Learning Theory and Me....

Well we have come through an enormous amount of information and theories and even though we touched on all of them I feel we have barely scratched the surface.

I can see that my job as an Instructional Designer is going to be challenging. The methods and styles and outcomes will have to change as required by the expected learning. There is truly no cookie cutter stamp to pump out a great eLearning course or any other course for that matter.

The value of the Learning Theory Matrix will be one of those tools that I will have printed and hanging in on the cubicle wall behind my computer. It will serve as a good reminder of all the learning considerations I should be examining each time I am asked to create and design a course.  The decisions to be made as to the learning theory that I should apply will be just as important as the actual design and implementation.

I am leaning towards “Connectivism” as my preferred theory as it encompasses so much and empowers the student in a positive way but again I will have think impartially when I am designing.

I truly am inspired at what I have to look forward to and what shoes I have to fill to be a good designer.

Pam :-)

Reflection...

Connectivism... A Reflection

My network changed years ago when I first went back to school and got my undergrad degree. Of course I am only talking about eight years ago. I always took a course of one form or another like creative writing or basket weaving, but I had not taken a stab a really challenging myself. I returned to school in 2002 after a 20 plus year absence. What a way to make a girl sit up and take notice of what she doesn't know! I was introduced to online databases and journals and ebooks through the online library. I learned how to do legitimate searching through the internet and not quote from “wikipedia”.

Now the problem is that I cannot stop. I graduated in 2008 with a Commerce Degree with dual majors in Computer Information Systems and Management and a certificate in Human Resource Management.

I have been lucky to apply my degree to my income job and now I am looking for additional tasks in my job that I can do. I am a Delivery Consultant ( Instructor) at a global company. I am looking to add creatively with design too.

I know that something either my kids, my house , my dog or some other catalyst for distraction in studying always happens. This year it is now a impending divorce.

Best digital tools for me is the online library, and email. The Q and A section of this course is not bad either. I had an extensive technical background prior to my returning to school ( I was a Network Administrator. My role was to service servers, printers, email systems etc. I got tired of a 24/7 environment.) I have had extensive experience problem solving hence my ease at locating information. When I teach in a classroom I use multimedia projectors and do extensive live demonstrations. I like learning through Live meeting too. It is a digital tool which we use like a multimedia projector only it is internet delivery not classroom dependant.

How I gain new knowledge is peer discussion and hunting down someone I know has already doing the job and asking them for an opinion. Then I make my own connections.

I like visualization. I use it extensively and I draw learning connections by applying visualization to a problem and reverse engineer it to the level that I need. I know it is probably a weird way of approach things but it works. I consider all of my learning now to support the central tenets of connectivism. I look at things in bits and how it relates interconnected.

Pam :-)

Connectivism

Blogging… Brains and Learning

Blogging… Brains and Learning

I searched for interesting reading and came across an ebook in the Walden Library that referrers to some key things “learning environments are learner centered, knowledge centered, assessment centered, and community centered”(Bransford, 2000)

We are now looking past just the brain but the interconnection of the brain in environments as those to can change a brain to act differently within each environment. We cannot possibly look at one aspect like assessment and not consider all other influences including home life and community to include in how the assessment is conduced.

The second article of reading I found was a document written by Dr Jeanne Ormrod. It was the premise of are there too many “Isms” and her paper on “Teaching with Big Ideas”.

The ideas stem that why label the learning with an “Ism”? Her approach is mixing and meshing of "isms" to meet the needs of the learner. Why stick to one?  Our goal is getting the learner outside the box and engaged and proactive in their learning..

Pam :-)

References:

Bransford, John, (2000) How People Learn: Brain, Mind, Experience, and School, National Academy Press http://www.netlibrary.com/Reader/

Ormrod, Jeanne, (1998), Teaching Teachers: The Problem with Emphasizing "Isms." - Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association (San Diego, CA, April 13-17, 1998)  http://www.eric.ed.gov/PDFS/ED422292.pdf

Found great reference sites.... Very excited

Hi Fellow Bloggers

I found three useful sites

The first at http://www.internettime.com/blog/archives/001083.html .  It appears to be a great resource tool for instructional designers. It has many good resource pages referring to the Instructional design process.

I would use this tool as a good research tool to assist me in my future designs. It would be a good reminder of the deliverable that I am trying to get across.

The second site I found is an article that really summarizes what our take away is in this course. It is located at http://www.infed.org/biblio/b-learn.htm . Not all the design that we shall do shall be designed with the same brush and this article is a reminder of the aspect of the learning we are trying to deliver.

The third site I found is really special it is a collection of fellow designers and their experiences. It is located at http://en.wordpress.com/tag/instructional-design/ .  I thought who better to guide me on my path than others who have plowed the road before me. I can learn from these people!

I think that the collection of sites should inspire all of us who are making our way through this degree.

Happy Reading

Pam Morrow :-)

Greetings Fellow classmates :-)

Welcome to my Blog.

I am a working woman with older children (both in university).

I like being creative. I write, read, sew and draw as hobbies. I also have the opportunity to be creative at my workplace too as I work with the design team extensively on couple of projects which are well under way.

I am excited about learning and look forward to learning more.

Pam :-)