Bill Kerr questions learning theories on his Blog, and especially asks how can we choose from all of the learning theories? We should cherry-pick different useful ideas out of the various theories according to what and who we are educating. Theories do evolve and interlace; the behaviorist aspects can even be observed through games associated with cognitive and constructivist theories. A game’s intent depends on understanding the motivation verses the reaction behavior of the player. An example is a player’s decisions in the game which are proportional to the rewards gained. Games teach behavior by reinforcing positive rewards. George Siemens underlines this on his website: “Constructivism suggests that learners create knowledge as they attempt to understand their experiences (Driscoll, 2000, p. 376). Behaviorism and cognitivism view knowledge as external to the learner and the learning process as the act of internalizing knowledge.”
My goal is to enhance knowledge through understanding and interest rather than pure memorization. I would like my students to be able to learn how to construct knowledge independently and be able to place it in context. To achieve this goal, I evaluate the outcomes through assessing the learning progression of the students and by evaluating the students’ interest through their engagement in the class. Some projects are done individually and some are done as part of a collaborative effort to simulate the working environment outside of the classroom. I provide the guidance on how to use and assess the needed tools and take on the role of an adviser and guide for the students to achieve the optimum results. Since each student comes to the class with a varied knowledge base, through individualized and collaborative projects, they construct and enhance individual knowledge skills.
The information technology age and especially the advancement of mobile devices have changed the working environment. Neither the employee nor the students are confined to a particular location or time to work or study. Due to the ubiquitous and mobile nature of technology, work and school have become “anytime and everywhere.” With that, the expectations of the employee have changed. The employee is required to have cognitive skills, be problem solvers and able to work in a collaborative and dynamic communication driven environment. Therefore, Karl Kapp is correct to state on his blog: “We need to take pieces from each school of thought and apply it effectively.”
Reference:
Driscoll, M. P. (2005). Psychology of learning for instruction (3rd ed.). Boston: Pearson Education, Inc.
Kapp, K. (2007, January 2). Out and About: Discussion on Educational Schools of Thought. Retrieved December 23, 2009, from : http://karlkapp.blogspot.com/2007/01/out-and-about-discussion-on-educational.html
Kerr, B. (2007, January 1). Retrieved December 23, 2009, from : http://billkerr2.blogspot.com/2007/01/isms-as-filter-not-blinker.html
Siemens, G. (2004, December 12). A Learning Theory for the Digital Age. Retrieved December 23, 2009, from : http://www.elearnspace.org/Articles/connectivism.htm
Orit- I love the sentence from your blog posting that said, "My goal is to enhance knowledge through understanding and interest rather than pure memorization." We must use the different learning styles and theories to enhance what we do in the classroom. Each and every student will have their own combination of what porportions of each of the different theories are needed to gain maximum comprehension. Wonderful blog posting.
ReplyDeleteKassidy
Hello Orit,
ReplyDeleteHow was your residency? Was it your first?
I went to Seattle in Nov09 for my first and plan on going to Hawaii next Fall for 6-day resisdency.
After comparing the four cognitive learning theories and reading through the Behaviorism vs Cognitivism blogs assigned this module, are you starting to wonder if we are going to see a radical shift in all of these learning theories - especially as brain research is discovering the mechanisms of thinking and learning? I am thinking that Piaget's develomental stages may undergo some radical revisions - that there is more of a continuum and a collaboration of all the learning theories (as you suggested) in the learning processes.
I have been following the development of hands-on, inquiry, problem-based learning theorists and it seems we have made a complete circle back to Dewey's original experimental labs in the late 1800's with our recent innovative "High Tech" problem-based schools. The brain reserach is also pointing to brain cognitive areas being activated during student engagement, collaboration, and questioning activities. In addition, Seimen's connectivism seems to address many of these issues for our digital age students.
References:
Siemens, G. (2005). Connectivism: A learning theory for the digital age. Retrieved from http://www.elearnspace.org/Article/connectivism.htm
Willis, J. (2007). Preserve the child in every learner. Kappa Delta Pi Record 44(1), 33-37. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com.szp.waldenulibrary.org/
Hi Kassidy,
ReplyDeleteThanks! From my experience, especially in a web design class, I can see clearly the difference when a student comprehends the material and can therefore “play” and manipulate the code, as compared to a student who is using pure memorization technique and has a problem when there is a need to deviate from what has been memorized.
Orit
Marlene,
ReplyDeleteThis was my second residency! I don’t think I will be able to sit in class in Hawaii! Too tempting!
You are right; we are implementing Dewey’s ideas of education. In The School and Society Dewey wrote: “Knowledge is no longer an immobile solid; it has been liquefied. It is actively moving in all currents of society itself” (p.40). We can look at current education's use of social networks, students receive and accumulate knowledge from many resources and sources. The teacher is not the only source of knowledge and classrooms are not the only source of stimuli. Education affects society and technological advances affect education.
George Siemens has an interesting thought provoking website: http://www.elearnspace.org/about.htm
Reference:
Dewey, J. (1915). The school and society. (2nd Ed.) Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
Orit