Week 8 - How do I learn now?

Week 8

Marylou Bernasek

Stitching a blog together really makes sense to me now. As I write my last assignment for this class I see that each week as we learned new theories, new learning styles and added more tools to our classroom desk we were actually slowly stitching together an Instructional Designer!! – At least that is how I feel about all the learning and blogging and writing these past 8 weeks

The most surprising event in this learning theory class was that I learned I’m not just a visual learner. This knowledge was an eye-opener for me and will help me as I design online classes. As I began to perceive that much of my intrinsic abilities had made me curious and the best way to get quick answers was to extrinsically see pictures I realized that my curiosity was my motivator and could be satiated through other means of a quick knowledge fix – i.e.:

Connecting learning theories, styles, educational technology and motivation made me immediately think of the mind-map exercise. As an immigrant to the technology field I wondered if I would be able to keep my head above water and really learn through technology. As a result, that exercise as I wrote in my response that week was the most eye opening event for me in this class. I think it showed me that while I was not motivated at first to construct it the more I began adding bubbles and lines the more excited and motivated I became. To see that I was being motivated to learn through an educational technology was stunning. Yes, it was visual but it was more than that. As I drilled into learning how to connect ideas and actions the visible part of the lesson actually lessened and the constructivist theory engulfed what I was doing. I grabbed at that theory and used a cognitive approach to add to my map – all the while enjoying myself immensely. I realize now that this knowledge will be part of my LTM available to me for use in designing online classes.

My learning in this class has ingrained in me a sense of satisfaction (whoa – ARCS emerges!!). Because of that my confidence in applying my knowledge has risen and my confidence in moving forward in the classes has grown. I can take the theories, styles and learning tools from this class and begin to assess my students and my curriculum to pair them up for the most beneficial learning environment available. Since we have learned that online learning does appear to be the future of both education and corporate classrooms, I feel that instructional design tool box is getting heavier. Sensing how my future students could and can learn and understanding the theories and styles that can be adaptive to the students’ needs give me a foundation for knowing that I can do it now.


Ertmer, P.A. & Newby, T.J. (1993) Behaviorism, cognitivism, constructivism:
Comparing critical features from an instructional design perspective. Performance Improvement Quarterly, 6
Keller, J. M. (1999). Using the ARCS motivational process in computer-based instruction
and distance education. New Directions for Teaching and Learning (78).
Ormrod, Dr. Jeanne. 2009. Information Processing and the Brain
Ormrod, Dr. Jeanne, Schunk, Dale H., Gredler, Margaret. 2008. Learning Theories and
Instruction, Merrell Publishing, Upper Saddle River, New Jersey

How do I Learn

Way back in Week 1 before I knew all I know now I had a limited perspective on how I learned. Originally I thought I was a visual learner - then decided it was a combination of cognitivism and constructivism with a dash of behavioral thrown in. Now I'm sitting on the fence of my Learning Theory Matrix feeling that I have been thrust in the middle of chaos - which lends itself to the Connectivism theory, however, as you will read further down I also reside in the Social Learning theory as well. Funny how the chaos theory felt like home and then I had collaborators online to talk about all of this with. I have always been more energized when my immediate surroundings - be they classroom, work or home - are somewhat out of the ordinary. Online learning was out of the ordinary for me a few months ago and it is quickly becoming my classroom of choice.

Yes, chaos is good in my world and in these muddy waters it is accompanied by the boundary of the Zone of Proximal Development. I need to be challenged mentally and hands-on. The mind-map assignment brought that home to me so clearly. I had to mentally get each idea plotted on the map using a tool I had never before experienced. I was stretched and challenged. It developed and ended in one of the most satisfying assignments I have had recently.

I'm very surprised at my ability to learn so well online, too. I have been advising others to learn online for almost 3 years and had no idea how really interesting and full of knowledge the online school would become. I'm challenged to read, research, accomplish hands-on exercises and the resultant amount of retained knowledge I have is startling. I feel more involved and 'part of' then in traditional school. Online adult learning composed of the social and connective learning theories really speaks to me now - and I've learned what that means, too!

CONNECTIVISM

Wow, I can now say that I've constructed a mind map http://www.mywebspiration.com/view/278723a2c10

Mine led me back and forth connecting things that I would not have occurred to me just making a list. I would say that for this week the BEST tool I have is now my free membership in Webspiration. Seriously speaking, I am amazed at how much I learned when I allowed myself to just start mapping. Great tool!

When I need to acquire knowledge about something I generally use a search engine keeping in mind keywords that will help the search focus. Used to be I'd be in the library at the card catalog -- how many of you out there even know what I'm talking about? Regardless, this is SO much better - faster, no time limits or dress code, and what a wealth of information is available. I am also extremely impressed by the extensive online library. It boggles my mind to think that I can drill into the ebooks on ebrary and come up with just what I need. Again - operating within the frame work of a search engine it is so amazing to someone like myself who cherishes books and would LIVE surrounded by books if I could. Now I have access to the world between google and the online library.

My personal learning this week is a road map for connectivism. I wound up coming back and connecting so many things on my mindmap with dual arrows. Since I am a visual learner always asking 'why' and 'how' I actually answered myself with the mind map!

I LOVE this website....

This website gives an almost whimsical look at brain-based-learning.

I especially noted:

"Traditional schooling, however, often inhibits learning by discouraging, ignoring, or punishing the brain’s natural learning processes."

After reading this I realized there is no mention of student past experience having a impact on learning ability. I do think that past experience has a very large part to play in the learning classroom whether it be traditional or e-learning. I mentioned this in my blog response.

http://www.funderstanding.com/content/brain-based-learning

Wednesday - another good blog

This blog about learning - that includes a link to this paper, http://eduforge.org/docman/view.php/7/17/Evaluation%20of%20LMS%20-%20Part%20II.pdf,
echoes what we are learning and builds on what works with e-learning and distance learning. I found both Krauss' and the link terminology a bit foreign since I am not an educator in the formal sense, so reading it and metagonitively looking up definitiions helped me greatly. This gives me a wider door to understanding pedagogies. I think some of you might like it also.



http://ideas.blogs.com/

The TIME Magazine Article

You can click on the post title or on the link below!

In my group discussion question this Week 2 I referenced an article from TIME magazine in the 1997's and found it online. Albeit a bit lengtly, but interesting.


http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,985854-1,00.html

IDT Terrific Link # 3

That's me at Halloween !!!


Wowzee- This #3 website is great!! Click on my post title to go there...

I just happened on it and it's terrific -- all kinds of suggestions about clip art, creating breaks, composition, diversity, samples. I always would sweat bullets over what was PC and diversity acceptable when I would add bells and whistles in my training - I think this is terrific 'cause I like to make my training visually attractive and even a bit controversial! As a past trainer of customer service in the hospitality industry there's nothing like being a squeaky wheel about an hour after lunch when everyone wants to dose off!!

I'm still on the hunt today for more website 'treats' -- worked this Saturday morning at Walden helping prospective students who are trying to decide what MS program they wanted. I, of course, always bore them to death with my repetitious, yet true, reviews of what we do in class.

How many of you reading this who are in my class are getting your MS or your Certificate? Just wondered...


Back to discussing my newly found and almost 'fav' website -- if it doesn't come through correct, let me know -- please? I seem to want to find more information about the composition of curriculum, accompanying graphics, multi-media P-zazz and how to keep my viewer engaged. Anyone have comments as to that?

Keep thinking - but not too hard - it's Saturday. A virtual IDT hug to you all!!!

Terrific IDT site # 2

Wikipedia -- just click on this post's heading and you'll get there!

Ok...I know that Wikipedia is always looked at with raised eyebrows and a comment or two that anyone with one brain cell could post a definition! Right? Which of course in my case made me want to see what 'they' said I was going to become.

DA-DUM -- take a look. Good definition based on what we are learning and I like their terminology that we create an 'intervention' to enhance the transition from beginning to end of an instructional design model. Also appreciate the fact that they have included ADDIE!!

Oops..brain getting 'addled' -- will be posting again later...

IDT websites That are Terrific

This Instructional Deisgn websit, http://www.instructionaldesign.org/, is just chock full of a variety of useful items for future and present Instructional Designers. I've spent quite a while reading it and find that it spans a wide horizon of resources from blogs, websites, books and people. I wonder if any of you in class have read or know of any of the pictured designers and/or books feataured? Would like to know that.

I have several more links to add after this posting. I regularly read lots of blogs but actually creating one in our class is quite an amazing adventure. Even though I work at an online university - many of my colleagues are not bloggers and are quite interested in what we are doing in class.

I'll be back!!!!

RSS Added

Wow - I managed to get the RSS added. Whew! While that was certainly a learning experience thanks to 'youtube' and google reader there is more to go so I'm back to figuring other things out tonight -- and watching the Suns game on TV. Ya'll come back now, ya'hear!!!

Genesis of a blog

If you are reading this then you are probably a classmate. If you stumbled upon this blog because it has the word 'stitch' in it then welcome - and here's what's happening at 'Stitching a Blog'. I am a graduate student at Walden University in Instructional Design and Technology. This blog is an assignment. So far so good. I'm a passionate needlepointer - hence the 'stitch' idea in the title. Good blogs take time to not only build mechanically but to grow and mature with the ideas posted by you - the reader. So please feel free to post your thoughts - keep it clean, kiddos!!! Thanks for reading and WATCH THIS BLOG for new and exciting bloggy things to come!!!