What did you find surprising or striking as you furthered your knowledge about how people learn?
For the most part, I can say that I always find it striking how different people within the same environment can address the same material, but process it in different ways. The difference in opinions over the usefulness of a particular learning style or perspective, over another, within certain learning environments proposed another striking dynamic for me as I furthered my knowledge about how people learn. It seems to me that each _ism is offering something useful without any of them being complete or stand alone in their own right (Kerr, 2007). Yet, using this class as an example, it consisted of people with a variety of learning styles who were able to grasp the instructional material for this class, the same class that was constructed from multiple theories for a well-rounded and effective learning environment.
How has this course deepened your understanding of our personal learning process?
Humans are completely interconnected with the systems in which they act (Foley, 2004). This course challenged me to pay closer attention to everything around me, from the minute to the more intricate, most utilized individuals and technologies that make up my personal learning network. Learning processes are not limited to human individuals and communities, although human beings do function as whole systems that learn, adapt, organize and transform themselves as distinct entities (Foley, 2004). There were things and ideas I considered, that I had never taken into account before. This course has also shown me how important it can be to instructional design, that you understand your own learning process in order to understand the audience you are creating instruction for. Lastly, the realization that there are other learning strategies that would fit my learning process was a discovery for my future learning experiences. When one understands his or her learning styles, he or she can make appropriate modifications to increase academic achievement (Gilbert and Swanier, 2008).
What have you learned regarding the connection between learning theories, learning styles, educational technology, and motivation?
Learning theories, learning styles, educational technology, and motivations are all very critical pieces to effective instructional design for present day and future learners. The learning theory is indispensable to the curriculum reform effort (Kerr, 2007). Learning theories are a foundation for understanding and developing learning styles. Learning styles affect the way students acquire and process information (Gilbert and Swanier, 2008). Educational technology can be incorporated into any learning environment to support any learner’s information processing. It can be extremely useful if effectively implemented. Motivation is the key piece to bringing all of the fore mentioned together for a successful learning experience. To learn effectively, you not only have to have the cognitive processes that enable you to learn effectively; you also have to want to learn it. And that is where motivation comes into the picture (Ormrod, video text).
How will your learning in this course help you as you further your career in the field of instructional design?
Learning Theories and Instruction has definitely become an important catalyst for my increasing interest in understanding learning processes, learning theories, and educational technology. This course laid a very stable foundation for me as I continue with furthering my career in the field of instructional design. It has exposed me to learning dynamics and resources that I had yet to become aware of, and connected me to other future instructional designers.
As we approached each week’s discussions and learning resources, I was challenged, but at the same time, I was motivated to expand my cognitive processes regarding how I would apply what was being presented via the course. In addition, I was also able to dispel some lines of thought, from previous trainings and learning experiences that were incorrect. Lastly, this course will be a resource for further study, to support or challenge the information I will approach as I further my career in instructional design.
Resources:
Ormrod, Jeanne. Video Program: “Motivation in Learning”
Gilbert, J., & Swanier, C. (2008). Learning styles: How do they fluctuate? Institute for Learning Styles Journal [Vol. l]. Retrieved from http://www.auburn.edu/~witteje/ilsrj/Journal%20Volumes/Fall%202008%20Volume%201%20PDFs/Learning%20Styles%20How%20do%20They%20Fluctuate.pdf
Foley, G. (Ed.). (2004). Dimensions of adult learning: Adult education and training in a global era. McGraw-Hill Education.
Bill Kerr: http://billkerr2.blogspot.com/2007/01/isms-as-filter-not-blinker.html
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Saturday, August 14, 2010
Fitting the Pieces Together
Here is my retake of revisiting of my first approach at analyzing my own learning style/preferences
Now that you have a deeper understanding of the different learning theories and learning styles, how has your view on how you learn changed?
As I have studied the various learning theories in depth, I have discovered that my views on learning styles have broadened to the potential that each theory creates for “the” learner that is best suited to that particular learning perspective. I am now able to justify why one learning perspective should or should not be implemented in certain learning environments. In addition, my views on effective instructional design have broaden to the necessary incorporation of some form of technology to support the learner’s information processing.
What have you learned about the various learning theories and learning styles over the past weeks that can further explain your own personal learning preferences?
My preference of learning theory, at this point, may be personalized to how I learn. Piaget’s Cognitive Development theory sets a foundation for how I learn, especially with its focus on a learner’s repeated interaction and experimentation, to promote more logical ways of thinking (Ormrod class text). Now, as an adult learning, adjusting to the technology advancements of today’s society, the incorporation of technology to my new learning environments, Constructivism and Connectivism provide additional support and exploration of social connections and broadening of my personal learning environment by adding additional layers to how I am able to learn and master new information.
What role does technology play in your learning (i.e., as a way to search for information, to record information, to create, etc.)?
Today, technology plays an important role in my learning process. As an adult learner, my pursuit of a graduate degree through Walden University is encompassed by the use of technology to master the information presented. My personal learning environment, as mentioned and described in previous posts, includes multiple social networks, online learning and educational resources, and additional network connections that are available through technology. It is unimaginable, with today’s society, that technology would not be used or incorporated in my learning process.
Now that you have a deeper understanding of the different learning theories and learning styles, how has your view on how you learn changed?
As I have studied the various learning theories in depth, I have discovered that my views on learning styles have broadened to the potential that each theory creates for “the” learner that is best suited to that particular learning perspective. I am now able to justify why one learning perspective should or should not be implemented in certain learning environments. In addition, my views on effective instructional design have broaden to the necessary incorporation of some form of technology to support the learner’s information processing.
What have you learned about the various learning theories and learning styles over the past weeks that can further explain your own personal learning preferences?
My preference of learning theory, at this point, may be personalized to how I learn. Piaget’s Cognitive Development theory sets a foundation for how I learn, especially with its focus on a learner’s repeated interaction and experimentation, to promote more logical ways of thinking (Ormrod class text). Now, as an adult learning, adjusting to the technology advancements of today’s society, the incorporation of technology to my new learning environments, Constructivism and Connectivism provide additional support and exploration of social connections and broadening of my personal learning environment by adding additional layers to how I am able to learn and master new information.
What role does technology play in your learning (i.e., as a way to search for information, to record information, to create, etc.)?
Today, technology plays an important role in my learning process. As an adult learner, my pursuit of a graduate degree through Walden University is encompassed by the use of technology to master the information presented. My personal learning environment, as mentioned and described in previous posts, includes multiple social networks, online learning and educational resources, and additional network connections that are available through technology. It is unimaginable, with today’s society, that technology would not be used or incorporated in my learning process.
Saturday, July 31, 2010
Mind Map Reflection
How has your network changed the way you learn?
Over time, my personal learning environment has grown and been rearranged by the removal or replacement of certain tools, methods, and people. “…learning doesn’t occur in a vacuum. It is at the intersection of prior knowledge, experience, perception, reality, comprehension, and flexibility that learning occurs (Edmonds and Bateman, 2008). Technology plays a big role in how my network influences my learning process more so today than during my lower level learning. As a child, my network was somewhat limited by what environments I was exposed to and the tools available within those environments. My parents and siblings, schoolteachers and peers, and school texts, dictionaries, encyclopedias, so foreign today, along with childhood adventures within my neighborhood, were the connections or network available to assist with my learning.
As an adult learner, my network, in its newest form, has changed the way I learn. It is more complex and vast. The inclusion of technology has presented an available abundance of information, through social mediums (social networking, email, cell phones, etc.), websites, online journals, online universities, and online learning tools (Wikipedia, search engines like Google, e-libraries). George Siemens put it plainly, “The ability to recognize and adjust to pattern shifts, therefore, becomes a key learning tasks” (Edmonds and Bateman, 2008). I have incorporated the ability to research questions and topics through multiple sources in real time, and the ability to connect with multiple individuals for discussions, conversations, or information processing, into my learning strategies to encode, retain, and assist with recalling data, from my network.
Which digital tools best facilitate learning for you?
The digital tools that best facilitate learning for me, are those that easy to use and understand. Where would I be without my pc or the ability to log onto the web? The Internet makes a wealth of information available to me within seconds, and software like Microsoft Office has made it easy to capture and save that information for future use. In the past, I’d never leave home without my house keys, but today, it is imperative that I have my cell phone and a flash drive with me at all times.
How do you gain knowledge when you have questions?
When I am challenged or faced with a question, my first thoughts are to who or what within my personal learning environment could best assist me with answering or finding the answer to that question. I have found that my knowledge has come from my search for answers to questions through research or through personal experiences with my network.
In what ways does your personal learning network support or refute the central tenets of connectivism?
The personal learning network I have created is supportive of the tenets of connectivism. It consists of a very diverse group of individuals, from various ethnicities, ages, learning backgrounds, and social experiences. They present very varied opinions, sometimes consistent and shared. The knowledge I have gathered over time has been from various sources or nodes within my network. As an adult learner, I have critically identified the connections within my learning environment that are compatible knowledge sources, and when my network needs updating or rearranging to assist my continued (not stagnate) learning growth.
Lastly, I must reiterate something I mentioned above, my personal learning environment has grown and been rearranged by the removal or replacement of certain tools, methods, and people. Learning today is greatly impacted by the advancement of technology and how it is incorporated in the learning process, and also impacted by the connections we include within our networks. Effective learning will require that you continuously update your network.
References
Davis, C., Edmunds, E., & Kelly-Bateman, V. (2008). Connectivism. In M. Orey (Ed.), Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology
Video Program: “Connectivism” .George Siemens discusses his theory of connectivism.
Over time, my personal learning environment has grown and been rearranged by the removal or replacement of certain tools, methods, and people. “…learning doesn’t occur in a vacuum. It is at the intersection of prior knowledge, experience, perception, reality, comprehension, and flexibility that learning occurs (Edmonds and Bateman, 2008). Technology plays a big role in how my network influences my learning process more so today than during my lower level learning. As a child, my network was somewhat limited by what environments I was exposed to and the tools available within those environments. My parents and siblings, schoolteachers and peers, and school texts, dictionaries, encyclopedias, so foreign today, along with childhood adventures within my neighborhood, were the connections or network available to assist with my learning.
As an adult learner, my network, in its newest form, has changed the way I learn. It is more complex and vast. The inclusion of technology has presented an available abundance of information, through social mediums (social networking, email, cell phones, etc.), websites, online journals, online universities, and online learning tools (Wikipedia, search engines like Google, e-libraries). George Siemens put it plainly, “The ability to recognize and adjust to pattern shifts, therefore, becomes a key learning tasks” (Edmonds and Bateman, 2008). I have incorporated the ability to research questions and topics through multiple sources in real time, and the ability to connect with multiple individuals for discussions, conversations, or information processing, into my learning strategies to encode, retain, and assist with recalling data, from my network.
Which digital tools best facilitate learning for you?
The digital tools that best facilitate learning for me, are those that easy to use and understand. Where would I be without my pc or the ability to log onto the web? The Internet makes a wealth of information available to me within seconds, and software like Microsoft Office has made it easy to capture and save that information for future use. In the past, I’d never leave home without my house keys, but today, it is imperative that I have my cell phone and a flash drive with me at all times.
How do you gain knowledge when you have questions?
When I am challenged or faced with a question, my first thoughts are to who or what within my personal learning environment could best assist me with answering or finding the answer to that question. I have found that my knowledge has come from my search for answers to questions through research or through personal experiences with my network.
In what ways does your personal learning network support or refute the central tenets of connectivism?
The personal learning network I have created is supportive of the tenets of connectivism. It consists of a very diverse group of individuals, from various ethnicities, ages, learning backgrounds, and social experiences. They present very varied opinions, sometimes consistent and shared. The knowledge I have gathered over time has been from various sources or nodes within my network. As an adult learner, I have critically identified the connections within my learning environment that are compatible knowledge sources, and when my network needs updating or rearranging to assist my continued (not stagnate) learning growth.
Lastly, I must reiterate something I mentioned above, my personal learning environment has grown and been rearranged by the removal or replacement of certain tools, methods, and people. Learning today is greatly impacted by the advancement of technology and how it is incorporated in the learning process, and also impacted by the connections we include within our networks. Effective learning will require that you continuously update your network.
References
Davis, C., Edmunds, E., & Kelly-Bateman, V. (2008). Connectivism. In M. Orey (Ed.), Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology
Video Program: “Connectivism” .George Siemens discusses his theory of connectivism.
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Connectivism
This is my mind map of my Personal Learning Environment (PLE). It was a challenge to complete...
Thursday, July 8, 2010
Evaluating and Identifying Online Resources
It is impossible to think, at least for me, that while studying and attempting to master certain subject matter, that any one source will be the definitive collection of everything that you would need to ever know on that particular subject. Throughout this process of studying the foundations, philosophies, and theories of Instructional Design, I have searched for, read, and evaluated several resources that might prove beneficial for my goal of becoming an effective instructional designer. Such resources, like http://www.edpsycinteractive.org/topics/cogsys/infoproc.html , provide descriptive and thought provoking articles on various topics,with this specific link to the topic, The Information Processing Approach to Cognition . Then, I also found www.buzzle.com , a site that provides an enormous amount of thought provoking and intelligent topics and categories. While perusing the Education and Higher Learning Category on www.buzzle.com I found additional links to articles on the brain and learning, theories, and problem solving strategies.
Outside of the classroom setting, online resources, like those that I have mentioned, become so valuable to any learner, especially and instructional designer. The educational world is continually evolving, and resources are valuable tools to creating relevant and theoretically sound instructional materials.
Outside of the classroom setting, online resources, like those that I have mentioned, become so valuable to any learner, especially and instructional designer. The educational world is continually evolving, and resources are valuable tools to creating relevant and theoretically sound instructional materials.
Saturday, July 3, 2010
Instructional Design and Technology Blogs
After recently becoming a graduate student, studying Instructional Design and Technology, I have taken note of the many facets of this profession and learning in general. I have proclaimed myself a life long learner, and having the opportunity to investigate learning is by far, right up my ally.
The Internet provides a wide array of resources from online journals, blogs, e-newsletters, websites, etc., to support the study of or just to inform anyone interested in Instructional Design. A recent assignment from my Learning Theories and Instruction class required a bit of online research and dissection of a few of the resources I found.
Experiencing E-Learning (http://christytucker.wordpress.com/ ) is an online blog hosted by and Instructional Designer named Christy Tucker. Ms. Tucker designs graduate school courses and focuses on secondary education. The theme behind this blog is, “Building engaging learning experiences through instructional design and e-learning.” In perusing this blog, it is definitely useful to anyone trying to understand instructional design, looking for recent developments in the profession, questions on the effectiveness of e-learning, and the overall e-learning experience. Ms. Tucker is eager to communicate and share, and definitely welcomes comments.
Making Change (http://blog.cathy-moore.com/ ) is a blog, hosted by Cathy Moore, dedicated to e-learning as well. What attracted me to this site was its usefulness and descriptive posts. The posts are used more as instructional lessons on topics related to instructional design and e-learning, subdivided with detailed points for clarity. This blog also utilizes graphics and videos to support the posts, somewhat like and additional bonus or resource on each topic.
Lastly, Instructional Design and Development Blog (http://www.iddblog.org/ ), is a part of the Instructional Design Department at DePaul University. Though it is a scholarly, university-hosted blog, the contributors to the blog are students, employees, consultants, designers, and teachers, all associated with the university. I found this blog most interesting and resourceful because the posting come from a variety of instructional design perspectives and backgrounds. This blog was created to enhance the Instructional Design department, but I consider it the most resourceful of all three because of the various contributors’ perspectives.
As I continue to develop my instructional design background, I am sure I will come across numerous resources to support my growth. I have captured three supportive and relative blogs that will continue to be resourceful as I continue to work in the Instructional Design field. They each have similarities, but differ in the perspectives of the writers for each. One thing I have discovered to date is the philosophies and theories surrounding the learning process are comprised of the work and studies of numerous individuals.
The Internet provides a wide array of resources from online journals, blogs, e-newsletters, websites, etc., to support the study of or just to inform anyone interested in Instructional Design. A recent assignment from my Learning Theories and Instruction class required a bit of online research and dissection of a few of the resources I found.
Experiencing E-Learning (http://christytucker.wordpress.com/ ) is an online blog hosted by and Instructional Designer named Christy Tucker. Ms. Tucker designs graduate school courses and focuses on secondary education. The theme behind this blog is, “Building engaging learning experiences through instructional design and e-learning.” In perusing this blog, it is definitely useful to anyone trying to understand instructional design, looking for recent developments in the profession, questions on the effectiveness of e-learning, and the overall e-learning experience. Ms. Tucker is eager to communicate and share, and definitely welcomes comments.
Making Change (http://blog.cathy-moore.com/ ) is a blog, hosted by Cathy Moore, dedicated to e-learning as well. What attracted me to this site was its usefulness and descriptive posts. The posts are used more as instructional lessons on topics related to instructional design and e-learning, subdivided with detailed points for clarity. This blog also utilizes graphics and videos to support the posts, somewhat like and additional bonus or resource on each topic.
Lastly, Instructional Design and Development Blog (http://www.iddblog.org/ ), is a part of the Instructional Design Department at DePaul University. Though it is a scholarly, university-hosted blog, the contributors to the blog are students, employees, consultants, designers, and teachers, all associated with the university. I found this blog most interesting and resourceful because the posting come from a variety of instructional design perspectives and backgrounds. This blog was created to enhance the Instructional Design department, but I consider it the most resourceful of all three because of the various contributors’ perspectives.
As I continue to develop my instructional design background, I am sure I will come across numerous resources to support my growth. I have captured three supportive and relative blogs that will continue to be resourceful as I continue to work in the Instructional Design field. They each have similarities, but differ in the perspectives of the writers for each. One thing I have discovered to date is the philosophies and theories surrounding the learning process are comprised of the work and studies of numerous individuals.
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Not thinking of myself...
So, I am starting a blog...never thought I would.
The world keeps changing, economy, wars, natural disasters...but I find myself constantly battling over making the best decisions and choices with my life that will do more good than harm to others, especially for my daughter. I am sure as you continue to check my blog out, you will soon find out how seriously I take my role as mother to one, ten year old little girl.
I made a huge decision recently, one that will require a lot of me, but one that will definitely be a big benefit to others. I am going back to school after a near ten year hiatus. It was time to do something significant and impactful to my future and my family's future. Always working and thinking about the next step in doing more for them...
The world keeps changing, economy, wars, natural disasters...but I find myself constantly battling over making the best decisions and choices with my life that will do more good than harm to others, especially for my daughter. I am sure as you continue to check my blog out, you will soon find out how seriously I take my role as mother to one, ten year old little girl.
I made a huge decision recently, one that will require a lot of me, but one that will definitely be a big benefit to others. I am going back to school after a near ten year hiatus. It was time to do something significant and impactful to my future and my family's future. Always working and thinking about the next step in doing more for them...
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