Week 7: Integrating Technology into Instruction

Initially when asked what learning theory best described how I learned I had found that it was a combination of theories. My best theories are a combination of Bruner’s “Discovery learning” and Mayer’s Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning.
Discovery learning is an inquiry-based, constructivist learning theory that takes place in problem solving situations where one draws on their own past experience and existing knowledge to discover facts, relationships, and new truths to be learned. Through interaction with the world, by exploring and manipulating objects, wrestling with questions and controversies, or performing experiments. I am more likely to remember concepts and knowledge discovered on my own.
This learning theory advantages, include: encourages active engagement, promotes motivation, promotes autonomy, responsibility, and independence. Some disadvantages include: creation of cognitive overload, potential misconceptions and a possible failure to detect problems a student may be having. While I continue to believe the combination exists, I feel that my learning style seems to follow more of a cognitive theory. According to Etmer and Newby (1993), cognitivism equates learning with “discrete changes between states of knowledge rather than with changes in the probability of response” (pg. 58).
However, I now would add the theory of social constructivism to my list. Social Constructivists believe that people learn through meaningful interaction with others as well as with their environment (Kim, 2001)
A good example of how my learning has evolved as I see it through the knowledge of the different learning theories, I could use this class. Using my cognitive learning style I must rely on my own abilities to interpet the questions and responses to respond appropriately. Sharing my ideas and responding to fellow classmates entwines the social constructivists through meaningful interaction. And finally the discovery learning is utilized in the problem solving by drawing on my own past experience and existing knowledge to discover facts, relationships, and new truths to be learned

Resources:

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

Kim, B. (2001). Social constructivism. In M. Orey (Ed.), Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved from http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/index.php?title=Social_Constructivism

Mayer, R. E.; R. Moreno (1998). “A Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning: Implications for Design Principles”. http://www.unm.edu/~moreno/PDFS/chi.pdf 

Moreno, R., & Mayer, R. (1999). “Cognitive principles of multimedia learning: The role of modality and contiguity”.

Journal of Educational Psychology 91: 358–368, Mayer, R. E. (2001).

Bruner, J.S. (1967). On knowing: Essays for the left hand. Cambridge, Mass: Harvard University Press.

MY Learning Network

How has your network changed the way you learn? My network has changed the way I learn by opening up many more portals of learning that were not available to me when I original went to college. Back then I had to get my knowledge from the textbooks and the teacher and had little opportunity to “think for myself”.

Since the internet and other digital media has been created, the opportunity for learning and learners has increased tenfold. The simple use of a search engine on a topic of interest produces instant results numbering in the thousands or more. There isn’t anything one cannot not learn about by spending a few minutes reading off the search engine and then going to the many references available.

If I need to find out something I usually go to Google or Yahoo and run a search and then I move through some of the articles or references available there to see if they are giving me what I need. If not some of those references lead to other and I will try them. This is something that can be long and tedious in a regular library setting.

Additionally I work with academic’s and often time I will sit with a co-worker and ask their feelings or opinions about a subject to better align my own thoughts to the topic.

In Connectivism the major factors that influence learning are:

·        Learning and knowledge rests in diversity of opinions.

·        Learning is a process of connecting specialized nodes or information sources.

·        Learning may reside in non-human appliances.

·        Capacity to know more is more critical than what is currently known

·        Nurturing and maintaining connections is needed to facilitate continual learning.

Based on these principles my own learning network fully supports the central trends of  the Connective Learning theory. While during our study of the different learning theories I agreed that most styles of learning are a blend of several theories, I find that my own personal style is predominately connectivism.

                                                                             

Pat's Learning Network