Learning Theories and Instruction Reflection

-->

As I reflect back on the course I am surprised by how much I have learned.  I went back and read through my discussion posts and assignments from each week and it really was a good way to reflect on what I have learned.   Coming into the course I had some foundation in learning theories from my teacher training, however I did not realize how incomplete this perspective was.  As I step into the world of instructional design I can appreciate the necessity of understanding the full complement of these learning theories in breadth and depth.

As I further my knowledge of how individuals learn, my biggest revelation was that just as learning is an evolutionary process, so are learning theories.  Harrop (2010) states, “the rapid rate of change in society, and the so-called information explosion, suggest that we should now be looking at an educational approach where it is the learner himself who determines what and how learning should take place” (p. 1).  Especially as we begin to look at the role of the online environment in learning, it is important to be able to apply older learning theories to this new paradigm.  As highlighted by Leonard, Noh, & Orey (2008), “these theories are very good for understanding how people learn, think and how they accommodate new knowledge.” So I must continually ask myself, how can I utilize this foundation of knowledge to best adapt my instructional practice in a changing world?

This course has inspired me to stop and reflect on my own personal learning, which I think in the end will enhance my instructional practice.   In developing the learning theory matrix, I began to see that I can identify with each learning theory and move through them fluidly depending on the subject matter or context of the learning environment.  As Ertmer & Newby state, “what might be most effective for novice learners encountering a complex body of knowledge for the first time, would not be effective, efficient or stimulating for a learner who is more familiar with the content” (1993, p. 67).  Sometimes I am a novice learner and sometimes I am more an expert learner, but either way I can move forward in my learning and use different strategies to do so.  Of particular importance to me was exploring adult learning theory (Conlan, Grabowksi, & Smith, 2008).  This theory supports where I have evolved as a self-regulated and independent learner and gives me a better perspective of where my adult students may be.

             

           As I encountered the variety of learning theories throughout this course it became clear that learning is a process in which experience alters ones knowledge and behavior (Smith, 1999).  Learning theories are therefore “ideas about how or why these changes occur” (Smith, 1999).  The learning process is inextricably linked to myriad learner factors such as the style of learning, motivation level and connection and familiarity with the educational technology.   Effective instruction must address these factors across a broad range of learners.  To teach effectively we must understand how our students learn and this depends a lot on their motivation levels and their preferred learning styles. (Laureate Education, Inc., 2009).  A quote from Semple (2000) really tied it together for me: “A teacher well versed in the various theories of learning, with a thorough knowledge of his or her students and a high level of competence in using and applying a range of educational technologies, will create appropriate learning environments” (p. 10).

            

         In conclusion I see this course as the foundation for my future as an instructional designer.  Merrill, Drake, Lacy, & Pratt (1996) define instructional design as “a technology which incorporates known and verified learning strategies into instructional experiences which make the acquisition of knowledge and skill more efficient, effective, and appealing” (p. 2).  Understanding learning theories and learning strategies should be a cornerstone for my design practice and something I need to continually reflect on as technology continues to alter our future learning environments. 

References:

-->

Conlan, J., Grabowski, S., & Smith, K. (2003). Adult learning. In M. Orey (Ed.), Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved from http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/index.php?title=Adult_Learning

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.

Harrop, M.I. (2010, July).  Evolution of learning theory. StudyMode.com. Retrieved from http://www.studymode.com/essays/Evolution-Of-Learning-Theory-367536.html

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2009). An introduction to learning [DVD]. Baltimore, MD: Dr. Ormrod.

Leonard, K., Noh, E.K., & Orey, M. (2008). Introduction to emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. In M. Orey (Ed.), Emergying perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved from: http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/index.php?title=Introduction_to_Emerging_Perspectives_on_Learning,_Teaching,_and_Technology

Merrill, M. D., Drake, L., Lacey, M. J., & Pratt, J. (1996). Reclaiming instructional design. Educational Technology, 36(5), 5-7

Semple, A. (2000). Learning theories and their influence on the development and use of educational technologies. Australian Science Teachers Journal, 46(3).

Smith, M. K. (1999). Learning theory. The encyclopedia of informal education. Retrieved from http://www.infed.org/biblio/b-learn.htm

Fitting The Pieces Together

Perspective is all about the knowledge base.  Over the past several weeks my perspective has broadened on how I learn and with which learning theories I best align.  I was introduced to learning theories in my training as an educator, however the exposure was limited to behaviorist, cognitive and constructivist theory.  I was not familiar with social learning theory, connectivism or andragogy.  Over the past several weeks I have gained a deeper understanding of the similarities and differences between these learning theories as well as my connection with each.

  

When asked in the past I would say I identify mostly with constructivist learning theory in terms of how I learn.  I quickly realized as I was analyzing the different learning theories in the matrix that I can identify with all of these theories as a learner and move through them fluidly depending on the subject matter or context of the learning environment.   As  Ertmer & Newby state, “what might be most effective for novice learners encountering a complex body of knowledge for the first time, would not be effective, efficient or stimulating for a learner who is more familiar with the content” (1993, p. 67).  Sometimes I am a novice learner and sometimes I am more an expert learner, but either way I can move forward in my learning and use different strategies to do so. 

            I found an excellent article by Torrano and Torres (2004), which highlights emerging research on self-regulated learning.  A particular section resonated with me, as these are the tasks that I believe I utilize in my learning and that I hope to inspire in my future students:

Self-regulated learning is a fusion of skill and will.  The strategic learning is one who has   learned to plan, control, and evaluate his or her cognitive, motivational/affective, behavioral and contextual processes.  This learner knows how to learn, is self-motivated, knows his or her possibilities and limitations, and as a function of this knowledge, controls and regulates learning processes in order to adjust them to the task objectives and to the

context, to optimize his or her performance and improve skills through practice. (p. 22)

Self-regulation entails an understanding of which learning strategies work and which do not and also that each learning opportunity may require a different approach.  Overall, I learned that "theories are useful because they open our eyes to other possibilities and ways of seeing the world"(Mergel, 1998). As an instructional designer I must be able apply these theories to each new learning environment.

            Technology is central to the learner that I have become.  In order to seek out new information I utilize technology.  In order to process the new information I organize the data digitally whether it is through simple note taking or more advanced concept maps.  In order to gain a deeper understanding and different perspectives I reach out to peers via blogs, discussion groups, or social networking.  In order to learn new skills I watch and learn via Youtube or guided practice tutorials.  Technology has offered me greater opportunity for breadth and depth in my learning and in a more efficient way.

References:

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.

Mergel, B. (1998). Instructional design and learning theories. Retrieved February 23, 2013 from University of Saskatchewan, College of Education Web site: http://www.usask.ca/education/coursework/802papers/mergel/brenda.htm 

Torrano, F., & Torres, M.C.G. (2004). Self-regulated learning: Current and future directions. Electronic Journal of Research in Educational Psychology, 2(1), 1-34.

 

My Synaptic Learning

-->

I chose the title Synaptic Learning for my Connectivism Mind Map for a few reasons.  First, I am a scientist whose passion is to teach about the human body and the brain is one of the body’s most brilliant parts.  Second, as I was making sense of connectivism, I thought about neurons and wandered back to the idea that “many theorists believe that the basis for learning lies in changes in interconnection among neurons – in particular, in the strengthening or weakening of existing synapse or the formation of new ones” (Ormrod, Schunk & Gredler, 2009, p. 44).

My Synaptic Learning network represents how I learn.  Prior to having these network connections my learning occurred within silos.  I would read a book or have a conversation but not necessarily have the connections set up to be able to process the information to a deep level.  According to Vygostky's Social Constructivist theory, "individuals create meaning through their interactions with each other and with the environment and meaningful learning occurs when individuals are engaged in social activities" (Kim, 2001).  This learning network has provided me with the social connections to allow for more meaningful learning.

My learning network allows me to gain new knowledge within seconds of my fingers hitting a keyboard.  When I am curious about a topic I begin to ask questions, pose queries and explore.  I utilize many digital tools to facilitate my learning, often starting with a simple Google search as a jumping off point.  For example, when a peer in my EDUC-6115, Learning Theories Instruction class at Walden University brings up a new idea or poses a question I am not familiar with I will spend time mining the Internet.  Often times I will stumble through many new sources of information to begin to make connections and form answers.  Often times I seek out expert advice to gain knowledge.  My learning network highlights several sources of expert advice in my professional life, from the NSTA listserv to the NNSTOY discussion forum.  I can receive almost instant feedback from my colleagues to help guide my learning.  As a person who thrives on visual and auditory information, I often will turn to TED talks or YouTube to explore topics of interest or to enhance knowledge on a particular topic. 

My personal learning network supports and is supported by the connectivist model.  Today as I reflect on how I learn I see that it is “distributed within a network, social, technologically enhanced, and entails recognizing and interpreting patterns” (Davis, Edmunds, & Kelly-Bateman, 2008).  When I think about how I come to understand or learn a new topic, such as new learning theories, I utilize my technologically enhanced network to gather information, interpret it and build correlations in my head.  Once I begin to formulate meaning, I then utilize my community to “allow for interactions, sharing, dialoguing and thinking together” (Kop & Hill, 2008), to solidify the learning.  To me connectivism is a theory that demonstrates that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.  My learning is enhanced because of the connections from “diverse knowledge sources” (Davis, et.al, 2008).

References:

Davis, C., Edmunds, E., & Kelly-Bateman, V. (2008).  Connectivism. In M. Orey (Ed.), Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved January, 26, 2013 from http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/

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

Kop, R., & Hill, A. (2008). Connectivism: Learning theory of the future or vestige of the past? The International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning, 9(3). Retrieved February 9, 2013 from: http://www.irrodl.org/index.php/irrodl/article/view/523/1103

Ormrod, J., Schunk, D., & Gredler, M. (2009). Learning theories and instruction (Laureate custom edition). New York: Pearson.

Digital Learning Assets

The amount of data available on the Internet is mind-boggling.  When tasked with learning something new, I find myself drawn to Google as a stepping off point.  I can literally get lost in searches as one reveals an interesting link to another.  In researching learning and information processing during my Learning Theories class discussion forum, I came across an new site called The Dana Foundation, an organization dedicated to brain research and education.  The amount of information on this site is astonishing, from publications to webcasts and blogs.  Where did I begin?  I chose the neuroeducation link to start my exploration.

As I scanned the titles in the neuroeducation section, I honed right in on the "Neuromyths in Education: Prevalence and predictors of misconceptions of teachers" article published in Frontiers for Educational Psychology (Dekker, Lee, Howard-Jones & Jelles, 2012). This caught my eye because of the quiz on neuromyths that Dr. Weaver posted in our class discussion forum.  It used the same quiz and analyzed the results from teachers in the UK and the Netherlands.  I expect that the results would be similar if given to educators in the U.S. as well.  One of the statements that was most frequently missed by teachers, including myself, was the idea that we have different learning styles and learn when the delivery method matches our natural learning style.  I was shocked to see my answer was wrong, the Gardner's theory of multiple intelligences (Lane, n.d.) was at the foundation of my teacher training only 13 years ago.  If you are having a hard time believing it as well, I re-posted the link that Dr. Weaver shared discussing the current research by Willingham (2009) below.  My take away was that it is more about the style of the content rather than the learner that matters.  For example, if the content is kinesthetic in nature, such as learning to knit, then the best teaching method should involve kinesthetic instruction.  I also think that regardless of the style of the learner, educators should focus on multiple delivery methods to allow for better connections to be made by the students.  Dr. Ormrod discusses the idea of encoding information as it is learned and if we can encode in multiple ways, i.e. visually and auditorily, then we are more likely to retain and retrieve that information (Laureate Education, Inc., 2009).
-->

So back to this myth, is this myth so prevalent because of the lack of up-to-date research in teacher training programs?  "Incorporating neuroscience courses into initial teacher training could enhance neuroscience literacy among teachers" (Dekker, et. al., 2012).  While I agree this definitely might be a factor, I would have to argue that this myth also prevails because few educators continue to explore current research in their practice.  The article also states: "for future research, it is important to examine where teachers’ incorrect ideas originate (e.g., books, colleagues, commercial companies) and to perform intervention studies directed at increasing teacher competence in understanding the functioning of the brain" (Dekker, et. al., 2012). The question is where is there room for this in our current professional development model?  I would love to hear some of your thoughts. 

Another article I came across separately truly pairs well with my discussion above.  It was written by a neurologist turned educator and offers great reflection on the need for neuroeducation for teachers.  Willis (2012) states:
        Beyond understanding the brain's neuroplastic response to stimulation -- how activation and use  of memory networks makes them stronger -- future teachers need to recognize how stress inhibits neuroplasticity. It is only when information is processed in the brain's reflective, cognitive prefrontal cortex that new learning can be incorporated into networks of long-term, conceptual memory. When teachers know about the brain's reactions to the stressors that promote the low brain control state of involuntary, reactive behavior, they become more aware of how much they can influence students' successful brain processing.

Dr. Willis' statements made me think of the concept of activation discussed by Ormrod, Schunk, and Gredler (2008).  They mention that "the active state for memory is maintained as long as it is attended to and without attention the activation level will decay" (Ormrod, Schunk, & Gredler, 2008, p. 54).  I think that multiple stressors can be present in our students at all ages and this can directly impact their attention and thus their learning.  We need to constantly be aware of how these outside forces are playing on the process of learning in our classroom and not just simply require that our students pay better attention to the lesson.  How many of us can say that this kind of learning was part of our teacher preparation program?  In fact, I recall after taking my introductory educational psychology class during my teacher licensure program, that the school decided to cut this class as part of the mandatory training!

Branching away from neuroeducation for teachers, I stumbled across an interesting article on new methods of teaching.  The article highlights research done using a method of teaching called "deliberate practice" in which students actively participated in the discovery of the content through collaborative discussion and problem-solving.  The method seemed similar to Problem-Based-Learning techniques that I have experienced in the past and seems to lend particularly well to the understanding of the sciences. 

From: agilitrix.com

 The study on "deliberate practice" seemed to validate that there are "benefits to increasing student engagement in their own learning,” and that "it is not just gathering data that matters but also using it to generate relevant discussion of key questions and issues" (Mervis, 2011). The research is interesting because it seems to support the idea of cognitive constructivist theory and that teaching and learning needs to be an active and authentic process (Chen, I., n.d.).  I look forward to exploring constructivist theory further as we delve deeper into learning theories and their connection to instructional design.

References:

Chen, I. (n.d.). Overview of cognitive constructivism. An electronic textbook on instructional technology. Retrieved from: http://viking.coe.uh.edu/~ichen/ebook/et-it/cognitiv.htm#overview January 20, 2013.

Dekker, S., Lee, N.C., Howard-Jones, P., and Jolles, J. (2012) Neuromyths in education: Prevalence and predictors of misconceptions among teachers. Frontiers of Educational Psychology 3:429. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2012.00429

Lane, Carla. (n.d.). Multiple intelligences. The distance learning technology resource guide.  Retrieved from: http://www.tecweb.org/styles/gardner.html

-->

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2009). Information processing and the brian. [DVD]. Baltimore, MD: Dr. Ormrod.

Mervis, J. (2012, May 12). A better way to teach? Science. Retrieved from: http://news.sciencemag.org

-->

Ormrod, J., Schunk, D., & Gredler, M. (2009). Learning theories and instruction (Laureate custom edition). New York: Pearson.

Willingham, D. (2009). Learning styles don't exist. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIv9rz2NTUk January 19, 2013.

Willis, J. (2012, July 27). A neurologist makes the case for teaching teachers about the brain.  [blog message]. Retrieved from the Edutopia blog: http://www.edutopia.org/blog/neuroscience-higher-ed-judy-willis

Reflections on ID Resources

There is a wealth of information on Instructional Design available at one's fingertips.  As I began my exploration this week, I found myself jumping from one great resource to another as the web of connectivity grew larger and larger.  I decided to follow several blogs that I found intriguing and will highlight a few of those here:

For the Love of Teaching:

This blog is written by a teacher, on her journey to her Ph.D. in Instructional Design.  This blog caught my eye because of the relevance to my current situation.  I appreciate having the perspective of a teacher as she explores instructional design concepts and the applications to her teaching practice.  Lisa's blog is easy follow and explore with her categories and tags for her posts.  Of particular interest to me was her combination of posts on new technology tools (which I always find helpful) as well as her discussion about instructional design and its relationship to k12 education.  Many posts highlight helpful resources or articles that she has come across that I found useful, such as this link to an article about different types of educators.  It discusses the similarity of educators from k12, to higher ed, to instructional designers in a corporate setting.   The blog is not flashy, but informative and I think I will found myself heading back often.

eLearning Technology

This blog is written by a blog and e-learning guru, Dr. Tony Karrer.  I came across this blog because his most recent post: How Khan Academy Nike Training Club and Spark People Motivate Users Behavior caught my eye.  It seemed to be on track with our learning this week on behaviorist theory.  I am just starting to think about how designing digital material may enhance or motivate learning.  Two years ago I started a training program sponsored by Adidas called Micoach.  I have been amazingly motivated by it and didn't even realize how much the online component was tied to this motivation.  After reading this article and reflecting on my own motivation, I want to explore more about this as a future instructional designer.

This blog is not as easy to explore initially as others, but what I did find helpful is the Blog Guide that Dr. Karrer includes.  As I wondering around his page, I found this link which is a nice introduction to blogs in general, RSS feeds and an encouraging push for sharing via comments on his blog.   In this section he also organizes his posts into topics (something I think would be better on the front page of the blog).  For me the posts on elearning trends and resources I think will be most useful as I venture further into ID.  It doesn't seem that this blog is updated as often as others, however I still expect to find a lot of new material to explore.

The eLearning Coach

From the minute I landed on this site, I knew I would enjoy this blog.  I think the layout is very appealing to me and something to strive for as I morph my own blog over the next months and years.  I find the organization of topics very easy to read and I can choose articles or links of interest without a lot of searching through the site.  Just in the category of Instructional Design under eLearning Design I found many useful articles, including this one on chunking information.  This seemed quite applicable to our learning theories class in understanding how the brain processes information during learning.  I think I could spend days on this site exploring the resources as this is quickly becoming one of my favorite sites. 

If only I had more of this thing all things devours...