Learning Theory and Instruction – Reflection

As a novice instructional designer, I have listened to and tried to use generalized assumptions about what it takes to make a good lesson plan. Having taken this formal course about learning theories and instruction, I feel that I can more intelligently weigh design strategies and techniques to facilitate learning that have been verified with adequate research and study (Ertmer and Newby 1993). I was most surprised and pleased by the emerging technologies uncovered in the connectivism part of the course. I like that I’m better able to view the uses of things such as Smart Boards and web community learning more analytically than when we first started the course. That is, I feel that I’m better able to connect some of the tools with the relevant strategy. I especially liked the project learning platform introduced and exemplified in the latter portion of the course, presented in the videos showcased on Edutopia.

This course has deepened my understanding of my personal learning process by helping me to reflect on methods I’ve used in the past that either worked or didn’t work and understand why. It has also helped me to better understand the various factors that apply to my own learning process with more clarity and focus. As an adult learner, it is important for me to be able to connect material to practical usefulness in my environment. I can now better see how the cognitive processes become more enhanced when moving from entry level data engaging behaviorist learning (through practice and memorization) to more complex, problem-solving application (engaging more cognitive and constructivist processes) to even more advanced analytical applications (utilizing connectivism and adult learning strategies). Also, this course has helped me modify how I gather and use different resources in the learning process, and even how to find resources specific to my learning goals. (Davis, Edmunds, Kelly-Bateman) One of the adult learning strategies that I think I don’t use enough of is monitoring and self-regulating (Flavell).

Before this class, I believe I placed too much importance on catering to different learning styles and pushing the uniqueness of the individual teacher and learner. In this course, I see that there are many factors that can simplify instructional design and enhance the effectiveness for each phase of the design process. Thinking about how learners attend to, perceive, and process information is helpful in structuring how to present data for effective learning. Moving into online instructional design, being able to understand applicable learning theories, learning styles, educational technology (for design and delivery platforms) and motivation to keep the learner engaged and actively learning act as essential guides to helping all participants achieve success. I believe the learning theories, from behaviorist to cognitive to constructivist to social learning, connectivism and adult learning – all seem to build and contribute, often times acting together, as a learning task and application become increasingly complex. Also acknowledging the concept of learning styles and multiple intelligences can help the designer assist the learner in using strategies that can broaden that comfort level and enhance the learner’s confidence in the process. (Ormrod 2010)

My learning in this course has broadened my scope of what I thought about instructional design, adding depth and texture and in some cases new definition to my previous perceptions of the learning process. It has helped me view the learner and the design process more intelligently and with more confidence and guidance when choosing a strategy, technological platform and motivational approach. I better understand the need to, not only build something that in theory will work, but also to incorporate tools to facilitate strong communication, collaboration and feedback into online course development.

Resources:

Ormrod, J. (2010). Learning Styles and Strategies.Video Program.Laureate Education, Inc. Retrieved on June 8, 2010 from http://sylvan.live.ecollege.com/ec/crs/default.learn?CourseID=4118625&Survey=1&47=6650234&ClientNodeID=984650&coursenav=1&bhcp=1

Web Article: Davis, C., Edmunds, E., & Kelly-Bateman, V. (2008). Connectivism. In M. Orey (Ed.), Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved from http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/index.php?title=Connectivism (http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/index.php?title=Connectivism)

Article: Ertermer, P.A. & Newby, T.J. (1993) Behaviorism, cognitivism, and constructivism. Comparing critical features from an instructional design perspective. Performance Improvement Quarterly, 6 (4), 50-71

Flavell, J. H. (1979). Metacognition and cognitive monitoring: A new area of cognitive-developmental inquiry. American Psychologist, 34, 906 - 911.

Ormrod, J. (2010). Learning Styles and Strategies.Video Program.Laureate Education, Inc. Retrieved on June 8, 2010 from http://sylvan.live.ecollege.com/ec/crs/default.learn?CourseID=4118625&Survey=1&47=6650234&ClientNodeID=984650&coursenav=1&bhcp=1

Changing Perspectives of How I Learn

Now that I have a deeper understanding of the different learning theories and learning styles, I still consider myself to be essentially cognitive and constructivist in my learning processes. I realize now that I don’t have to be limited to a particular learning style to be an effective learner, and that it’s advisable in this ever changing environment to look at new and emerging strategies for learning that I may not have used but help me improve my effectiveness.

The behaviorist theory, I believe, will always be core to learning new and basic material, just as stimulus and response is core to social learning and is interwoven in general human experience. Take, for example, the call and response in poetry, in religion, in parenting, verbal and nonverbal communication… in law and social order run a red light, get a ticket, pay a fine – don’t do it again. In the work force, there’s performance evaluation, client feedback – we will always measure how we’re doing and what we know or think we should know on the basis of this theory. It’s tried and true and will always find relevance, I believe in the human learning experience.

After the basic behaviorist theory, things start to get more complicated. I begin to fear that, as a cognitive and constructive learner, my data can become as jumbled on the inside as my work desk on the outside if I don’t pay careful attention to what’s happening as I learn. The problem is that oftentimes information comes fast and furious, and I’m not always sure of how to organize it so that I can recall it in a meaningful way. This is true especially now that I’m so blessed with technological tools that can give me so much access to copious amounts information in a relatively short period of time. I’m a heavy user of networks and diverse resources. This is why I say that it’s time I stepped back and looked at more learning strategies that can help me with this.

As we’ve begun to think about how we think and how we learn, applying all the relative ‘learning theory speak’ in the appropriate context, I still believe it’s very important to me as a learner to be able to pull the bits and pieces of information that I’m learning into a meaningful context, and to be able to transfer that knowledge to relevant situations. In week 1 of the learning theories course, I understood how I learn, even though I didn’t speak the LT language the way I do now. Now, through video instruction, reading different group opinions, discussion threads, blogs and text book data about learning theory, I’m much more comfortable discussing how I learn in relation to different learning theories.

I still hold to the premise that the more information I have, the less I want to store in my internal database – and why should I, with smart cards and thumb drives, internet bookmarks and other such tools available for use? High level concepts are important, connections are important… but what I want to know most about the ‘stuff’ that goes with it – resources, details, supporting data, case studies and research trials – is where to access it when I need it. This is one role of technology for me. The other is how to use these amazing tools to have a meaningful exchange with others about the concepts and the stuff to gain a deeper understanding as I move forward.

Connectivism

Connectivism A VERY interesting week for us, as we studied this topic.  For this post, I didn't include my parents in my connectivism network.  Even though they have both passed on, I wonder if I should have.  Much of what they taught me, either by example or by words and simple interaction forms the foundation of my approach as I acquire knowledge, so they are very present in my processes.  This mindmap tool, by the way, is way cool.  Should you decide to make one, here's the site:  http://www.text2mindmap.com/ - Connectivism at work!

I'm a bit of a loner, so initially, I thought of myself as quite the self-directed learner; however, after this week's lesson, I realize that the categories pictured here have many branches.  Friends and family, for example, have positively contributed to my learning process...sometimes through encouragement, mentoring, and by example.  And that learning, those life lessons that one tends to get from friends and family, certainly has elements of complexity that I sometimes wonder at.  For example, a family member who smoked and died of cancer indirectly taught me (though not just by dying) that I didn't want to carry smoking (even second hand) forward in my life.  The older cousin who attended college and seemed to have everything in order gave me another perspective on the benefits of the college experience.  From that person, I learned about different opportunities and broadened my scope past my immediate environment. A friend who won the lottery and left her husband made me look at my own marriage more appreciatively and relationships in general more critically.  From that experience, I'm able to try new things to celebrate the closeness of my family.

My network, which includes books that I read at the library, not all academic, has definitely changed the way that I learn.  I can look beyond my immediate environment, for example, and know that there are other experiences to be had and shared even though I haven't yet had them directly.  I use Google most often for search - it's automatic.  However, bing is a happy tool for me as well.  Yahoo, not so much.  When I have questions, I like to use How Stuff Works, and I frequently visit TED to see new technological innovations. As I move forward in this course, I'm using more RSS feeds and blog resources, with favorable results.

I think diversity of opinions sometimes confuses learning and knowledge. Of course, one has to be mentally strong in this day and age - as my grandmother said, "If you don't stand for something, you'll fall for anything." I have seen how some people are swayed by what they see on the internet, on YouTube, etc.  Like commercial advertising, 'It's not all really real.'  I don't believe that all connections are meant to be for the long-term.  Some connections are just meant to trigger an interest, or set one on a particular path to learning - these connections don't necessarily have to be maintained for learning to continue. 
In my experience, many connections that I made years ago that set me on a particular path have outlived their usefulness, still I continue to evolve in the things that I got from those past experiences, finding new connections all the time.

The network pictured here will likely change as I change; and (I hope) I'll never stop learning!