Module 6

I believe that technology plays a major role in the way in which I learn.  Being a classroom teacher, technology integration is constantly emphasized on a regular basis within the job setting.  It is continually stressed that educators create an engaging learning environment that involves the use of many different types of technology tools.  This course has helped me to discover various types of tools and understand the importance of technology and its effect on how students learn.    This is especially important for the connectivism learning theory, because this theory accentuates the integration of technology to promote learning in the classroom. 

I believe that the online environment involves lots of independent learning.  Students need to be aware of when assignments are due and when certain reading topics should be read and they conduct this through their own independence of researching and viewing important information in the online classroom.  Communication and collaboration is important as well in the online environment.  Students must be sure to communicate with classmates and instructors whenever they have questions, better understanding, and for participation purposes.  Collaboration is also important in the learning process in the online environment.  Students need to know how to use various technology tools to assist with collaboration such as wikis, discussion boards, use of screencasts/videos.   In the traditional classroom, students see each other on a daily basis and they are able to have in classroom discussions about topics which help in the collaboration process.  Both the online and traditional classrooms have the same characteristics, the online classroom just maybe a little more demanding because the instructor is not right in front of you each day. 

My philosophy of learning is that there should be good communication, good forms of collaboration, and the integration of tools to assist students with the real world.  Communication should take place between teacher, students, parents, administration.  Collaboration should take place with students, teachers, and parents.  Students should be able to understand different points of views besides their own (Driscoll, 2005).  This can be obtained through effective communication amongst all learners.  Integration of tools that relate to the real world should be applied in the classroom for the students.  It does not matter whether an individual is in the online classroom or in the traditional classroom; they need to be able to have communication, collaboration, and integration of effective tools for the real world experiences.  Learning is what the person makes it to be, but in the process certain strategies have to be implemented to ensure that effective learning has taken place and students are learning the objectives that have been set forth. 

I believe that teaching and learning go together hand in hand.  While teaching, learning is also taking place, and when learning, some form of information is being taught as well.  Being willing to learn from others, fairness, and effective teaching are considered as critical points in teaching and learning.

Driscoll, M. P. (2005). Psychology of Learning for Instruction (3^rd Edition). Boston:  Pearson Education,     Inc.

I responded to the following blogs: 

http://lylesedtech.blogspot.com/2012/08/learning-in-online-environment.html?showComment=1345954422696#c1465508495740629750 (Lyle Gier)

http://corablades1.blogspot.com/2012/08/learning-in-digital-world.html?showComment=1345954969164#c8586025560190025687 (Cora Blades)

Module 5 New Technologies

A situation where individuals were trying to adapt to change would be the incorporation of document camera as a teaching tool.  The document camera can be very viable because this tool allows for the entire classroom to view information of a selection all at the same time.  The use of this tool can cut down on the use of making paper copies which can significantly assist the teacher, and also it can ensure that the entire class is following along at the same time.  The teacher can connect this tool to the Smart Board and circle/underline keywords on the whiteboard to show the students.  The use of this tool brought on some negative vibes because some teachers were used to their students having a paper copy of a document in front of them.   For example, on the state assessments, students get to have the actual paper copy in front of them and can write on them, so just viewing the information on the whiteboard would hinder some students.   Some teachers were very interested in this idea, while some others preferred their old method of providing the handouts to the students.  

Using ARCS, individuals who preferred not to use this tool could be motivated by first, gaining the students attention.  It would be helpful to inform the teachers of ways that using the whiteboard/Smart Board can enhance the students’ attention, as the document can also be viewed on screen also.   Curiosity provides a source of motivation for students (Driscoll, 2005).  If the students become motivated, then the teacher has their attention.  Students can participate in the lesson by allowing them to go up to the Smart Board/ whiteboard and perform a task for the teacher. The use of this tool would need relevance and one way to show this would be that the incorporation of technology is part of the teacher evaluation system, therefore incorporating this tool could assist them in this area.  Teachers would need confidence in using this tool so they would need to see the tool is not difficult to use.  If teachers are comfortable with using a tool, then they are more likely to use it.  Lastly, this tool would provide satisfaction, where they would need less  copies if they prefer this, or if they still prefer the copies, then they can use the copies and the document camera also. 

Driscoll, M. P. (2005). Psychology for Learning for Instruction. (3^rd Ed.) Boston:  Pearson Education, Inc.

I responded to the following blogs: 

http://daoprish.blogspot.com/2012/08/module-5-new-technology.html?showComment=1344474605170#c1261450705486355085 Daniel Oprish

http://juliekaplan.wordpress.com/2012/08/04/module-5-affective-learning-theory/#comment-93 Julie Kaplan

 

Module 4 Connectivism

The current network that I use changes the way I learn in a variety of ways.  The learning networks are used in order to seek ways in order to collaborate with other individuals.  By collaborating with each other, students are able to make connections to the learning.  Connections helps create structures (Siemens, 2006). This is very helpful in networking and seeing/understanding what other people are currently doing in their classrooms.  It is also a great way to exchange ideas from individuals who may be near or far away.  The online resources are used in order to take the place of the traditional books.  The Internet sites are used for various types of research along with the online libraries.  Screen casts are also used in order to seek how to complete certain tasks on the computer.   The use of social networks is also used in order to use these types of media for the purpose of socializing and communication on various topics.  These various networks align with modeling assignments, visualizing these tools as well. 

The digital tools that best facilitate learning for me are the use of wiki, blogs, chat rooms, online libraries.   New knowledge can be learned by using the various forms of communication within the mind map.  New knowledge can also be obtained through trial and error of working with tools or objectives until mastery has been established.

Siemens, G. (2006).  Knowing Knowledge. Lulu.com. 

I responded to the following blogs: 

http://lylesedtech.blogspot.com/2012/07/learning-has-become-chaotic-complex-but.html?showComment=1343413035249#c1671582190086420942   
Lyle Gier 

http://wojoedtech.blogspot.com/2012/07/module-4-networked-life.html?showComment=1343415258364#c6253795811362429802  
Laura Wojciechowicz

Module 3 Collaboration

I do believe that humans have an instinct to work as a group.  In order to collaborative work to take place, individuals should be willing to work and cooperate with one another.  Cooperation, collective action, complex interdependences are important roles in collaborative work (Rheingold, 2008).    

Technology can facilitate and collaboration among learners through making use of various technology tools in order to ensure learning and teamwork amongst students.  The Internet is considered as an enabling technology (Rheingold, 2008).  The Internet has allowed and made way for individuals to learn the skills they need and collaborate with one another on a variety of levels.   In the end the use of the desktop computer has become a printing press, broadcast station for information, community for people, and marketplace (Rheingold, 2008).  This has greatly helped the area of education especially in the form of distance education. 

A research study that was conducted in 2009 discusses how to create collaborative learning groups in the online environment.  This research is found at the following website http://www.irrodl.org/index.php/irrodl/article/view/675/1271.

Rheingold, H. (2008). Howard Rheingold on Collaboration.  Retrieved from                 http://www.ted.com/talks/howard_rheingold_on_collaboration.html


Blogs that I responded to:

http://daoprish.blogspot.com/2012/07/module-3-constructivism.html?showComment=1342319989232#c7190215011161624729 (Daniel Oprish)

http://juliekaplan.wordpress.com/2012/07/07/module-3-constructivism/#comment-86

(Julie Kaplan)

Module 2 Learning Theory

According to the 2 blogs that were posted, there were lots of information in relation to the learning theories.   According to the information from the blog, it states that lower level learning is considered as memorizing, recognizing, or labeling (Kapp, 2007).  This relates to the components of Bloom’s Taxonomy that contains remember, and understanding.   Remember and understanding relate to memorizing, recognizing, and labeling because in the classroom these are components that we do not want for the students to remain at.  We want for them to go beyond these levels and be able to apply the skills learned, analyze the information, evaluate the information, and be able to create an outcome from the information that has been learned.  As an educator, we want to bring students from the lower level learned and move them towards the higher order thinking level. 

Another point that was within this blog that I found interesting the information about learning.   According to Kapp, learning is multi-layered (Kapp, 2007).   I agree with this statement because indeed, learning is an ongoing process.  It does not just stop at one point, but it continues on and on.  Due to that learning is a process, it is continuous and we must continue to build upon our prior knowledge and create new knowledge. 

Kapp, K. (2007). Out and About:  Discussion On Educational Schools of Thought.  Retrieved from                 http://www.uleduneering.com/kappnotes/index.php/2007/01/out-and-about-      discussion-on- educational/.


Blogs that I responded to:

http://corablades1.blogspot.com/2012/06/module-2-cognitivism-as-learning-theory.html?showComment=1341074492058#c3847819414120003841  (Cora Blades)

http://wojoedtech.blogspot.com/2012/06/module-2-cognitivism-learning-theories.html?showComment=1341077814715#c7079381999473372975 (Laura Wojciechowicz)

Module 1 Blog Posting Responses

These are the blog postings that I responded to: 

http://lylesedtech.blogspot.com/2012/06/learning-theories.html?showComment=1339695642867#c5364707962987958458

http://wojoedtech.blogspot.com/2012/06/module-1-role-of-teachers.html?showComment=1339696650035#c7855534100194560093

Module 1 Blog Posting

Module 1

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

I believe that the ways in which people learn best depends on the individual person and specifically on factors related to how that person is able to retain information.  Everyone does not learn in the same way and therefore, it is imperative that we as educators work to develop lessons and activities that captivate each person’s learning style.  Many people can be bodily kinesthetic learners, visual learners, or auditory learners.  Then again, many individuals can be a combination of different types of learners that does not mean that they are just one type of style.   I believe that it is vital that a variety of instruments and tools are used in order to keep students engaged and allow students to expand their learning potential to the fullest.

The purpose of learning theory in educational technology consists of the ability of students learning using technology as a tool.   The learning theory links observed changes in performance with what will bring the changes (Driscoll, 2005).   In order to have learning theory, there must be three main components, results, means, and inputs (Driscoll, 2005).  These three concepts help to develop a learning theory that will promote the expansion of learning.  In educational technology, it is important that many factors of the learning theory are taken into consideration as technological tools will be used in order to expand on the three important factors.

Driscoll, M. P. (2005). Psychology of Learning for Instruction (3^rd Edition). Boston:  Pearson Education,     Inc.