Learning Theories Class Mini-Reflection

When I started this course on learning theories, I mistakenly believed that learning theories were synonymous with learning styles. I now believe that they are two related yet different concepts. Learning theories delve into how material is presented to a student and accordingly how the person learns the information. On the other hand, an individual's learning style is the best way for a particular student to receive the information. I believe that in this online learning environment the theory that best fits how the material is presented to me is connectivism. I enjoy connecting the information I am exposed to from various people with the work I do in the classroom. Gleaning new ideas and concepts from my colleagues, course materials, and online instructor and experts can be overwhelming but is always fruitful.

In respect to my personal learning style as a visual learner this course has met my learning needs by presenting the material in many different ways. The material is presented using videos, interactive power points, a physical textbook, online articles, and through hands on creation of a blog. The blog and the RSS feed reader assignments have opened a whole new world of learning that connects me to Instructional Designers, educators, and techno gurus.

Technology continues to play an increasing role in my learning as I proceed through these courses. The application that has had the biggest impact this term has been my discovery of RSS feed readers. I used to google questions on lessons and have to sift through thousands of responses to find what I needed which would be lost forever once I was done reading it. I have found that RSS feed readers are an excellent way for me to organize the information I receive from the numerous educational blogs I am following. I am now able to have up to the minute news on educational technology, access to reviews of new teaching tools, lesson suggestions, and keep track of what my classmates are writing on their blogs.

Using a reader allows me to scan the titles of new posts for articles that look interesting to me. Once read they are archived, and I have the choice to tag them as important or delete them completely. This allows me to continually learn new information without having to go to a search engine. I will continue to use search engines for material that isn't covered in the feed while at the same time be exposed to information that I otherwise would never have thought to look for.

My Network Mind Map

The above chart maps the myriad of networks that I am connected to. I created two main groups, professional and social, to try to simplify the map. While creating this map I found that I am constantly in contact with or learning from my friends and peers. In a comment I made on a classmate’s blog I mentioned that sometimes I long for the slow, unconnected world of the 1870’s deep South. Afternoon naps to escape the heat and weeks between news sound idyllic when compared to the constant barrage of information and speed of the world today. But then I remembered that they didn’t have air conditioning, and I quickly changed my mind. This week’s application assignment poses these questions regarding networking.

How has your network changed the way you learn?

My network has definitely changed the way I learn. In 1994, when my first child was born, my network included my close friends, family, and the pediatric nurse call line. When my third child was born in 2000 my network expanded to include the world through the internet. I no longer had to rely on the book, What to expect the first year or a friend via phone instead I could instantly google the question and get a myriad of answers. Discerning fact from old wives tale became the most important aspect of this kind of learning.

Which digital tools best facilitate learning for you?

I use the computer and my google phone all the time. My children would say I am addicted to the computer and my husband bought me a laptop so that he could have access to the computer again. My classmate’s blogs have been a great resource for me when looking for new learning resources. I find that the best professional blog has been Articulate.com. The google reader I use is also a great tool. Just today I discovered two articles in my google reader posted by Articulate which totally distracted me from this essay but were very interesting. One was on whether or not to add music or background sound effects to learning videos. This following link takes you to a great demo of how the New York Times used background noise to add to the impact of the slide show. http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2009/10/18/health/20091018-hospice-audioss/index.html?scp=1&sq=health%20comforting%20a%20death%20in%20prison&st=cse The other article focused on using interactive clipart on power points to enhance student interest in learning opportunities. http://www.articulate.com/rapid-elearning/heres-how-to-get-past-a-screen-full-of-bullet-points/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+RapidElearningBlog+%28The+Rapid+E-Learning+Blog%29&utm_content=Google+Reader

How do you gain new knowledge when you have questions?

I use the google or yahoo search engine consistently to gain new knowledge when I have questions. It is amazing how quickly you can find out about anything from the best dog foods to the lectionary year of the Episcopal church. I googled a kid’s lesson on John the Baptist this morning for children’s church and my husband booted me off the computer to search for reviews on our puppy’s new food.

In what ways does your personal learning network support or refute the central tenets of connectivism? My personal learning network definitely supports the tenets of connectivism. George Siemons (2004) describes the principles of connectivism as:

▪ 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.

▪ Ability to see connections between fields, ideas, and concepts is a core skill.

▪ Currency (accurate, up-to-date knowledge) is the intent of all connectivist learning activities.

▪ Decision-making is itself a learning process. Choosing what to learn and the meaning of incoming information is seen through the lens of a shifting reality. While there is a right answer now, it may be wrong tomorrow due to alterations in the information climate affecting the decision.

The wide range of people I am in contact with between social networking sites, such as Facebook, to professional blogs, such as Articulate, expose me to a large diversity of opinions. In this course and in my profession as a teacher I am always trying to connect the dots and integrate what I learn into what I teach. I use daily non human appliances, such as my google phone, to connect with my network. I do believe that knowing how to find new information is more important than what I know now. The world of technology changes so rapidly that each year I must teach my students new ways of creating projects that show what they have learned. As a teacher I must be able to connect what I see and hear with what we do in the classroom. All learning must be applicable and practical to be attractive to the modern student. Constantly attending advanced professional developments through webinars or in person is one of the best ways that I try to keep up with the fast pace of technology. Finally, decision making is key to sifting through all the information with which we are inundated. As a self directed learner, I must be able to keep myself focused on the most import new ideas. My greatest challenge is that I often get side tracked by all the interesting ideas out there.

Whew. The amount of information available to us through our networks is overwhelming. My goal as a student of instructional design is to learn how to differentiate needed knowledge from just cool ideas. My goal as a teacher is to help my students discern what is most important to their learning.

Siemens, George.(December 12, 2004). [web article] Connectivism: A learning Theory for the Digital Age. Retrieved December 6, 2009 from http://www.elearnspace.org/Articles/connectivism.htm

Kuhlmann, T. (November 17, 20090) Web article. Here’s How to Get Past a Screen Full of Bullet Points. Retrieved December 6, 2009 from http://www.articulate.com/rapid-elearning/heres-how-to-get-past-a-screen-full-of-bullet-points/

Conrad, F.. Einhorn, C., Leland, F. October 18, 2009 [Video article] The New York Times Health: Comforting a Death in Prison. Retrieved December 6, 2009 from

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2009/10/18/health/20091018-hospice-audioss/index.html?scp=1&sq=health%20comforting%20a%20death%20in%20prison&st=cse