Learning Theories and Instruction Course Reflection

As this course at Walden U drew to a close and in reflecting on what I have learned which includes how I intend to apply my learning in future courses I can say that I have learned how to logically understand different learning processes within myself as a self-directed adult learner and the learning differences of other learners. I have also learned about how the human brain functions during learning experiences and why learners have different learning styles. For example, learning can occur visually, verbally, audio-related and through hand-on experiences as learners use desktops, laptops and smart phones. Learners also utilize personal experiences and connect those to current ones. This is what arouses interest and motivation to learn. Learning experiences can also transform the individual to become skillful in cognitive and constructivist manners while connecting learning procedural processes. I learned various learning theories: Behaviorism, Cognitivism, Social Learning, Connectivism and Multiple Intelligence. To support the learning of educational theories, I was able to complete a learning theories rubric to support our instruction of multiple theories in education.  I also learned how to create a learning theories rubric to support instruction of multiple theories in education.  Another technology driven project that I learned how to create was a Mind Map to demonstrate how I connected my learning expereinces with Walden U available resources. As a result, I discovered that I learned best cognitively and socially as I built connections to experiential hands – on tasks and/or projects.   I intend to apply my Walden U learning experiences within the Computer Lab course that have taught for the last four years at Boricua College as an Instructor. I also intend to incorporate Microsoft software applications to create and/or develop course specific tasks and projects that will assist adult learners to learn how to problem solve and be creative in their projects. I will introduce email and chatting to engage students and to allow active collaboration with Instructor and fellow class mates. My future learning plan will be constructed as a rubric where learning tools will be implemented to support lesson plans that will include videos and tutorials. I intend to welcome creativity in student coursework to maintain high levels of motivation to learn. Students will continue receiving support and instant feedback as required because student learning needs have to be met. As an Instructor and future instructional designer, I will assure to pay special attention to adult learners who may display behaviors of attrition during different stages of learning processes. I will also implement changes to relatable tasks in the realization that students’ needs should and must be met. I learned about the ARCS model and how it intends to order attention, relevance, confidence, and satisfaction during the planning and learning phases of students. I will also assure to follow the ARCS Model to guide me in the planning of the Computer Lab curriculum, learning tasks, projects and exercises which will awaken student levels of attention, relevance, confidence, and satisfaction as they learn software applications in a computer lab learning environment. Since learning in a computer-based environment should be participative where feedback is available within a reasonable timeframe, I intend to incorporate student participation in discussion, email and chatting options to assist students to elevate levels of motivation during their hands-on experiential tasks and projects. In my view, students will continue to learn because their attention will be evident as they complete required tasks and/or projects. Students will also discover the relevance of tasks learned, they will also experience confidence in constructing and connecting to new skills and satisfaction will be experienced as they acknowledge the value of their experiential learning. Furthermore, I have observed that adult learners appreciate being able to be creative as they use their personalized ideas to creatively problem solve constructive issues that may be present while completing tasks or projects. Student will also learn how to collaborate with their peers and with their instructor. Students will have the opportunity to support the learning experiences of their peers and that of themselves. Dr. Ormroad said “Adult learners have an advantage and that is that they “really have a strong need to know” (and how to learn how to use technology). At Walden U, I have learned how to use multiple technology-driven resources to discover relatedness and meaningfulness in my learning experiences. I and my peers have used emails, discussions, Q &A, the student lounge to collaborate with our peers and Professor in a constructive manner to support our coursework learning and to build relationships with peers and with our Professor. We have also learned how to create a blog and have linked learning resources to a RSS feeder. We have learned how to navigate our available resources to continue developing relatable skills as IDT students. We have learned how to differentiate an opinion versus a published article. . I have been motivated to learn since my registration to the Masters Program and I have found that my ability to learn has been constant because of my active engagement during the learning processes of my coursework. John Keller said “when students are motivated to learn, thy want to work on highly task relevant activities” (p. 42). That is why I agree with John Keller as he recommended that computer software can be used to “sense a learner’s motivation level” that will demonstrate how students will respond to their learning as they adapt to the tools within the equipment being used. As a graduate student at Walden U, I have focused on course requirements and deadlines. My confidence has developed as I and my peers have constructed and connected in multiples ways with our projects, discussion and participative engagement. I have also experienced satisfaction when I have been able to reseach and apply relevant data to discussions and projects.  At Walden U, my learning has been constant and I have been able to demonstrate what I have learn through the submittal of completed assignments or projects because I have recognized acquired skills and have understood how to apply them. Consequently, I consider that my levels of motivation to learn has increased because course content has been relevant and meaningful to me as an adult learner.  In the future, as an Instructional Designer, I intend to apply what I have learned in this course to facilitate the learning experiences of future adult learners.

Fitting the Pieces Together: Understanding different learning theories and learning styles

In my first Walden U discussion related to what types of learning strategies I had been exposed too during learning experiences in elementary, intermediate, high school, undergrad education, technical institute and at Walden U, I discussed that I had been exposed to different learning styles that supported my “immigrant” understanding of learning. For example, in my previous learning experience from Pre-K through High School, I previously posted that teachers used behaviorist models of teaching because I recall that it was easy for me to learn lessons by listening, viewing and completing homework .assignments. I also recall being very good at memorizing data, such as mathematical rules or formulas and/or spelling bees, reciting poetry, creative drawing and playing various instruments at local school bands. Consequently, during my undergrad learning experience, I recall learning that instructors or professors used behaviorist methods of teaching. As a uniformed group, students were prepared to attentively listen, take rigorous notes, and respond to questions posed whether verbally or in writing. During my technical institute learning experience, I recall that the learning strategies used was a mix of behaviorism, cognitive, and social situational learning. Today, at Walden U, I believe that it is important for teachers to use different learning models to support the learning experiences of students. At Walden U, I also view my learning experience as being tacit, implicit, reactive and deliberative. Eraut (2000) said: It is probably more useful to look at learning as and to explore interaction with context. Knowledge is embedded in practice and transformed through goal-directed behavior. (Tennant 1999). As a graduate learner, the process of learning takes place every time I log on to the university website and as I explore the unique resources that are available to enhance my experiential learning abilities. Moreover, I have learned that learning at Walden U is cognitive, constructivist and connectivist where students are motivated to improve their multiple intelligences. For example, learning is cognitive because students do learn how to socially interact with each other and with the instructor by engaging in activities that are supportive, guided and mediated by appropriate technological tools. For example, student lounge, Q & A discussions, applications, blogs and emails. Learning at Walden U has also been constructivist because learning has been an active process in which learners construct new ideas or concepts based on current or former knowledge and students do find meaning and organization to the learning experience. Learning at Walden U has also been a connectivist experience because online learning has worked for me due to its flexibility which has allowed me to progressively learn while building connections with my instructor, my peers and with technological tools on a more advanced level. George Siemens in his video transcript said that Connectivism became present “when the learning integrated technology, social networks, and information” (p1). Regarding how our multiple intelligences are improved during our learning processes, Gardner proposes nine multiple intelligences in his theory of MI and he suggests that there are a number of distinct forms of intelligence that each individual possesses in varying degrees. However, I am interested in building seven. He also said that people learned in some kind of culturally valued activity and that the individual’s growth in such an activity follows a developmental pattern. That is why; I will be able to build my skills or intelligence linguistically as I learn how to use words effectively, whether orally or in writing. In 1983, Gardner quoted in Frames of Mind “intelligence is the ability to solve problems or to create products that are valued within one or more cultural settings”. During our current online learning experience, we use technology to create and support our discussions and applications. Our learning is project based and it allows students to explore creative and innovative ideas to support learning processes. In Learning in the Digital Age, John Seely Brown said “To assure that technology and new media tools are successful in the learning of students, a supportive learning environment has to exist. George Siemens said regarding technological tools, “By using these networks - of people, of technology, of social structures, of systems, of power grids, etc. - learning communities can share their ideas with others, thereby “cross-pollinating” the learning environment (Siemens, 2005, para). 21). For example, the Walden Blackboard always remind online students of available resources to be read, discussions and applications to be posted within a specific time frame to assure that our learning experiences are not only available but doable to promote our learning experiences. Technology plays a huge role in our online learning experience because it teaches us how to navigate and research multiple Walden U learning resources and how to communicate with each other and our Instructor. Technology has assisted me to learn how to create a blog, connect the log project to a RSS Google Feeder, learn how to link resources, learn how to attach URL’s, learn how to surf the online to locate additional articles to support my discussions and applications. How to recognize additional smart tools and how to learn how to appreciate its semantic learning possibilities. Another intelligence that I am willing to build is Logical-mathematical to demonstrate my ability to include categorization, classification, inference, generalization, calculation, while using MS Excel to create work books, charts and graphs where I would need to calculate data and apply a formula to find a relevant result. Another intelligence that I would be most interested in building would be spatial to demonstrate my ability to perceive the visual-spatial world that I will be creating as I format or edit created projects by effectively utilizing software to acknowledge colors, lines, shapes, forms, space, and the relationships that exist between these elements. Gardner said “It includes the capacity to visualize, to graphically represent visual or spatial ideas, and to orient oneself appropriately in a spatial matrix” (p6). By building my bodily-kinesthetic intelligence, I would be able to demonstrate my ability to use my hands to produce or transform created projects such as blog projects. I would also demonstrate specific physical skills such as flexibility, coordination, balance, dexterity, and speed as I would complete procedural steps in my projects. To demonstrate my musical intelligence skills, I would be able to download a rhythm or melody that would enhance the visual effects and tones of my presentation by customizing the effects of my projects. My interpersonal intelligence would be demonstrated by the manner that I would be able to perceive my individual growth and motivation to learn of my peers in a supportive learning environment. For example, my ability to respond effectively to cues in a pragmatic manner which would influence peer responses in an engaged discussion whether it be online or face to face. Intrapersonally, I would be able to demonstrate an ability to plan and foresee the growth of my educational goals as I recognize my strengths and limitations in my learning experience. I would also recognize my ability to be self-discipline, and the development of my self-esteem. The role that technology will play in my future learning experiences will allow me to access information in a meaningful way as I use smart tools to research new information regarding instructional design, it will also assist me to record information that has relevance to ID in a systematic process such as in the creation of blogs and linking data as well as URL’s to a RSS feeder. I will also learn how to create curriculums and strategized educational plans for future learning experiences not only for myself, peers, but also for adult students in the future.

Connectivism

Connectivism Blog Reflection

The Walden network has changed the way that I learn because I have increasingly sought knowledge related to learning theories in Instructional Design. For example, I have managed my time to complete assigned discussions, applications, Q & A and emails. I have also explored different technological tools and have procured to reflect and take notes on available tutorials to complete my first blog, to initiate the process of Google RSS Feeder and to create a Mind Map while introducing it to my blog. I am able to interact better and share ideas with my peers and my Instructor. Importantly, we are able to collaborate with ease while supporting each others learning experience. The digital tools that have facilitated my current learning experience have been all related directly to the management of the course (virtual classroom). For example, threaded discussion, video conferencing, synchronous learning, streaming audio and videos. When I have questions related to my learning, I email my Instructor, I use the Q & A resource to post my inquiry, or I will post my inquiry in general to receive a response from either one or several peers in my course. However, my Instructor is always available to respond to questions. I think that my personal learning networks do support the number one tenet of Connectivism and that is that learning occurs inside of me. My learning is stored in working memory and transferred to Long Term Memory and this is how my learning is constantly manipulated by technology. I have learned to have the ability to synthesize and recognize connections and patterns and I view this as a valuable skill. Connectivism focuses on the inclusion of technology as part of our distribution of cognition and knowledge. For now, our knowledge is supported in the connections that we form from instructor to student and from student to student. What is unique about connectivism? For starters, the discussions that we formulate and collaborate too. Connectivism is the application of network principles that defines both knowledge and the process of learning. Knowledge is defined as a particular pattern of relationships and learning is defined as the creation of new connections and patterns as well as the ability to maneuver around existing networks/patterns. Connectivism addresses the principles of learning at numerous levels - biological/neural, conceptual, and social/external. What I'm saying with connectivism (and I think Stephen would share this) is that the same structure of learning that creates neural connections can be found in how we link ideas and in how we connect to people and information sources. Connectivism focuses on the inclusion of technology as part of our distribution of cognition and knowledge. Our knowledge resides in the connections we form - where to other people or to information sources such as databases. Additionally, technology plays a key role of cognitive work in creating and displaying patterns, it extends and enhances our cognitive ability, we hold information in ready access form (for example, search engines, semantic structures, etc). Connectivism acknowledges the prominence of tools as a mediating object in our activity system, but then extends it by suggesting that technology plays a central role in our distribution of identity, cognition, and course, our knowledge. Connectivism recognizes the fluid nature of knowledge and connections based on context. As such, it becomes increasingly vital that we focus not on pre-made or pre-defined knowledge, but on our interactions with each other, and the context in which those interactions arise. The context brings as much to a space of knowledge connection/exchange as do the parties involved in the exchange.  In connectivism, the rapid flow and abundance of information raises the following elements to critical importance. For example, in understanding our cousework, we all share coherence in our learning, especially when we are able to discuss and collaborate with each other. What we learn as students has meaning to us. Connectivism finds its roots in the climate of abundance, rapid change, diverse information sources and perspectives, and the critical need to find a way to filter and make sense of the chaos. As such, the networked centrality of connectivism permits a scaling of both abundance and diversity. The information climate of continual and ongoing change raises the importance of being continually current. As Anderson has stated, "more is different". The "more" of information and technology today, and the need to stay current, forms the climate that gives roots to connectivism." http://www.mywebspiration.com/view/396831a475c

Understanding Adult Learning

This article discusses how to integrate adult learning theories while designing an online environment to meet the needs of adult students. http://www.editlib.org/f/24286

ELearning Space

What do we know about learning? This website focuses on technology, teaching, and learning. Technology has had a focus with designing tools that are supposed to perfect the mind. As we are all aware technology has been prominent in communication and learning. Technology has also played a role in classrooms through the use of movies, recorded video lectures, and overhead projectors. Emerging technology use is growing in communication and in creating, sharing, and interacting around content. A PDF version of the Handbook is also available. http://www.elearnspace.org/about.htm