http://www.teachertube.com/viewVideo.php?video_id=206512&title=The_Importance_of_Educational_Technology_in_School
What is the purpose of learning theory in educational technology?
Learning theory exists to provide educators, parents, psychologists, and the like with a frame of reference to assist with relating certain observed behaviors against what theorists and social scientists have seen as patterns of behavior, in an effort to make sound instructional decisions for children and adult learners that will be using educational technology as a tool in the learning process.
What are your beliefs about how people learn best? People learn best by observing, listening, doing, asking, telling, demonstrating, reflecting, questioning, probing, evaluating, critiquing, connecting, and letting ideas swirl around in their heads while playing with the concepts long enough to apply, create, build and take ownership of it. Learning also takes place when the learner can relate to the context in which the topic or idea is presented. All learners, including adult learners, learn best when prior knowlege is tapped and internal motivation exist allowing the learner to play an active role in self directing the next steps in the learning process.
I am in my 14th year as a teacher and what I have observed (with students in grades K, 1, 2, 4, and 5) is that how the student learns is deeply rooted in a myriad of factors, ranging from how they are being raised and parented to their childhood school experiences. Some might even argue, alot has to do with whether you're a female or a male. For example, my male students tend to love the integration of technology and seem to learn best when this tool is integrated. This tends to help cement concepts and to a large degree maintain their motivation. While my female students tend to thrive more in social settings where discussion, reflection, and writing are integrated into the instruction.
No matter the methods used there still seems to exist a tug of war amongst educators, those pro integration of technology as a tool in the learning process vs. those who find technology integration to be too trendy, flashy, and flirty which in the end amounts to a collosal waste of schools' financial and budgetary resources!
I am in my 14th year as a teacher and what I have observed (with students in grades K, 1, 2, 4, and 5) is that how the student learns is deeply rooted in a myriad of factors, ranging from how they are being raised and parented to their childhood school experiences. Some might even argue, alot has to do with whether you're a female or a male. For example, my male students tend to love the integration of technology and seem to learn best when this tool is integrated. This tends to help cement concepts and to a large degree maintain their motivation. While my female students tend to thrive more in social settings where discussion, reflection, and writing are integrated into the instruction.
No matter the methods used there still seems to exist a tug of war amongst educators, those pro integration of technology as a tool in the learning process vs. those who find technology integration to be too trendy, flashy, and flirty which in the end amounts to a collosal waste of schools' financial and budgetary resources!
Bloggers Weigh in! Inquiring minds want to know!
What's your take on this topic? Is there internal strife in your workplace/school regarding the integration of technology into the curriculum/setting or do the two of them (technology & learning) coexist in a happy marriage? Hmmmmmmm.........
Driscoll, M. P. (2005). Psychology of learning for instruction (3rd ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson Education.
Driscoll, M. P. (2005). Psychology of learning for instruction (3rd ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson Education.
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Behaviorism vs. Constructivism
…………….isms……………….ims…………….ims!
What’s this verbal war between Kerr and Kapp? There is no need as they are essentially saying the same message along two distinct paths! Kerr comes off very arrogantly yet wishy washy about his indecisiveness with the isms. He is too afraid to accept them in their whole formats and offers the idea of “cherry picking” them. If he knows they all complement one another then why put up a façade? Huh? Kapp, on the other hand moves to checkmate and lays down the reality. The reality is his argument is presented in a more mature fashion. He states, “Learning is not thing!”
I have to say that I strongly agree with Kapp. In fact, in my professional observations of how children learn, behaviorism seems to be the norm for most parents birth to school age. A stimulus, a sense, an association, a response, a reward or a punishment. The school age years leading up to secondary ed and higher ed reveal that learners are mature enough to move from the egocentric stage (some of us) to engage fully in constructivism. Could you imagine parenting your child (I have one 13 year old daughter) and waiting for them to construct knowledge on each and every concept? It would take forever. Geeeez! At different times of our life and different situations behaviorism seems to rule as the chosen route the brain takes and at times, the brain chooses constructivism.
I think there is a gap here in the research so we can’t conclude 100 percent one way or the other. Further brain research must be done to win the Chess game here! Your thoughts????
References
Kerr, B. (2007, January 1). _isms as filter, not blinker [Web log post]. Retrieved from http://billkerr2.blogspot.com/2007/01/isms-as-filter-not-blinker.htmlKapp, K. (2007, January 2). Out and about: Discussion on educational schools of thought [Web log post]. Retrieved from http://www.kaplaneduneering.com/kappnotes/index.php/2007/01/out-and-about-discussion-on-educational/
