Learning Theories

This week's assignment was to look at different learning theories and also tie in how technology can be used to support those theories. My focus was on the Constructivist learning theory, and even though I thought I knew a lot about it, there was still much to learn. Teaching using this method is definitely more work than merely transmitting knowledge to students, but I think it is WAY more rewarding to see the children construct their own knowledge and drive their own learning. If we believe in assessment as a tool to drive instruction, then the formative assessments a teacher uses with a lesson taught with the constructivist method is valid and useful. I was interested to learn about MUDs and MOOs and even WOOs and would like to do some research to see how I can incorporate these into my classroom learning.

I am nervous about being group leader for this project. My group consists of three very competent computer users and me. They have all been very patient and helpful to me as I have grown through this class, but now they are putting their fate in my hands! I appreciate all of them posting entries well ahead of the due date to help me get it all organized to post. I will attend the face to face class offered tomorrow in hopes to learn how to do a spreadsheet - that seems like a good way to organize the information.

Web - based lesson / amazing new technology

After reading Chapter 8 in our textbook, I found a web-based activity for my students. It is an international webpage that links students from different countries together as pen-pals. (see page 254 in text if you are interested). I have found a class in Australia with students that are the same age as my children. We will be partnering with a class from Australia to exchange information about culture, customs, foods, and leisure activities. I am hoping that once this progresses we will be able to have some voice to voice contact through Skype. My students (when they get back from Spring Break) will be very excited!

I just purchased a Garmin navigational device - perfect for me who is perpetually lost. All I have to do is program in an address and it directs me turn by turn to my destination. If I take a detour during part of the trip, it will recalculate my route and tell me. I can even just program in a general destination like Mexican Restaurants in Birmningham and it will give me a variety of places to choose from. My favorite feature is how I can just press favorites and home (already programmed in) and it will direct me back home from any destination. I am so excited and am ready to go ANYWHERE!

Definition of Learning

Definition of Learning

I started by asking people what they thought learning was. I asked adults in my household and children in my neighborhood. (My next door neighbor is a great source – she has 5 kids ranging in age from seven to seventeen!) Here are their answers

Learning is:

Memorizing a lot of junk you might never use E.J. – age 13

Paying attention and never making the same mistake twice.

When my dad got in trouble for buying my mom a vacuum cleaner

for Valentines Day, he never did it again. This year he got her roses. Thomas – age 9

Reading books and listening to people who know. And using it, but

only if it really applies to you. You have to be smart enough to know

the difference. Sarah – age 15

Going to school and listening to the teacher. Reading and doing

hard math. Getting all S’s on my Report card. Daniel – age 7

Learning is paying attention and using what you know. It is when you

read and talk to people and increase your knowledge. It is when you

know how and when to use what you have learned and apply it in your

everyday life. Trey – age 17

Learning is what people do everyday if they keep their eyes and

Ears open. Learning is assimilating facts and utilizing knowledge. It

Is the never ending acquisition of new material. Jeff – age 57

What – learning? Mom, is this a trick? What did I do? Andrew – age 29

(some people never learn!)

The World Book Dictionary ( Barnhart, C., 2004, World Book, Chicago) defines learning as:

1. The gaining of knowledge or skill

2. The possession of knowledge gained by study; scholarship

3. Knowledge

4. The relatively permanent modification of responses as a result of experience

The Australian government’s definition, as obtained from

www.dest.gov.au/sectors/training/skills/policy/issues/reviews key/issues/nts/glo/ftol/html is as follows:

the process of acquiring knowledge, attitudes, or skills from study, instruction, or experience

It is interesting to me that all of these definitions (except my son’s!) all say about the same thing. I think the key element to remember when defining learning is that learning is not just the acquisition of facts, it is also using that knowledge in our daily lives. If I am able to state that fire will burn you but continue to put my hand into the fire, then I have not really learned the true meaning of that fact. There has been much written about the ways that children learn. The constructivist believes that knowledge is best acquired when a student discovers and constructs it himself. The behaviorist believes that learning occurs when knowledge is given or told to a student. I think that students can learn both ways, depending on the subject and depending on the student. I do feel, though, that only when a student assimilates that knowledge and makes it a part of them, true learning occurs.