Learning+Theory+in+ED+Tech+Blog

=**Mod 1 Blog entry**=

What are your beliefs about how people learn best? What is the purpose of learning theory in educational technology?

I think that when it comes to learning each person is very different. There is no such thing as a one size fits all in just about anything and that is especially true in education. We have to give each student a learning plan. It is important to dig deep into where the student is each and every year in all subject areas. Then set goals for the students to achieve and monitor those goals quarterly. Technology plays a big role in this as we need to not only use the technology to assess where the student is, but also help monitor and track progress. Many students even learn best using technology as a platform to gain knowledge and to communicate what they have learned. I believe that it is most important that when we are discussing student learning we have a certain student in mind. Without having that one student in mind, it is difficult to make decisions in their best interest. In my current job, we have an administrator that always has an empty chair in the room. This chair represents 1 student in each of our classes. She asks us to make decisions based on that student and what is best for them and not for ourselves. This is how #|all educational decisions should be made. We need to cater to the individual.

Kimberlee, I totally agree with your statement that there is not a "one size fits all" instructional strategy. Just as everyone has unique personalities, we have unique learning styles as well. I also agree that we have to take the time to get to know our students before we're going to see the progress that we want to see. Danita

Blog entry 2 Kerr has made a lot of really good points in his blog. I think he make a good point when he poses the question “Should we stick to -isms or should we be more pragmatic and just cherry pick different useful ideas out of the various theories?” (Kerr, 2007). I tend to believe that we need to look at what all the -isms have to offer and use them all in different ways in our classrooms to support all student learning. Each of the -isms make a good point about what we need to know about student learning. I believe that each student learns in a different way, and therefore “each _ism is offering something useful without any of them being #|complete or stand alone in their own right” (Kerr, 2007). I also believe that the topic you are teaching effects how students learn and what -ism is most appropriate for the task at hand. Kapp also makes a good point in agreement with Kerr. He states “Cognitivism doesn’t explain 100% how humans process information and neither does Constructivism or Behaviorism. What we need to is take the best from each philosophy and use it wisely to create solid educational experiences for our learners” (Kapp, 2007). I agree with this statement as well. If we think about how we learn and just how we live life in general, we pull from lots of different experiences to make our decisions and choices; isn’t is possible that each of these -isms could contribute to the different experiences that we have?

Kerr, B. (2007, January 1). _isms as filter, not blinker [Web log post]. Retrieved from []

Kapp, K. (2007, January 2). Out and about: Discussion on educational schools of thought [Web log post]. Retrieved from []

Hi Kimberlee, Once again I agree with you! I think both theories have great ideas to offer. Repetition as suggested by Behaviorists and “hands on learning” suggested by Cognitivists are important parts of the learning process; therefore, we must “cherry pick” from each of the theories and #|apply them effectively to meet the needs our students. Danita

Mod 3 Blog Entry
I 100% agree that we have a need to work together. Whenever we get a task to complete no matter how big or small, we try to find ways to work together and make the task easier. Internally we have the need to talk about our problems and work as a team to create objects. Think about one of the first things we build as a human race…a house. Now we cannot even think of building a house without the help of others. We have teams of people that work together on a certain part that they specialize in.

Now our collaboration goes beyond the physical collaboration and heads more toward the metal collaboration. Now we use technology to work with people from all over the world on problem solving. We also use it for trading goods and services at a long distance. By doing so, we have access to ideas, products, and resources that we may have had access to in the past.

One reason that we collaborate is to gain “exposure and the chance to try new things” (Harris, 2011). By trying new things we can discover our own hidden potential that we would have never known about if we did not work with others. Technology helps us to gain knowledge about things we may have never had access to in the past.

Harris, E. (2011, May). The costs and benefits of collaboration. Retrieved from http://www.pbs.org/mediashift/2012/05/the-costs-and-benefits-of-collaboration-132.html

Blog Entry Mod 4-Connectivism As I have moved forward with my career and has technology changed, the way I have made connections to other people has changed as well. Before Facebook and Skype, the majority of my conversations would be via phone or regular mail here and there and in the rare occasion at get together. Now technology allows me to better communicate with friends and family. But most importantly I think that the new technologies have made me connect better with co-workers and fellow students. I am able to use several means to communicate and share and even borrow ideas for my own classroom use. By using blogs in my education, I can read others opinions and feel connected to them without having to be in the same room. I think the blogs are actually the best way to get to know one another because each person’s personality comes through in their writing. I am also able to find commonalities as well. The virtual classroom has been a blessing as well. We are able to meet in the classroom and talk things over. Whether this is for work or school, it is the best way to get everyone together and working on one thing at the same time. I think this is where the best ideas are communicated and shared. I have even felt more comfortable reaching out to others to gain new knowledge after we were don’t working on a project together because we have a stronger connection. With today’s technology we have so many choices for education and learning. It used to be that I would ask around my small circle for help and if they did not know it was research at the library. Now I can post a message in the class café or on Facebook and get a ton of responses. Not only is it easier, but more fun as well. I definitely learn more when I can make these types of connections and talk things out.

Kimberlee,

Isn't it nice that we don't have to rely on "snail mail" anymore? Innovative technologies allow us to feel closer to our families even though we may live miles apart!

It's also nice not to have to be dependent on the library or a small circle of friends when we have a question about something. We can post a question on our discussion board or Facebook and get a multitude of responses within seconds!

Danita

Mod 5 Blog

There are many times not only in the work place, but also in my circle of friends that I have encountered people who are not familiar with technology and therefore are afraid to use it. I think it is important to approach them with encouragement to try one type of technology item at a time. For instance, I have had a family that I worked with that was not familiar with technology at all. They were not comfortable with using the computer and really only knew how to use the basic features of the internet like email and basic searches. The first thing I did was meet them where they were. I did not try to tell them all of the things I could do and how they really should take a class on various things because computers are the way of the future. I believe that only makes people frustrated and makes them feel like that are not very smart if they can’t do everything on a computer. Once I let them know that it is okay and that they probably know more than they think they do, we focus on one topic at a time. I ask them what they would like to be able to do. Once I find that out, we practice it several times for a period of time. Once they are confident and ready, we may move on to the next thing they are ready to learn and do.

It is very important not to push them, but rather to encourage. Most people want to be current with the newest technology, they are just afraid of failing. So if I can make it fun with no pressure it is easier for them.

Mod 6 Blog post

I learn so much more from technology then I do when I am in the face to face environment. Although learning from home it is easier to find the daily distractions of family and work preventing me from completing school, I don’t have the pressure and worry about finding a sitter and working around someone else’s schedule to attend class. The online learning environment has afforded me more opportunity to be able to advance my learning.

The one thing that I have found is different in my learning between online and face to face is that I have to create a solid schedule for myself to stay on task. I also have to push myself a little harder. When we are in person classroom discussions, sometimes you can rely on other to answer and then can agree or disagree. It is a little easier than in the online environment where everyone has to answer with their own opinion. Most of the time in school, I was the one listening and learning with my own ideas and opinions and rarely shared. In online learning, I do a lot of sharing.

Hi Kimberlee, I agree that it is more challenging to stay on task in online environment vs. a face to face learning environment. It takes A LOT of self-discipline. There are many times I would rather be spending time with my family rather than doing school work, but I keep telling myself it will be all worth it in the end! ~Danita

Mod 4 Blog Second life I believe is a distraction for most people that use it. Since you do not have to be yourself, and can create any persona that you want, it is easy to get engulfed in this word as an escape from reality. I am not sure if there will be another technology that will replace it. I see the technology improving and it becoming more and more realistic, but I think there is not a need in this area as much as most people believe. Sometimes I think there can be too many ways for people to connect socially. I feel as though some of the fascination in making those online connections although it is still very popular will start to die down in a few years. We are already finding that 1 in 5 divorces site facebook as a reason for the divorce. I think we are starting to see that although the social networks and things like facebook and twitter are fun, there are many risks we take when interacting this way and sharing too much information. I do not think that using second life in a middle school would be a good idea at all. I cannot see this being support by the principles or the parents. It is just to dangerous and would cause more bullying that it would give a benefit.