Week 2 Responses

This week I responded to:

Timothy Weaver's Blog
http://weave1-weave1.blogspot.com/2012/03/tweavermod-2-cognitivism-as-learning.html#comment-form

and
Jessica Y. Green's Blog
http://jygreensblog.blogspot.com/2012/03/module-2-cognitivism-as-learning-theory.html#comment-form

Evolution of educational theory isms

Module 2 Blog Posting

While the idea of evolution of the human species might not appeal to certain populations, the idea that ideas or people evolve from earlier versions of themselves holds some truth.  We have seen sports and athletes evolve over the years and records smashed as technology and athleticism improve.  The same evolution process has occurred with the learning theories proposed over the year.  No matter who you think is the mother or father of a learning theory or how well you think it explains learning, future theories evolve from these foundations.  These foundation theories drop seeds that get planted and grow into other theories.

As Kerr (2007) noted, the different –isms that populate textbooks on learning theory do not stand still.  And while these ideas might have different bits and pieces that we disagree with, each idea does have merit and deserves consideration.  A good thing about the variety of these learning theories is that it makes sense that we all do not learn the same way.  Since individuals come from all different backgrounds with distinct experiences, how can we say that Behaviorism or Cognitivism is the best explanation for how these individuals learn?  If Cognitive Information Processing (CIP) is mainly focused on memory, is it possible to believe that those with memory issues cannot learn? 

I think Kapp (2007) summed it up best when he stated we should take bits and pieces from each of the learning theories.  As they evolve, we pick the strongest bits and get rid of those which are inadequate for explaining how we learn.  As we noted in a class discussion, we cannot get to Connectivism if students are not versed in how to make connections with nodes of information.  We have to teach them the skills on how to get that knowledge.  This teaching could take on a Behaviorist approach where learners are given a stimulus (problem to solve) and choose the best tool, technology or otherwise, and then are provided with the response to either strengthen that behavior or to weaken wrong choices.  We help these same students with memory skills through dual coding of lessons, providing practice, and helping them store knowledge in their long term memory.  These steps are not the functions of the main idea, Connectivism, but we use stepping stones of other learning theories to get to those which best help us solve educational problems we face.

Kerr, B. (2007, January 1). _isms as filter, not blinker [Web log post]. Retrieved from http://billkerr2.blogspot.com/2007/01/isms-as-filter-not-blinker.html

Kapp, K. (2007, January 2). Out and about: Discussion on educational schools of thought [Web log post]. Retrieved from http://www.kaplaneduneering.com/kappnotes/index.php/2007/01/out-and-about-discussion-on-educational/

Module 1 Repsonses

This week I responded to Melinda and Sherri's postings.

Melinda's Blog:

http://schroederedtech.blogspot.com

Sherri's Blog:

http://theoryandeducationaltech.blogspot.com

EDUC 8845 Module 1 Post

When looking at how education has progressed over the years we can see how the internet has allowed for different styles of teaching. Long gone are the days of large group lectures and proctored exams where students had to physically show up to school. The digital classroom allows for students and teachers to play different roles than they used to play in the past. Instead of being a passive recipient of knowledge, the learner is often empowered to seek out knowledge and connect it with their experience. Even in the traditional classroom these changes of roles are becoming more evident.

Siemens (2008) identified five metaphors that other scholars labeled that explain the emerging roles of educators. He noted the following:

Educator as Master Artist: The educator affords an open and sharing workspace where learners observe the work of others. The educator also provides guidance to the learners by highlighting innovate/creative work of the learners’ peers.

Educator as Network Administrator: The educator connects the learners’ current knowledge and skills with areas in which the learners are novices. This knowledge base is connected to the outcomes of the course or job skills taught. The educator teaches learners how to critically evaluate information sources as to how it will help the learner accomplish the stated goals for their course or job.

Educator as Concierge: The educator provides resources and information to learners that the learner may not have known existed. As the educator has more experience in the field, he/she would know where to find pertinent information for the learners. The educator also provides background information as needed to enhance the resources provided.

Educator as Curator: The educator has a greater knowledge about their content area and provides this knowledge to learners by providing a map of sorts to the concepts taught. The educator does not just set the learner free on a road to discovery, but provides resources that would help guide the learner down their path.

The Instructivist/Constructivist: The educator focuses on having the learner make connections in their learning. This approach blends the four prior metaphors of educators: master artist, network administrator, concierge, and curator.

When analyzing each of these metaphors, I see each of them having a place in the digital classroom. For example, in our Walden classes we are always reading the work of our peers while crafting our own work. We assimilate what we learn from the writing of others and add that knowledge to our own. Our professors often mention exemplars of work and post those for us to review. The network administrator metaphor is also valid in that our professors help provide connections to areas in which our skills are not as strong. For example, I struggled with APA form for a while and my previous instructors not only taught me how to improve the skill but how the knowledge was beneficial for the bigger picture. The idea of the educator as a concierge is beneficial for students who need guidance on where to find learning opportunities. While students of the digital age might know certain sources of information (e.g. Google, Wikipedia, etc.), they also need exposure to better sources and places they can learn without just search engines. As concierges, educators can provide a better list of resources that are worthy of review and steer students clear of the “tourist traps” that offer little or no substance.

I think the educator as curator is a better metaphor for how I like to be taught and how I often teach. Many of our learners are digitally minded as they have been learning with technology just about all of their lives. Sometimes these students just want to be given a task and some basic guidance on the topic. The students want to be able to do work on their own and not be throttled by slow teachers or peers. Instead of working on a prescribed task everyone has to do, they want to go out and do something that matches their strengths and weaknesses. Through this process, the students would fill in the gaps of their knowledge with their searches and application of technology. That said, some teachers take the curator approach too far and just give an assignment and expect students to do all the rest without any help.

When I think of the best instructors in digital learning, I see superheroes. In order for online learning to be effective, especially for new students in this environment, instructors have to fulfill all of the roles Siemens (2008) mentioned. Instructors must individualize instruction for the distinct needs of the learners and cannot offer a cookie-cutter approach to their teaching. The reason I say superhero is that this is often hard to accomplish. Instructors cannot read minds or guess how students learn best, but are expected to tailor lessons for all. They have to not only master technology tools used in class, but also scour the land for resources that would benefit their classes. With twenty students in class, this could take inordinate amounts of time…and if they teach more than one section of a class, or topic…how could they do it all? With super powers, of course.


Reference:

Siemens, G. (2008). Learning and knowing in networks: Changing roles for educators and designers. Retrieved from http://it.coe.uga.edu/itforum/Paper105/Siemens.pdf