Ask any educator what their theory of education is, and I am sure they will clearly respond with Constructivist, Behaviorist, Environmentalist, etc. etc. But when probed on what all that theory entails and why they feel so strongly about that particular theory, well, that is where the water gets a little muddy.
I can not say by any means that I am a strict behaviorist, nor can I say I am a strict constructivist. What I am as an educator is an evolvist. With each class and each group of learners my theory of education and philosophy of how children will learn best, evolves to meet the needs of those learners. With my current group of learners I am using more of a constructivist approach. I have a group of students who have come to me with a wide range of life experiences, some with very few experiences and some with a plethora. Each of these children are unique with unique background experiences, and these experiences influence how they learn and how they interact with their environment. Because of this I use a lot of cooperative grouping strategies where students are paired up or put into small groups where each of their strengths can be utilized. I am a facilitator in this group, I guide children in the direction in which they should go, but I let them take on a big responsibility for their learning, because they are ready for it. Next year, I may have a group of learners who is not ready to take charge of their learning or know the power that they yield within in themselves for learning, so I will change the theory that guides my instruction. They key to any theory is that it is not the "quick fix" or the one size fits all approach. Theory is just that, theory. What we do with those theories is adapt them evolve with them and mesh them together to ensure that we reach every learner.
Below are some blogs that I found interesting about learning theory and educational technology.
http://connectivism.ca/blog/2005/09/whats_wrong_with_established_t.html
http://michaelhanley.ie/elearningcurve/aligning-learning-theory-with-instructional-design/2009/05/21/
I responded to the following blogs
Charles Price
http://mrcsviewfromthetop.blogspot.com/2011/03/what-are-my-beliefs-about-how-people.html#comments
Stephen Anane-Boyake
http://ananeboakye.wordpress.com/2011/03/16/learning-theory-and-educational-technology-module-1-educ-8845/#comments
Jami!
ReplyDeleteYou make a great point that theory is just that, a theory. It is up to the educator to be knowledgeable of the different theories and understand how to utilize different elements of each theory to successfully meet the learning goals of the course.
The experiences that our learners enter the learning environment with are essential factors to how they approach the learning content. Therefore it is important to approach content in various ways and allow them to connect their learning to their individual world.
I do not believe that only one theory should be used in educating our learners because one size does not fit all.
I enjoyed reading your blog on educational technology; I’m an Edutainment enthusiast.
ReplyDeleteFollow me at www.aspirestar.blogspot.com
Learning theory explores how we learn; varying perspectives shape the way educators design curriculum and instruction. I have not sworn my allegiance to a particular theoretical perspective of learning, but I do see each view as a guide in designing individualized curriculum and instruction. We can overcome the problems we face in education today by using technology to address academic achievement for the individual student but, we must consider the role of educational technology in the learning process.
ReplyDeletePerspectives of learning suggest that students learn best through mastery (behavioral), guided practice (cognitive), and collaboration (constructivist). In the digital age, learning theory is applied to designing curriculum and instruction for students who connect in a global community. As a classroom instructor, I embraced methodology that stems from a constructivist approach, but as educational leader I understand how educational technology can support connectivist teachings.
I agree that no theory is a “quick fix”, but I’m certain that students benefit from an educational system designed to address questions of how we learn. Educational technology shapes the role of the individual student in the family unit, workplace, and global society.