Perhaps the reason there are so many theories of learning is that truly there are so many different ways human being receive, process and utilize information. Behaviorists believe that learning is re-enforced by positive or negative feedback (Anderson, 2004). The proof that learning occurred is evidenced by objective behaviors of the learner. However, animals can be “trained” to certain behaviors by providing positive re-enforcements. Does this mean that actual higher functioning reasoning has taken place? Are human beings more complex than a series of bells and whistles alerting us that we did “well” or we did “wrong”?
Cognitivists theorize that learning is not externally visible but an internal process. Cognitive learning is a combination of memory, motivation, reflection, etc. In cognitive theory the information is processed and manipulated in the learner’s mind (Anderson, 2004).
Constructivists postulate that learners build new knowledge by internalizing information through personal interpretation. Learning is a development process which holds the key to individual transformation (Billings, 2005).
Clark and Mayer summarize learning theories very well by illustrating three metaphors of learning. The first being Response Strengthening (Behavioral Theory) in which the learner is a passive recipient of rewards and punishments doled out by the instructor. Information Acquisition (Cognitive) the second metaphor is summarized simply by learning is information being added to memory by an active instructor and a passive recipient (student). The final metaphor, Knowledge Construction (Constructivism) is where an active learner builds a mental representation of knowledge being guided by an instructor (Clark, 2008).
Perhaps more than one thing can be true at a time. Perhaps individuals learn by all these methods. It is important when developing online learning communities one be mindful of theories of learning, utilize the information to assist student learning without overwhelming the learner with too much information. Limiting the visual and audio stimulation on a website or making sure the two collaborate well is one way to manage cognitive resources.
In the webinar this week Dr. John Seely Brown discussed the benefits of online gaming in learning. Games teach. They provide interactive learning opportunities for students. Dr. Brown talks specifically about the power of play. He elaborates often on popular online games like World of Warcraft (WOW), teach and provide opportunities of collaboration. In his webinar he mentioned the sadness of the lack of passion among some highly intelligent learners. It is through doing that learning occurs. Dr. Brown is passionate about the role of play in learning (Brown, 2011). Playing provides opportunity for learners to “do”, to try new things and find new pathways to overcome obstacles. In my own practice we teach our parents this concept. We teach about how babies learn through experimentation and through play. Give an infant a set of blocks and watch what they learn by playing with them. A 6 month infant will pick up a block, mouth it and transfer it from one hand to another. Fine motor skills are being developed while the infant also is learning about the world. At 8 months an infant will bang two blocks together. Now the child has learned about cause and effect as well as sound. Eventually the child will learn to stack blocks, then knock them down and start all over again. These simple tasks often go overlooked by parents who want their child to be “smart”. However, this play teaches not only fine motor skills, but problem solving skills and frustration tolerance. In online communities, situated cognition, where learning is doing and cognitive apprenticeship, mentoring can both be observed in gaming communities such as WOW (Brown, 2011). Rather than criticize these activities, instructors can learn from them and utilize the techniques that are proving most effective from these communities.
Memory is a complex system organized and triggered by visual, auditory, tactile and olfactory stimulus. Memory may be short term or long term. Memory may be enhanced by mnemonic devices. Some theorists contend that memorization involves only short term recall and is not proof that learning has occurred (Billings, 2005). If this is true, the way educational institutions in this country have evaluated learning and teaching effectiveness has been a wasted endeavor. Typical testing in our schools is an evaluation of short term recall or memorization. Applied knowledge is more difficult to assess.
In this educator’s experience, learning has most always been accompanied by doing. The opportunity to practice applied knowledge makes that knowledge a part of who we are. There is an old adage, tell me I forget, show me I may remember, but let me do and I learn. The readings, the webinar all came together for me this week in a way that says people learn by doing. Online communities can give opportunity to practice skills through simulation and through games. The experiences our students find pleasurable while at the same time allowing them to acquire and utilize new knowledge are the ones that will stay with them for a lifetime.
Works Cited
Anderson, T. &. (2004). Theory and Practice of Online Learning. Athabasca, AB, Canada.
Billings, D. &. (2005). Teaching in Nursing A Guide for Faculty. St. Louis, MO: Saunders Elseiver.
Brown, D. J. (2011, February 13). Digital Media - New Learners Of The 21st Century. (PBS, Interviewer)
Clark, R. &. (2008). E-Learning and the Science of Instruction. San Francisco, CA: Pfeiffer.
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Blog 2 Week 4 The Future is open
One of the most striking quotes from Chapter 9 this week are that the increase in our society’s mobility has amplified the lack of community, inspiring us as a society to look for something to hold on to or to connect (Renninger and Shumar, 2002). I think this statement explains the huge popularity of social networking sites such as Facebook. We seek to belong. Human beings are social by design. The loss of connection to a place, people, family, a religion, a vocation, even an idea sometimes leaves us feeling empty and alone. A connection made online may be maintained wherever our lives take us. If in the military and stationed half-way around the world one can still maintain connections within her online community through social networking sites. Change happens so rapidly in today’s world. Our communities barely have time to recover from the impact of one change before another larger one occurs. I consider the place I moved from this summer. The economy there has been so damaged by the recession, as well as the shift away from a manufacturing based society.Individuals have been forced to simply leave the area in order to support their families.The dot com bubble of the 90s that rapidly burst at the beginning of the millennium is another example of rapid economic change. We are training our children for jobs we don’t even know yet to exist. We have no idea what the economy will look like for future generations.How do we prepare for a vision we have yet to have? We may lose our community, neighborhood, vocation but we can still maintain contact with the people and places that matter to us- online.
The impact of information seeking online has been large.In the past, one might consult a friend or family member for advice on relationships or parenting. Now one may consult complete strangers by posting to a member board on a specific site. I think the challenges of this type of information gathering are much the same as any advice, knowing what is good for use and what should be disregarded. Readers should use caution when heeding advice from unknown sources. The common public distrust in government agencies presents challenges for some reputable sources of information (Renninger and Shumar, 2002). The internet can be a source of misinformation, for instance, the continued press attention given to Jenny McCarthy, an actress who is the mother of an autistic child versus the CDC who continues to maintain the safety and efficacy of vaccinations. McCarthy is not a scientist, but a mother who believes immunizations caused the development of Autism in her child. This makes her a sympathetic figure in a very controversial topic. Although the evidence strongly supports the safety of vaccinations, the public perception is still the government is hiding something. This is not a completely undeserved reputation considering Tuskegee (CDC, 2010). As educators, working within public institutions for higher learning, it is important to understand these conceptions to know the barriers our audience may have in accepting information.
The possibilities for change online are endless. One may join a weight loss or fitness community, enhancing one’s own health. An individual may continue his education online, acquiring a higher degree. Resumes are delivered in online communities. Moves to other areas are planned.Research into various topics of interest all done online. Educators need to be at the forefront of using technology to enhance learning. If there are not good sources of desired information online, rest assured less than desirable sources will fill the gap for that knowledge.
Understanding the life cycles of online learning communities is important for educators. Though the stages may not be completely defined but educators need to plan for the basic stages of their own online learning experience. Without adequate planning, time may not be sufficient to accomplish learning objectives. The experience related in the reading about the zero-G project was interesting. Even more interesting was the lack of interest by some faculty to utilize the learning experience. Online learning takes time which is not always affordable in public school settings. It may be more conducive in college settings or with adult learners.
I think the future is wide open for online learning. The day may come when our children are learning Mandarin from Chinese students who are simultaneously learning English from them. Giving people the opportunity to teach in one of the greatest enhancements to learning we can provide. I know my students have taught me way more than I have them. Teaching forces one to do research and experiment with theories.
What an amazing world we live in and an exciting time to be alive! Technology has made a world of knowledge accessible that remained hidden from those of us who could not travel extensively.I am looking forward to what comes next in the world of education. Additionally, the world of research and theory development is wide open for online learning. Those of us currently expanding our knowledge may develop or research effective online educational tools marking a path for future generations. Sometimes, the readings for this class are overwhelming to me. I struggle to utilize the technology myself. I’ve been frustrated to the point of tears with some of the glitches in creating and utilizing an online learning community. However, when I think of the possibilities for my own children I am encouraged to continue to press forward. This is an exciting time to be a nurse educator. I look forward to what comes next.
Works Cited
CDC. (2010, June 7). U.S. Public Health Service Syphilis Study at Tuskegee. Retrieved February 10, 2011, from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: www.cdc.gov
Renninger, K. & Shumar, W(2002). Building Virtual Communities. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press.
The impact of information seeking online has been large.In the past, one might consult a friend or family member for advice on relationships or parenting. Now one may consult complete strangers by posting to a member board on a specific site. I think the challenges of this type of information gathering are much the same as any advice, knowing what is good for use and what should be disregarded. Readers should use caution when heeding advice from unknown sources. The common public distrust in government agencies presents challenges for some reputable sources of information (Renninger and Shumar, 2002). The internet can be a source of misinformation, for instance, the continued press attention given to Jenny McCarthy, an actress who is the mother of an autistic child versus the CDC who continues to maintain the safety and efficacy of vaccinations. McCarthy is not a scientist, but a mother who believes immunizations caused the development of Autism in her child. This makes her a sympathetic figure in a very controversial topic. Although the evidence strongly supports the safety of vaccinations, the public perception is still the government is hiding something. This is not a completely undeserved reputation considering Tuskegee (CDC, 2010). As educators, working within public institutions for higher learning, it is important to understand these conceptions to know the barriers our audience may have in accepting information.
The possibilities for change online are endless. One may join a weight loss or fitness community, enhancing one’s own health. An individual may continue his education online, acquiring a higher degree. Resumes are delivered in online communities. Moves to other areas are planned.Research into various topics of interest all done online. Educators need to be at the forefront of using technology to enhance learning. If there are not good sources of desired information online, rest assured less than desirable sources will fill the gap for that knowledge.
Understanding the life cycles of online learning communities is important for educators. Though the stages may not be completely defined but educators need to plan for the basic stages of their own online learning experience. Without adequate planning, time may not be sufficient to accomplish learning objectives. The experience related in the reading about the zero-G project was interesting. Even more interesting was the lack of interest by some faculty to utilize the learning experience. Online learning takes time which is not always affordable in public school settings. It may be more conducive in college settings or with adult learners.
I think the future is wide open for online learning. The day may come when our children are learning Mandarin from Chinese students who are simultaneously learning English from them. Giving people the opportunity to teach in one of the greatest enhancements to learning we can provide. I know my students have taught me way more than I have them. Teaching forces one to do research and experiment with theories.
What an amazing world we live in and an exciting time to be alive! Technology has made a world of knowledge accessible that remained hidden from those of us who could not travel extensively.I am looking forward to what comes next in the world of education. Additionally, the world of research and theory development is wide open for online learning. Those of us currently expanding our knowledge may develop or research effective online educational tools marking a path for future generations. Sometimes, the readings for this class are overwhelming to me. I struggle to utilize the technology myself. I’ve been frustrated to the point of tears with some of the glitches in creating and utilizing an online learning community. However, when I think of the possibilities for my own children I am encouraged to continue to press forward. This is an exciting time to be a nurse educator. I look forward to what comes next.
Works Cited
CDC. (2010, June 7). U.S. Public Health Service Syphilis Study at Tuskegee. Retrieved February 10, 2011, from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: www.cdc.gov
Renninger, K. & Shumar, W(2002). Building Virtual Communities. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press.
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