tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28645912822463162242024-03-21T20:46:04.757-04:00Learning Theories and InstructionThis blog has been designed for the current class I'm taking at Walden University. Please feel free to leave comments on my posts.The Meredith'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17518205414247840300noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2864591282246316224.post-40995765184684967342011-02-27T17:51:00.000-05:002011-02-27T17:51:15.759-05:00Reflection<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Learning about how people learn was very intriguing to me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I was looking back at the class resources from each week I reflected on two thing, learning styles and motivation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“</span><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: BookAntiqua;">Students often become uninterested and restless during class when there is no correlation between the way students learn and the way instructors teach” (</span><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Gilbert & Swanier, 2008).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When teachers research learning styles it provides “</span><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: BookAntiqua;">direction for either how to teach individuals through their styles, patterns or how to teach them by capitalizing on their personal strengths. Learning style can also be defined as the way in which each learner begins to concentrate on, process, and retain new and difficult information. Identifying learning styles and adapting lessons can motivate, encourage students to succeed, and eliminate unfair labeling. Different individuals perceive and process experiences in different preferred ways” (</span><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Gilbert & Swanier, 2008).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="color: #333333;"></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">However when students are motivated by teachers they can be more interested in class and their work.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“A student may arrive in class with a certain degree of motivation. But the teacher's behavior and teaching style, the structure of the course, the nature of the assignments and informal interactions with students all have a large effect on student motivation” (Kirk, 2011). <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Goudy Old Style", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Probably one of the most striking things I’ve learned during this course is the fact that people can learn and identify with multiple learning theories and strategies depending on the situation or circumstance that the material is being presented in. Also as I furthered my knowledge about how people learn, I realized that adult learner thinking and motivation is vastly different from even a college student’s</span><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Through this course I’ve learned about my own learning process.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">I’ve learned that through Gardner’s multiple intelligences my strengths are logical-mathematical, bodily kinesthetic, spatial-visual, interpersonal, and intrapersonal </span><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">(Businessballs.com, 2011)</span><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My weaknesses can be found in linguistic and musical categories</span><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"> (Businessballs.com, 2011)</span><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Using Gardner’s multiple intelligences to evaluate your personal learning style allows you to understand how to modify learning to your advantage (Gardner, 2003). After taking Gardner’s Multiple Intelligence Test I found that my own knowledge of learning confirmed I like to learn in ways use analytical thinking skills, hands-on experiences, images, relating to others, and reflecting on my own learning and personal experiences.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“</span><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: BookAntiqua;">Given a specific instruction method or environment, some people will learn more effectively than others due to their individual learning style. However, this may not be the case throughout a course or a specific lesson; learning styles can actually fluctuate within subject or lesson”</span><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"> (Gilbert, & Swanier, 2008).</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">This class, Learning Theories and Instruction, has deepened my understanding for different modes of learning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Everyone is unique and learns in various ways, because of this, there is no best way of learning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No one particular learning theory is better than another (Fenwick & Tennant, 2004). </span><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">My personal learning process requires me to make connections with new ideas and concepts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Just like anything else that involves human experience or interaction, the act of learning does not happen in a vacuum. It is at the intersection of prior knowledge, experience, perception, reality, comprehension, and flexibility that learning occurs. (<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Davis, Edmunds, & Kelly-Bateman 2008). </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Learning theories, learning styles, educational technology, and motivation create a puzzle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When each piece is connected, learning is fun and exciting! When instructors are designing lessons it is imperative to consider the target audience. The instructor should allow for creativity and flexibility in assignments and time for interaction from the instructor to help the learner understand how they learn best (</span><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Ormrod, Schunk, & Gredler, 2009)</span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> so that he or she can enhance his or her own learning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Goudy Old Style", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 8.0pt;">good way to incorporate motivation is Keller’s ARCS motivational process</span><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"> (Keller, 1999). </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 8pt; line-height: 200%;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">This course has given me a concrete foundation for a career in instructional design.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This course has provided me with the building blocks of education: learning theories, learning styles, motivation, and education technology.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Over the past eight weeks, this class has enhanced my job as a current educator because I’ve become more aware of how I can effectively infuse technology into my instruction.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am able to easily motivate my students by using the ARCS Model. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Goudy Old Style", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">With today’s technology variety is necessary in order to best motivate and reach all learners.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Goudy Old Style", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"></span><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Resources</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt 0.5in; text-indent: -0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Businessballs.com. (2011). Gardner, H. Multiple Intelligence Test retrieved on <2/15/11> from <span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://www.businessballs.com/howardgardnermultipleintelligences.htm">www.businessballs.com/howardgardnermultipleintelligences.htm</a></span> </span><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style", "serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt 0.5in; text-indent: -0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Davis, C., Edmunds, E., & Kelly-Bateman, V. (2008). Connectivism. In M. Orey (Ed.), <em><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style", "serif";">Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology.</span></em> Retrieved on <2/23/11> from <span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/index.php?title=Connectivism" target="new"><span style="color: blue;">http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/index.php?title=Connectivism</span></a></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt 0.5in; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-indent: -0.5in;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Fenwick, T., & Tennant, M. (2004). Understanding Adult Learners. In G. Foley, <i>Dimensions of adult learning: Adult education and training in a global era.</i> (p. 55). McGraw-Hill Education.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt 0.5in; text-indent: -0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Gardner, H. (2003, April 21). Multiple intelligences after 20 years. Paper presented to the American Educational Research Association, Chicago, IL. Retrieved from <a href="http://www.pz.harvard.edu/PIs/HG_MI_after_20_years.pdf" target="new"><span style="color: blue;">http://www.pz.harvard.edu/PIs/HG_MI_after_20_years.pdf</span></a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt 0.5in; text-indent: -0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Gilbert, J., & Swanier, C. (2008). Learning styles: How do they fluctuate? <em><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style", "serif";">Institute for Learning Styles Journal</span></em> [Vol. l]. Retrieved from <a href="http://www.auburn.edu/~witteje/ilsrj/Journal%20Volumes/Fall%202008%20Volume%201%20PDFs/Learning%20Styles%20How%20do%20They%20Fluctuate.pdf" target="new"><span style="color: blue;">http://www.auburn.edu/~witteje/ilsrj/Journal%20Volumes/Fall%202008%20Volume%201%20PDFs/Learning%20Styles%20How%20do%20They%20Fluctuate.pdf</span></a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt 0.5in; text-indent: -0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Keller, J. M. (1999). Using the ARCS motivational process in computer-based instruction and distance education. <em><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style", "serif";">New Directions for Teaching and Learning</span></em> (78).</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt 0.5in; text-indent: -0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Kirk, K. (2011). Motivating Students. Cutting Edge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Retrieved<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>on <2/24/11> from <a href="http://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/affective/motivation.html"><span style="color: blue;">http://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/affective/motivation.html</span></a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt 0.5in; text-indent: -0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Ormrod, J., Schunk, D., & Gredler, M. (2009). </span><i><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Learning theories and instruction</span></i><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> (Laureate custom edition). New York: Pearson. </span><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style", "serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>The Meredith'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17518205414247840300noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2864591282246316224.post-46392052091735570302011-02-20T16:51:00.000-05:002011-02-20T16:51:09.157-05:00Fitting the Pieces Together<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Fitting the Pieces Together</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Seven weeks ago when I began this course I had a fairly good understanding of different learning theories and learning styles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I knew that it was important to differentiate teaching to accommodate all learners.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After spending the last six weeks researching, analyzing, and interpreting my knowledge has evolved to accommodate my new learning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve learned that through Gardner’s multiple intelligences my strengths are logical-mathematical, bodily kinesthetic, spatial-visual, interpersonal, and intrapersonal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My weaknesses can be found in linguistic and musical categories.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Using Gardner’s multiple intelligences to evaluate your personal learning style allows you to understand how to modify learning to your advantage.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After taking </span><a href="http://www.businessballs.com/howardgardnermultipleintelligences.htm"><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="color: blue;">Gardner’s Multiple Intelligence Test</span></span></a><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> I found that my own knowledge of learning confirmed I like to learn in ways use analytical thinking skills, hands-on experiences, images, relating to others, and reflecting on my own learning and personal experiences.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“</span><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: BookAntiqua;">Given a specific instruction method or environment, some people will learn more effectively than others due to their individual learning style. However, this may not be the case throughout a course or a specific lesson. Learning styles actually fluctuate within subject or lesson”</span><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"> (Gilbert, & Swanier, 2008).</span><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Over the past several weeks I’ve learned about multiple learning theories and learning styles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As I was learning about each I tried to visualize how I would use that particular theory in my learning. “</span><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: BookAntiqua;">Learning styles are approaches to learning and studying. Keefe defined learning styles as characteristic cognitive, affective, and psychological behaviors that serve as relatively stable indicators of how learners perceive, interact with or respond to the learning environment”</span><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"> (Gilbert, & Swanier, 2008). Learning styles are often influenced by heredity, previous experiences, and current environment (Gilbert, & Swanier, 2008). </span><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: BookAntiqua;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The learning theories that most resonated with me were the constructivist theory, social learning theory, connectivism, and adult learning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Each of these theories allowed for me to create a connection between them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All four seem to easily intertwine and focus on a key theme; reflecting on prior knowledge, communicating with others, and drawing conclusions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As an instructor it is “almost impossible to identify each student’s learning style and it is an impossible task to accommodate everyone’s learning style in a classroom environment” </span><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">(Gilbert, & Swanier, 2008). </span><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: BookAntiqua;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“For </span><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">several decades electronic <span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style", "serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">technology</span> has made an impact <span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style", "serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">on</span> every aspect <span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style", "serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">of</span> society and culture” (</span><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Semple, 2000).</span><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"> <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Computers make it possible to access huge amounts <span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style", "serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">of</span> information and communication over great distances can occur almost immediately” (</span><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Semple, 2000).</span><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"> <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Technology plays one of the most important roles in my learning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Without the use of technology I would not be able to easily connect with my existing networks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Each week I spend countless hours researching information for discussion posts, communicating with colleagues, and connecting with family members across the nation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">References</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Gilbert, J., & Swanier, C. (2008). Learning styles: How do they fluctuate? <em><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style", "serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Institute for Learning Styles Journal</span></em> [Vol. l]. Retrieved from </span><a href="http://www.auburn.edu/~witteje/ilsrj/Journal%20Volumes/Fall%202008%20Volume%201%20PDFs/Learning%20Styles%20How%20do%20They%20Fluctuate.pdf"><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="color: blue;">http://www.auburn.edu/~witteje/ilsrj/Journal%20Volumes/Fall%202008%20Volume%201%20PDFs/Learning%20Styles%20How%20do%20They%20Fluctuate.pdf</span></span></a><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"> </span></div>The Meredith'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17518205414247840300noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2864591282246316224.post-65442009469638171922011-02-06T17:40:00.000-05:002011-02-06T17:40:08.530-05:00Connectivism<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Connectivism</span></div><div style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style", "serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Connectivism is a theoretical framework for understanding learning. In connectivism, the starting point for learning occurs when knowledge is actuated through the process of a learner connecting to and feeding information into a learning community.</span><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style", "serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN;"> <span lang="EN">(Kop & Hill, 2008).</span></span></div><div style="line-height: 150%;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style", "serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>This week’s assignment was to create a mind map to show our own learning networks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My mind map project helped to show me the complexity of learning and how I connect things such as the environment, culture, and past experience and so forth within my network, and how technology ties it all together.</span></div><div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style", "serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN;">In today’s changing society, information is always changing. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The information that a person acquires today may be different tomorrow.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As adults, we automatically consider these changes and adapt our current knowledge to new knowledge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Everyone is unique and learns in various ways, because of this, there is no best way of learning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No one particular learning theory is better than another (Fenwick & Tennant, 2004). Learning is blended and constant (Fenwick & Tennant, 2004).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is no such thing as generic ‘adult learner’ who can describe in ways that accurately and responsibility portray the myriad differences between people and the changes they experience (Fenwick & Tennant, 2004).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Goudy Old Style", "serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.5pt;">Just like anything else that involves human experience or interaction, the act of learning does not happen in a vacuum. It is at the intersection of prior knowledge, experience, perception, reality, comprehension, and flexibility that learning occurs. (<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Davis, Edmunds, & Kelly-Bateman 2008). The context of a person’s life with its unique cultural, political, physical, and social dynamics influences what learning experiences are encountered and how they are engaged (Fenwick & Tennant, 2004). My network has changed the way I learn because it challenges me to ask questions when I’m unsure about something, think critically when asked to provide a solution to a problem, be open to the view points of others, and to be diverse in technology.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style", "serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div><div style="line-height: 150%;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style", "serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Technology plays a very important role in my learning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I spend hours on a computer each day researching the internet and communicating with colleagues and family members across the nation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>New technology and software has been my life-saver with various projects for grad school and preparing lessons for my students.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When trying to solve problems I use several different networks, such as technology, social networks, and opinions of colleagues and friends to form my own outcome for the problem.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div style="line-height: 150%;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style", "serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>New technology forces today’s learner to process and apply information in a very different way and at a very different pace from any other time in history </span><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Goudy Old Style", "serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.5pt;">(<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Davis, Edmunds, & Kelly-Bateman 2008). With today’s technologies and information changing so rapidly, forming networks and learning communities provide learners with quick access to share knowledge or find information that is needed at any given time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div><div style="line-height: 150%;"><br />
</div><div style="line-height: 150%;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style", "serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN;">References: </span></div><div style="line-height: 150%;"><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Goudy Old Style", "serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.5pt;">Davis, C, Edmunds, E, & Kelly-Bateman, V. (2008). Connectivism. In M. Orey (Ed.), Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved <2-4-11>, from <a href="http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/" title="http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/"><span style="color: #3366bb; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/</span></a> </span></div><div style="line-height: 150%;"><br />
</div><div style="line-height: 150%;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style", "serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Fenwick, T., & Tennant, M. (2004). Understanding Adult Learners. In G. Foley, Dimensions of adult learning: Adult education and training in a global era. McGraw-Hill Education.</span></div><div style="line-height: 150%;"><br />
</div><div style="line-height: 150%;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style", "serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Kop, R., & Hill, A. (2008). Connectivism: Learning theory of the future or vestige of the past? International Review of Research in Open & Distance Learning , 1-13.</span></div>The Meredith'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17518205414247840300noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2864591282246316224.post-22954419393059777962011-02-03T19:17:00.003-05:002011-02-09T14:41:14.246-05:00Connectivism<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpQIeiNnJaAfICvWpCL9IlgbveIxTeCK7UE4ISqtahUEoCGRTGeNYXXjNW3mQwlYIqhykZmwKyqQ1p_MQHUazJpM6F4jRw1fNBKy8z8p0tEf9gnXtVcsCyQARzdnsDTEpj0SWj5p_he9A/s1600/nln.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="306" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpQIeiNnJaAfICvWpCL9IlgbveIxTeCK7UE4ISqtahUEoCGRTGeNYXXjNW3mQwlYIqhykZmwKyqQ1p_MQHUazJpM6F4jRw1fNBKy8z8p0tEf9gnXtVcsCyQARzdnsDTEpj0SWj5p_he9A/s400/nln.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>The Meredith'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17518205414247840300noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2864591282246316224.post-9246443100939838782011-01-16T21:28:00.000-05:002011-01-16T21:28:13.653-05:00Information Processing and Problem Solving Methods<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The human brain is an incredibly complicated information processing system that allows humans to perform everyday functions and to learn about their surrounding environments. The brain is a very complex organ and the control center for our bodies. The brain sends and receives electrical and chemical transmissions that allow our bodies to partake in everyday tasks. These messages travel through the central nervous system to the brain. Our brain is divided into several different interworking parts, each having its own job, or task </span><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">(Ormrod, Schunk, & Gredler 2009)</span><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">. The cortex is responsible for many things including, language, attention, problem solving, learning strategies, temperature, pain, visual information, auditory and speech information (</span><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Ormrod, Schunk, & Gredler 2009</span><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">). <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Two theories that can help educators understand how the brain processes information are the information processing theory and brain based learning, a problem solving technique. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The information processing theory refers to how the human brain decides how to respond to a certain stimulus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The information processing theory’s main focus is on memory.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our memory is in control of processing, retaining, and retrieving information. Our memory can also be broken down into three parts, sensory, short term, and long term memory (</span><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Huitt</span><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">2003). </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The sensory memory, this is where the stimulus is received through one of the five senses: sight, taste, sound, touch, or smell.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Sensory memory retains the brief impression of a sensory stimulus after the stimulus itself has ended. The sensory memory holds information in the form in which it receives, visual in visual form and auditory in auditory form.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If the information that is in the sensory memory needs to be stored it must be encoded then sent to the short term memory. </span><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">The second level is short-term memory, which is also called the working memory, and relates to anything we are thinking about at any given time. The short term memory has two limits; one, it can only hold information for about fifteen to twenty seconds, but the information can be available to up to twenty minutes. Secondly, the short term memory can only process a small number of units or information at a time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Retaining information in the short term memory can be broken into two parts: <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>organization and repetition.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Organization can be categorized into four major parts: component, sequential, relevance, and transitional.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Repetition is a technique that most people try to learn something new such as simply restating information over and over.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This form of memorization does not lead to learning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">The last level of memory is our long-term memory. The long term memory stores information and is available for retrieval. If information is stored within the long-term memory it is less likely to be forgotten (</span><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Ormrod, Schunk, & Gredler 2009</span><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">). <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The long-term memory is also called the preconscious and unconscious memory.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Preconscious means that the information can be easily recalled within minutes or hours.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The unconscious refers to information that is not available during normal consciousness (Huitt 2003). There are two processes most likely to move information into long term memory, elaboration and distributed practice (Huitt 2003).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some examples of elaboration are imaging, making connections, rhyming schemes, songs, and acrostic poems.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These examples are commonly used in the teaching and learning process.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">A second learning theory that would be valuable to educators is brain based learning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Brain based learning is a new approach to instruction using current research from neuroscience. The objective of brain-based learning is to move from memorizing information to meaningful learning (Caine & Caine 1990).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Normally you will hear people say, everyone <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">can</i> learn, when in fact everyone <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">does</i> learn.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Everyone just learns in different ways.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Educators who are aware of current research on how the brain functions and learns will gain an insight about conditions and environments that can optimize learning. The Brain-based learning theory has twelve basic principles for brain based learning. </span><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">According to Renate and Geoffery Caine the core principles of brain-based learning state that:</span></div><ol type="1"><li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The brain is a parallel processor, meaning it can perform several activities at once, like tasting and smelling. </span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Learning engages the whole physiology. </span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The search for meaning is innate. </span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The search for meaning comes through patterning. </span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Emotions are critical to patterning. </span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The brain processes wholes and parts simultaneously. </span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Learning involves both focused attention and peripheral perception. </span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Learning involves both conscious and unconscious processes. </span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">We have two types of memory: spatial and rote.</span></li>
</ol><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 40.5pt; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Bookman Old Style"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Bookman Old Style";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">10.</span></span><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">We understand best when facts are embedded in natural, spatial memory. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt 40.5pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -22.5pt;"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Bookman Old Style"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Bookman Old Style";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">11.</span></span><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Learning is enhanced by challenge and inhibited by threat. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt 40.5pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -22.5pt;"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Bookman Old Style"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Bookman Old Style";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">12.</span></span><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Each brain is unique. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Learning is influenced by the natural development of the body and brain (Caine & Caine 1990).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not all students of the same age have the same learning capacities. Judging students by age is inappropriate and should be based on their previous knowledge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All students should be challenged in order to satisfy the brain’s hunger and curiosity. The challenges should be meaningful and creative to the students to enhance learning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Using the twelve basic core principals of brain based learning; learning should be fostered with emotional support between student and teacher.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Good teaching builds understanding and skills over time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s important for teachers to understand that each hemisphere of the brain is connected and will work together to organize information.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If a hemisphere is neglected while teaching, a person can have difficultly learning. Since each side of the brain is stimulated by different things such as light, noise, visuals, and music, a teacher should engage the interests of students into the lessons to make them more meaningful and easier to remember.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Teachers should use “active processing” to allow students to review what they have learned so they can begin to take charge of their own learning (Caine & Caine 1990).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Having students memorize facts instead of processing the skill needed to compute the skill will interfere with the development of understanding a concept.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Education is enhanced when it is shaped by the internal processes and social interaction.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Success depends on making use of all the senses by immersing the learner in a multitude of complex and interactive experiences.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(Caine & Caine 1990).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Teachers should create a learning environment that provides low threats and high challenges to maximize learning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As educators knowing and understanding that that each brain is unique, the more students learn, the more unique they become.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Teachers should allow students to be unique in express their preferences when learning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Learning choices should be varied to accommodate multiple intelligences in order to facilitate optimal brain functioning.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">The resources that were used in this week’s blog post have been valuable in my understanding of Brain processing theories and problem solving methods during the learning process. The article provided by Huitt provided resources on information processing theory and our memory.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The article published in Educational Leadership, written by Caine and Caine provided a new theory on problem solving methods using brain based research.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These resources would be valuable for any educator to understand how the brain processes and retains information.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br />
</div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">R</span><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">eferences</span></div><div class="body-paragraph" style="margin: auto 0in auto 0.5in; text-indent: -0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", "serif";">Caine, R., & Caine, G. (1990). Understanding a brain-based approach to learning and teaching. <i>Educational Leadership</i>, 48(2), 66. Retrieved from EBSCO<i>host</i>.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt 0.5in; text-indent: -0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Huitt, W. (2003). The information processing approach to cognition. <i>Educational Psychology Interactive</i>. Valdosta, GA: Valdosta State University. Retrieved [1/13/11] from </span><a href="http://www.edpsycinteractive.org/topics/cogsys/infoproc.html"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="color: blue;">http://www.edpsycinteractive.org/topics/cogsys/infoproc.html</span></span></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt 0.5in; text-indent: -0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Ormrod, J., Schunk, D., & Gredler, M. (2009). <em><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", "serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Learning theories and instruction</span></em> (Laureate custom edition). New York: Pearson</span></div>The Meredith'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17518205414247840300noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2864591282246316224.post-75191657538476543632011-01-09T13:58:00.000-05:002011-01-09T13:58:37.356-05:00Blogging and Instructional Design<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">This week’s reading materials were based on learning theories and the learning process.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The assignment was to bookmark three useful blogs or newsletters we felt would have relevant content as we proceed in the instructional design field. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"><a href="http://internetce.com/blog/2010/06/21/online-learning-memory-and-aging/"><span style="color: blue;">Shirley A. Gable</span></a> speaks about online learning, memory, and aging in her June 21, 2010 blog.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She notes that critical thinking must take place about information that is presented within a new course not just memorize the information for recall later. Gable states, “M<span style="color: #333333;">emorization rarely leads to actual learning. In order to learn something well enough to recall it later, you must think about newly learned knowledge in a way that is meaningful to you personally.” When studying the cognitive theory the memory plays a role in learning, “learning takes place when information is stored in memory in an organized, meaningful, manner” (Ertmer and Newby). She also states the importance of being proactive in your learning and going out of your way to discuss newly learned information with a <a href="http://internetce.com/blog/2010/06/21/online-learning-memory-and-aging/"><span style="color: blue;">colleague</span></a> (Gable, 2011).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"><a href="http://blog.cathy-moore.com/">Cathy Moore’s Blog</a> focuses on creative elearning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Cathy has used technology for more than 25 years to encourage and strengthen people with instructional design skills and has written elearning for businesses.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Within her blog you can comment and ask questions and she provides almost immediate feedback. Cathy’s post <a href="http://blog.cathy-moore.com/2010/09/learning-styles-worth-our-time/#more-1276">Learning styles: Worth our time</a>? on September of 2010, focusing on each learning style is worth the time to research.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This post is supported by works from psychologist </span><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: AdvBd;">Harold Pashler, Mark McDaniel, Doug Rohrer, and Robert Bjork. In the article, Concepts and Evidence, they concluded that literature fails to provide significant support for applying learning style assessments in education. This brings a question to mind, is there a single best approach or one that is more effective than others? According to Ertmer and Newby, “Learning is strongly influenced by many factors from many sources; the learning process itself is constantly changing, both in nature and diversity.” </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: AdvBd;">Not</span><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"> only does Cathy’s blog focus on instructional design, but she has multiple topics relating to elearning and motivation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Cathy provides superb feedback to each of her bloggers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her posts are unique and enduring. Her blog can be used throughout the field of instructional design because of her unique and motivating ideas.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"><a href="http://www.trainingmag.com/">Training Magazine</a> is a resource for business professionals with research based studies and articles for leadership, human resources, and training. The April issue of 2009 has an article entitled, <a href="http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nielsen/training0609/index.php#/24/OnePage"><span style="color: blue;">Head First</span></a>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Head First gives a detailed look at why some lessons get absorbed and other lessons seem to be washed down a drain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Many businesses today have many different types of learners employed, “Some of our people prefer things such as podcasts, vodcasts, and Webinars on a just-in-time basis rather than more traditional methods” (Training 2009).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On the other hand, “many learners still prefer classroom instruction for certain types of training, particularly when it comes to skills that require practice” (Training 2009).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Allowing learners a hands-on approach keeps them challenged, engaged, and motivated throughout a training. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The current issues of Training provides information about upcoming trainings and seminars that are approaching, motivational articles to help with training and motivating employees, and current data on training expenditures within the workforce today.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This site can be used as an ongoing resource throughout the field of instructional design because</span><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"> of the training techniques and motivational articles found within the magazine.</span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">References: </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt 0.3in; tab-stops: 301.5pt; text-indent: -0.3in;"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Ertmer, P. A., & Newby, T. J. (1993). </span><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", "serif";">Behaviorism, Cognitivism, Constructivism: Comparing Critical Features from an Instructional Design Perspective</span><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"> Performance </span><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">Improvement Quarterly. 6(4) 50-72.</span></div><div style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-left: 0.3in; text-indent: -0.3in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Bookman Old Style", "serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New"; mso-bidi-font-size: 8.0pt;">Pashler, H., McDaniel, M., Rohrer, D., & Bjork, R. (2008). Learning Styles: Concepts and Evidence. <i>Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 9(3)</i>, 106-119.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Bookman Old Style", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New";">Weinstein, M. (2009, June 9). Head First. <i>Training</i>, 20-23. </span><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>The Meredith'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17518205414247840300noreply@blogger.com0