began to affiliate with different forms of knowledge, religion and politics. Collaborative learning can also occur as students work together in problem-solving and developing their skills to think critically.

Technology software in the form of groupware is available to support learners with constructivist principles. The collaborative technologies support problem scaffolding. Groupware is available “in the form of virtual access to knowledge experts and online support to make thinking visible” (p. 404). Students are able to communicate within and outside of their learning community, track their progress as a group and conduct investigations.

Hwee Ling Lim (2010) conducts a survey study given to two groups of students after completing an online synchronous course. The course structure basis its principles on constructivists’ views. Learners, “evaluate the extent to which an instructional activity in a virtual environment fosters collaborative learning” (Lim, 2010, p. 306). The first group of students consists of thirteen both native and English as Foreign/Second Language (ESL/EFL) speakers. The second group consists of eight native English Language (EL) speakers. Chat room media experience varies among the two groups. Seventy-seven percent of the EL speakers group uses the chat room media prior to taking the course. Twenty-three percent of ESL/EFL speakers uses the chat room media prior to taking the course. Results show that peer scaffolding was available for both groups at varying levels. A greater degree of collaborative learning was among the smaller group. Lim claims this may be due to group size and participant characteristics. The learners’ difficulties and differences in experiences offer the possibility of modifying the activity for future research.

References:

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

Lim, H. L. (2010). Scaffolding and knowledge Appropriation in online collaborative group

discussions. Contemporary Educational Technology 1 (4), 306 – 321.          
             http://cedtech.net/articles/142.pdf.

Rheingold, H. (2008, February). Howard Rheingold on collaboration [Video file]. Retrieved

from  http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/howard_rheingold_on_collaboration.html.

Responses Sent on Cognitivism as a Learning Theory

Comments were sent to the blogs of the following classmates:

Ena Smith-Goddard – Blog address: http://ena-spoonfulofsugar.blogspot.com

Linda Hutchison – Blog address: http://hutchisonedt550.blogspot.com/

Jennifer Robinson – Blog address: http://www.jenniferbethrobinson.blogspot.com/

Cognitivism as a Learning Theory

     Learning theory is a set of constructs that develop in order to explain changes in a person’s level of performance. According to the blog by Bill Kerr (2007) the purpose of having learning theories is to, “help deliver radical curriculum reform” (p. 1). Learning theorists develop, “significant findings in their empirical studies” (Kerr, 2007, p. 2). Every learning theory evolves through criticism via independent learning theorists. Kerr (2007) also states that learning theories provide, “something useful without any of them being complete or stand alone in their own right” (p. 4). 
     Karl Kapp (2007) shares the same belief as Kerr. He claims that instructional designers should, “take the best from each philosophy and use it wisely to create solid educational experiences for our learners” (Kapp, 2007, p. 1). Kapp suggests using the behaviorist approach for lower level learning skills such as memorizing, recognizing, labeling and the expectation of measurable outcomes. He distinguishes cognitivism as procedural and rule-based learning. Knapp also mentions constructivism which emphasizes problem-solving, collaboration and creativity.
     Stephen Downes hosts the original blog dialogue regarding the different learning theories with Kerr and Knapp. Downes adds that learning is complex which comprises of information-processing within the human brain. Cognitivists view the learning process as an internal function. Learning can enhance via social interactions with others. Downes disagrees with the analogy of the mind being similar to a computer. He states that, “depicting the mind as analogous to symbol system processors is to misrepresent it in a fundamental way” (Kerr, 2007, p. 3).
     Learning is a multi-step process where learners perform tasks that they could not perform before learning the new task. Instructional designers utilize various learning theories to support learners in being able to, “demonstrate the same performance time after time” (Driscoll, 2005, p. 9). Educators utilize cognitive processes to help learners’ convert additional information into their long-term memory. Educators utilize behavioral processes to support learners’ in being able to demonstrate a new task.

References:

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

Kapp, K. (2007, January 2). Out and about: Discussion on educational schools of thought [Web log post]. Retrieved from http://www.kaplaneduneering.com/kappnotes/index.php/2007/01/out-and-about-discussion-on-educational/

Kerr, B. (2007, January 1). _isms as filter, not blinker [Web log post]. Retrieved from http://billkerr2.blogspot.com/2007/01/isms-as-filter-not-blinker.html

Learning Theory and Educational Technology: Siemens’s review on the, “metaphors of educators”,...

I have posted responses to Jennifer Robinson and Andres Anzaldua for Module 1.

Siemens’s review on the, “metaphors of educators”, describes the role instructors take in a digital classroom or workplace.

      George Siemens (2008) captures the changing roles educators and learners take, “in a technologically-enabled era” (p. 15). The support of progressing development of new technologies allows learners to shift control with parameters and access to materials as needed. Learners can now see, “as participative tools grow in popularity, the autonomy of learners and their control over access to information continues to increase” (Siemens, 2008, p. 15).
     The “Educator as a Master Artist” is John Seely Brown’s vision similar to an art studio. As students display their work, they may also receive comments from the instructor and fellow students. The teacher observes all projects at the same time. The teacher may also point out “innovative approaches where student learning is not solely based on the expertise of the instructor” (Siemens, 2008, p. 15). The purpose is for learners to gain and possibly change their perspective after examining all sample display.
     The “Educator as a Network Administrator” is Clarence Fisher’s example where educators’ assist their learners’ to form connections and create learning networks. The learning networks support learners in meeting the outcomes of a predestined course. The educator shows learners how to, “critically evaluate network sources suitability as part of a holistic and diversified learning network” (Siemens, 2008, p. 16). The approach is valuable where the learner and educator work together in finding gaps within the learning network.
     The “Educator as a Concierge” is Cutis Bonk’s example that allows the educator to direct learners to possibly unexplored resources. Learners are able to gain knowledge from other resources and explore further learning on their own. Teachers are responsible for being resourceful. They support the learner in becoming navigators towards their own learning.
. Siemens “Educator as a Curator” model suggests that, “educators must assume dual roles: as experts with advanced knowledge of a domain and guides who foster and encourage learner exploration” (Siemens, 2008, p. 17). The curator is an expert learner. The curator creates space for knowledge exploration. Curators, “balance the freedom of individual learners with thoughtful interpretation of the subject to explore” (Siemens, 2008, p. 17).
     The four models, “share a common attribute of blending the concept of educator expertise with learner construction” (Siemen, 2008, p. 17). Educators and learners will come to see networks as a means towards knowledge and learning processes. Siemen (2008) suggests, “it is not realistic to expect subject-matter experts to be well-versed in different technologies, pedagogies, and open content sources” (p. 18). It is critical for the instructional designer to be an educator to educators. All of the metaphors are equally valid in giving instructional designers strategies towards supporting, “faculty, designers and technical staff” (Siemens, 2008, p. 18). Emphasis will go towards, “addressing knowledge as existing in networks and learning as developing and forming diverse, multi-faceted networks” (Siemens, 2008, p. 19).

References:

Siemens, G. (2008, January 27). 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%20

Examples of behaviorist uses of technology can be found on the following site:

 http://classweb.gmu.edu/ndabbagh/Resources/IDKB/models_theories.htm#implications