Learning Summary

People learn for various reasons and can be motivated by many stimuli.  Just take a look at the various research and theories that exist out there to try to explain learning:  behaviorism, cognitivism, connectionism, constructivism, and social learning to name a few.  I believe Ertmer and Newby’s (1993) statement that people learn by many different styles and theories is applicable to everyone.  There are many variables that come into play with learning:  is it a new topic, what is the previous knowledge of a subject, which intelligence subset does it connect with, why is the individual interested, how does the individual plan to apply the information, and the list of variables goes on.  The one striking item I found in my study of learning theories is how closely everything is related and most of the theories stem from a single social science, cognitive psychology (Ormrod, 2009).  While no single learning theory is sufficient to describe the population, or even an individual, the science as a whole is able to describe a majority of individuals learning experience within a moment of time.

If you think of learning styles, theories, motivations, and technologies as a house with a foundation, two support pillars, and a roof, motivation is the foundation, the pillar to the left is learning theory, the pillar to the right learning style, and the roof is technology use.  Without motivation, be it extrinsic or intrinsic, there will not be knowledge acquisition.  Motivation is the base upon which learning is built on.  The pillars providing strength are theory and style. The roof, technology, is an element that can enhance and better the learning experience but is most effectively applied once learning theories and styles are understood.

Throughout my studies, I’ve learned more information about my personal learning styles.  I’ve learned that I am more of a constructivist who likes to rely on connections to obtain more knowledge and information.  I also tend to elaborate and look for personal connections within new learnings.

As an instructional designer, it is important to know your preference for learning as well as understand the major learning theories and styles.  It is easy to get caught up in designing materials and courses that best suit your own style.  By knowing more about learning, it can help you view the material through another lens and connect with more students who may prefer other learning styles.  The one most important item I learned throughout my studies is the power of ARCS.  Instructional designers should be able to look at their curriculum and assess the material and teaching methods for:  Attention, Relevance, Confidence, and Satisfaction (Keller, 1999).

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.

Keller, J. M. (1999). Using the ARCS motivational process in computer-based instruction and distance education. New Directions for Teaching and Learning (78).

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

Week 7 - Reflection of my Learning Styles

I was once asked what I thought my learning style was.  My response was that I preferred a constructivist style of learning.  Of course, I also remarked that it was hard to limit one's self to a single learning style, as Ertmer and Newby (1993) pointed out in one of their articles.  Now that my education in various learning styles is coming to a close, I was asked to revisit the questions of: what is my personal learning style, how has it changed, what can further explain my learning preferences, and what role does technology play in my quest for information.

The Six Sigma Master Blackbelt and Lean Sensei typical response is:  "It depends".  My answers depend on a variety of contexts:  what is it I am learning, why am I learning it, where am I learning, etc., etc.  Because I feel learning is unique and personal to each individual and the environment occurring in, my answers regarding personal learning styles may change slightly.  

I believe it is still hard to limit one's self to a single style of learning.  Upon learning more about various styles of learning, I still believe that my preferred style is constructivist but there is also a lot of connectivism in there.  Of course, connectivism as a learning theory versus learning method is highly debatable.  If you also throw in adult learning, which is broad and vast, I fit that definition as well.  For starters, like most adults, I have to be motivated and have a need or desire to learn.  From there, my preference is to apply or construct my current knowledge to fit the application.  Many times I look to my learning networks (aka connectivism) to provide clarification or advanced examples of principles.  I don't believe my initial response was incorrect or changed over time, but is supplemented with other methods such as connectivism.

Technology plays a large role in my quest for knowledge.  The internet, and all of it's glorious connections via blogs, wikis, learning groups, newsletters, and more, helps me learn more about concepts and how to apply them.  It seems like I am always "googling" something I want more information on at least once a day.  Some of the information is work related, some school, and other is purely personal.  This network helps me acquire information as well as share information with others.  More and more companies are moving towards internal wikis and SharePoint sites to help share information.  I use both of them frequently to further my learning at work.

As I come to a close in this entry, I feel I have gained a better understanding of my learning preferences, even though my thought has not drastically changed.  Technology plays a large part in how I obtain knowledge.  Without technology, I doubt I would have been able to learn as much as quickly as I have over the years.

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.  
 

Davis, C, Edmunds, E, & Kelly-Bateman, V. (2008). Connectivism. In M. Orey (Ed.), Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved February 2, 2010 from http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/  

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

Connectivism - Week 5

Connectivism:  is it a theory to be included with learning theories such as behaviorism, constructivism, cognitivism, and others, or is it just a way people inherently learn?  George Siemens and Bill Kerr have opposing viewpoints regarding if it is a theory or a pedagogical view (Davis, 2008). 

Vygotsky’s constructivist theory relies heavily on the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) (Ormrod, 2009), which is important for connectivism to be meaningful.  If an individual has a basic understanding and aptitude, their various social interactions and learning interactions will assist them at being successful in their quest for knowledge.  For example, if I were to perform a transmission rebuild for my car, I would use my learning network to gather information and various perspectives and lessons learned from others.  By using the internet to look at blogs and instructions, purchasing a Chilton’s manual, talking to family and friends who have performed this task before, and relying on my mechanical engineering degree, I would be successful in my endeavor.  However, if I wanted to perform a hip replacement, no amount of research or searching with my learning network will help make me successful.  I simply lack the prerequisite knowledge and understanding in the medical field, whereas the transmission rebuild is similar to my mechanical background.

By studying my personal learning network, as observed in the .jpeg image, I agree with Kerr that connectivism is not a learning theory (Davis, 2008), especially when applied in the above context.  While I may not believe it is a theory, I do feel that connectivism is important to learning and can help an individual grow and develop their skills providing there is a foundation to start with.   Typically, learning networks further knowledge or provide a basic understanding of a concept.

Overtime, my learning network has become more “e”-centric:  electronic focused.  I know I’m not alone when I google a term to find out more information, learn different applications of a principle, or browse the internet searching for differing viewpoints on a subject.  But a majority of my internet research is done on subjects I am already familiar with, which supports my belief that connectivism is not a learning theory, but a learning tool.  Rarely do I use the internet to learn a brand new tool or concept.  That specific learning is still done face-to-face, with through the classroom or through a co-worker or subject matter expert, depending on the subject and location.  As my learning network has grown and evolved through the use of technology over the years, there are specific paths I prefer to take depending on whether I am refining my knowledge base or learning something completely new.  

A great blog I came across during my research, and portrays my sentiments about behaviorism (instructivism), constructivism, and connectivism, is authored by Ryan Tracey.  I recommend taking a look at it:  http://ryan2point0.wordpress.com/2009/03/17/instructivism-constructivism-or-connectivism/.  While I didn't reference his blog in this assignment, I  feel he has captured my sentiments on this topic very well and is worth reading.

References

Davis, C, Edmunds, E, & Kelly-Bateman, V. (2008). Connectivism. In M. Orey (Ed.), Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved February 2, 2010 from http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/ 

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

Click on the image below to see my learning network and ways I obtain various knowledge.  (Created with Text2Mindmap:  http://www.text2mindmap.com/)