Module 4: Connectivism

I responded to Amanda Dickerson & Margaret McCullough's Module 4 Blogs.

Mind Map on Technological Connections

How has your network changed the way you learn?
As I move through the different courses within the Educational Technology program at Walden University, I am learning about several technological advances and how they can benefit from different uses. Technology has a way of involving everyone no matter how small or big the project seems to be. Gmail is a great cloud-computing tool for teachers to use in the classroom. With this resource, email, word processing, collaboration, media editing, and more can be done and easily shared with others. The tools of collaboration have advanced greatly, making it extremely easier to collaborate and work together with others. Google Docs makes it easy to work with group members when working on different aspects of assignments from class. In addition, I am now finding myself trying to keep up with the new technology that students are using. As a result, I can work with the different types of tools when implementing technology into daily instructional lessons as well as group activities.

Which digital tools best facilitate learning for you?
To help with facilitating learning for me is definitely the Interactive whiteboard that I use in my classroom. When using the SMART Interactive whiteboard, I can engage all of my students at one time. They can all see what is taking place during the lesson while using the Internet or presentation without having to actually crowd around to see. Students can also use the board themselves or give presentations of their own. The Interactive whiteboard can also be used as a center when students are working independently or in small groups. While this is taking place, I can then walk around and observe everyone and help those as needed.

Another tool that best facilitates learning for me is email and other social networking tools. Today, there’s definitely no problems with communicating or collaborating with others. There are several social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter, Skype, etc. These sites make it very easy to communicate with others without using the telephone or being face-to-face. Many times, in class we are asked to work together as a group. In my middle and high-school years, and even undergraduate years, we would exchange phone numbers and eventually email addresses. However, today when working together in groups, we may exchange instant messaging usernames, Skype addresses, and so on. I am seeing very little use of actually talking on the telephone but more technology use or texting.

The last tool that best facilitates learning for me is wikis and blogs. Through the course of my educationalist specialist program with Walden, I have created several blogs and wikis. This is a great way to collaborate with others and learn new ideas while also receiving immediate feedback from other learners. This is also a great way to learn new information on different topics being studied. For teachers, this is a great way to keep students informed about different skills and concepts learned in the classroom as well as a great way for students to provide feedback and collaborate with one another.

How do you learn new knowledge when you have questions?
A couple of years ago when I had questions about something I would ask someone else or go to the library and look the information up in different reference books. Today, when I want to learn new knowledge about something that I am questioning, I easily Google it on the World Wide Web. I think this is great because the information is right their at our fingertips. However, it doesn’t leave room for actually learning how to research topics using different reference books or thinking critically. It is getting harder and harder to teach students the information they need when completing the dictionary or referencing skills section of standardized tests when there’s so much technology to give them all of the answers that they need.

Additional Resources:

Social Networking - http://www.whatissocialnetworking.com/

PBS Teachers: Social Networking Archive - http://www.pbs.org/teachers/learning.now/social_networking/

Collaborative Technologies - http://www.educause.edu/node/645/tid/17053?time=1280623777

Module 3: Collaboration

I replied to Evonie Rash and KC Davis' module 3 blog!

Collaboration, for many teachers, brings visions of students who resist working in groups, the struggle to create equitable teams of students, uneven participation, and the difficulty of evaluating and grading the products produced by a group (Palloff & Pratt, 2005). We often get students who have not worked in collaborative groups. There are many different reasons for these non-collaborative experiences. While still developing, students go through phases of not wanting to work with this person or that person. The thought of two minds working together usually does not enter the mind of a child or even some adults at times. In my opinion, it is not basic instinct for people to interact and work together as a group. This is something that is formed eventually through different sets of events that may occur. As we develop, we begin to work together with others and then begin to realize that two heads are definitely better than one. However, we do have the basic instinct to do anything that we put our minds to and that will lead to one’s self-interest.

Rheingold (2005) discusses an important point as he states: “succeed by destroying and dominating competition.” He then goes on by staying that we can also succeed through collaborative efforts and when we all work together as one. A great example of collaborative efforts is major corporations. Today, lots of corporations merge with other companies for more success at maximizing their profits. When companies merge together, they have more opportunities at selling their products as well as making sure that all customers are satisfied.

If we observe things that take place around us, humans come together in times of need as well when things are taking places that in within their self-interest. If we look at the different theorists, the constructivist theory looks at different ways in which we learn and interact with others. Through this theory, much learning occurs through our experiences through interactions with others and the environment around us. When we work together, we are learning new ideas as well as teaching what we have learned as well. When information is combined, there are new ideas that come out of this batch of knowledge.

Today, there are lots of technological innovations to help with facilitating collaboration. Over the years, technological advances have produced blogs, wikis, as well as various social networking programs. Rheingold (2005) discusses the Open Source products. These products include: Mozilla, Wikipedia, and the free Open University Lectures. These products are free resources for all to use and are very popular because each programmer contributes his/her knowledge to help improve these products. Today, in online courses, blogs and wikis are becoming an essential part of learner’s daily assignments. Learners get to work together to discuss information that has been discussed in the course room. Learners get a chance to provide feedback as well as work collaboratively in groups on different assignments.

References:

Palloff, R. M. & Pratt, K. (2005). Collaborating online. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Rheingold, H. (2005). Way-New Collaboration. Retrieved from http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/howard_rheingold_on_collaboration.html

Module 2: Cognitivism as Learning Theory

Cognitivism was shaped by many learning theorists. Cognitivism is the processing theory that deals with how people perceive, learn, remember, and think about information. Cognitive development results from the interactions that kids have with their physical and social environments. As kids begin to explore their world, they eventually begin to discover they have their own perspective on the world that is uniquely theirs. Humans are motivated to try to make sense of what’s taking place in the world around them. However, there are times, when the world around us does not make sense. According to Driscoll (2005), with cognitive learning, students are making inferences and connecting their learning for better understanding. All students will have some prior knowledge, even if it’s just random or unconscious learning. Prior knowledge is not something that is made up but something that students gain over time. This prior knowledge comes from experiences or interactions that students encounter as they grow and develop. Students have very different learning styles when it comes to learning. Some kids may be visual learners while others are auditory learners. Some kids may be kinesthetic learners while others can sit in a desk and take notes. Through cognitive learning, students are making meaning of the concepts and skills they are learning.

Bill Kerr (2007) talks about _isms as a filter and not a blinker. He describes learning theories as being like politics in the manner that they are full of _isms: constructivism, behaviorism, cognitivism, and now connectivisim. In his beliefs, _isms do not stand still, they evolve, and they listen to criticism, and move on. In today’s society, it would be difficult for some to comprehend the _isms that Kerr talks about. Each year, there is some new development that appears for each _ism. Researching the different _isms could prove to locate more and more information. There will never be a time when there is nothing new that we will learn about different learning theories. Therefore, learning theories evolve over time. This is not a one-time event that takes place and is all of a sudden forgotten about. After reading the two blogs, I began to think about my students and the different types of behaviors and interactions through observation in the classroom.

Karl Knapp (2007) made a valid point when he stated that, “learning is not thing…it is a multi-layered word that tends to get treated as if it were just one thing…and it’s not.” In my opinion, learning is an umbrella term. It is a terms that has several more topics that will fall under it. Learning is not just one thing but a lot of people don’t look at it like that. For example, if a child is doing great and receiving all A’s in elementary school, parents automatically expect the same to take place when that students moves up to the middle school. However, they don’t look at the fact that students will now be introduced to a totally different curriculum as well as adapt to a new environment. This student is in a new environment and will now experience different _isms than what was experienced in elementary school.

References:

Kerr, B. (2007). _isms as filter, not blinker. Retrieved from: http://billkerr2.blogspot.com/2007/01/isms-as-filter-not-blinker.html

Knapp, K. (2007). Out and about: discussion on educational schools of thought. Retrieved from: http://karlkapp.blogspot.com/2007/01/out-and-about-discussion-on-educational.html

Driscoll, M. P. (2005). Psychology of learning for instruction (3rd ed.). Boston: Pearson Education, Inc.