Reflection

Learning is the act of acquiring new information and or modifying and reinforcing existing knowledge that an individual has acquired in the past. Learning is also complex, in that it does not all happen at once but it is a gradual process that changes as individuals grow, mature and are exposed to various aspects of their environment. Learning constantly reinvents itself and each individual develops their own learning personality, so to speak.

As I furthered my knowledge about how people learn, I found a couple of things surprising. One of the most significant was the vast amount of theory, philosophy, understanding anatomy and research that seems to explain learning. There are also so many theorists who studied learning, each whom added a different view of how people learned and how the learning process was directly related to the century that they were living and the access of information available. Collectively all of this information greatly influenced learning and developed the foundation of the learning process.

My previous knowledge barely scratches the surface on how people learn. There was input from so many psychological perspectives at times it was mind blowing. There are psychologist, behaviorist and theorist who applied behaviorist, cognitive, interactionist and developmental-interactionist theories which influenced learning as well. It was like opening up Pandora’s Box for learning and development.

This course has deepened my understanding of my personal learning process in so many ways; I will touch on a few.

·         First, by enhancing my own knowledge in how people learned, I gained a better understanding of how to transform my own knowledge to make an acceptable contribution to my learning and teaching process.

·         Second, being in the environment with other education professionals, I can relate my experiences and challenges with theirs to share information and solve problems in which I had previously and will have in the future.

·         Third, since learning is a continuous process, like other adult learners I’m motivated and excited to learn useful information that pertains to my job. I have gained a new found respect for other educators and since I am adding to my professional experience, I have a better understanding on why teachers do things in a certain way. With education, nothing is black and white. There are always alternatives in teaching to get the message across which could be as successful as the next idea.

·         Technology is my friend. I thought the only way I could learn was by taking notes and memorization. As I learned, my learning style needed to be upgraded, I now think of my learning style as an appJ. I have to constantly be in tuned to the new technology being introduced to the education genre and explore.  Try something different only if it applies to the course curricula being taught and continue to do research.

The connection between learning theories, learning styles, technology and motivation are intertwined. I think a person will have to be open to the various ways of learning information to be successful in business and in life. Motivation is the drive that determines the style, technology and theory. How a person adapts to information will determine how they choose to learn it. Learners’ motivation has been consistently linked to successful learning. For example, Galusha noted that knowledge about students’ motivation may help educators determine which students are likely to participate in and benefit from online education. Similarly, Tallent-Runnels et al asserted that an understanding of learners’ motivation is the key for effective instructional design. (Clayton, 2009)

As I further my career in instructional design, I will keep and have easy access to all of the reference material used in this course. I would also be inclined to read more on each one of the topics to get other views and explore different research to see what others have determined about learning. I will be more open to various technologies and I will pay more attention to how people learn so I can develop the best product to accommodate their needs. As we used to say in the Navy, “I have added some more tools in to my toolbox”. Thanks for expanding my view in learning. Thanks Dr. Artino!

References

Video Program: Laureate Education (Producer). (n.d.). Motivation in learning [Video file]. Retrieved from https://class.waldenu.edu

Course Text: Learning Theories and Instruction, Chapter 7, "Motivation and Affect" (pp. 241–262)

Article: Keller, J. M. (1999). Using the ARCS motivational process in computer-based instruction and distance education. New Directions for Teaching and Learning (78).

Karen Clayton, Fran Blumberg and Daniel P. Auld itecideas.pbworks.com/w/file/fetch/59664147/clayton_motivation.pdf by K Clayton - ‎2009

Fitting the Pieces Together

Fitting the Pieces Together

When I first began online classes, I thought I would have a rough time because I was used to the classroom environment.  You know, going to class, introducing yourself to the instructor and to your classmates, eager to get to your coursework. As I stated earlier, I also thought that I could only learn information by taking notes, memorization, braking down complex information into block diagrams and repetition, in order to be successful in class. Boy was I wrong. These online classes and professional environment have really changed by outlook and opened up my learning abilities to be able to adapt to any way of learning. Of course, the methods that are used as an adult learner also depend on the course material being taught. In this course, I have learned six different learning theories, of which I thought my way of learning could only be described as adult learning and connectivism. As we transitioned through the behaviorist, cognitive, social learning and constructivist theories I saw myself in each of the characteristics being described.

Learning theories are conceptual frameworks describing how information is absorbed, processed, and retained during learning. Cognitive, emotional, and environmental influences, as well as prior experience, all play a part in how understanding, or a world view, is acquired or changed, and knowledge and skills retained. (Wikipedia, 2014)

Technology is by far the most popular topic concerning 21st century learning and education and many of the videos on You tube are about just that. Although some of the videos cover other ideas, technology still seems to be the central focus. (EdTechReview, 2013) I use various forms of technology to include the smart phone, tablet, laptop, social media (Facebook, LinkedIn), and waldenu.edu. I conduct research, watch videos, podcast, read news, blogs, create lessons, curricula, tests and class surveys. Without the use of technology I would be very slow in acquiring knowledge, since everything in this century is in real time. I look forward to expanding my knowledge utilizing other forms of technology as a tool to keep learners engaged and hungry to learn.

References

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Learning_theory_%28education%29

http://edtechreview.in/trends-insights/insights/277-role-of-technology-in-21st-century

CONNECTIVISM

The Mind Map

Understanding the process of the adult learner in this day and age is complicated. There are so many avenues that influence the adult learner; instructors have to have a vast and diverse amount of knowledge to relate to them. Creativity, knowledge, flexibility and an open mind are some of the qualities that are needed to teach adult learners The instructors have to also be willing to learn from the students too because they all can share their experiences and get other ideas on how to excel in their life as well.

In order to get and keep their attention the course information has to relate to their professional or personal life. There is no one specific way to teach this type of learner but they have to be engage in the course information. They have to be interested in acquiring the knowledge that is offered. The main questions on their mind are “What’s in it for me”  and “How is this information going to benefit me The information that is being taught has to have substance and or relevance to the life that they lead on a personal or professional level.

The mind map displayed shows some of the factors that affect my learning experience. Technology has affected the entire concept of learning, to include how we teach, how we learn and how we communicate. Email, social media, Internet web sites, television blogs and the news, everything is in real time. Each person is exposed to the most up to date information available. I remember back in the day, all of our influence and knowledge came from our family, friends and teachers. All of our communication was face to face but today we are exposed to a whole new world. A challenge would be for us to have developed a mind map in high school and compare it to the mind map of today. Talk about mind blowing!!! 

My Fascination with Learning

For a couple of days, I have been searching for websites/ journals on the following topics:

·         The Brain and Learning

·         Information Processing Theory

·         Problem Solving Methods During the Learning Process

As I researched Problem Solving Methods an interesting learning method was introduced to me. I learned about Problem Based Learning (PBL). PBL is defined as a student centered pedagogy in which students learn about a subject  through the experience of  problem solving (Wikipedia). This method/ type of learning began in Ontario, Canada, at one of the medical schools.  This strategy applied to these schools was because medical students had acquired a vast amount of education in the first three years of medical school, but the teaching staff needed to keep the students motivated in learning future material. This method was developed to stimulate their learning process and understand the relevance of learning and applying it to their positions/ roles for the future. Now, I'm not a medical student but I can see how medical school can get quite boring after learning so many words, terms and acronyms. Eventually you want to learn how the past information relates to solving problems and assisting your patients. It is a form of group study where students assess what they know, what info they need and where to obtain new information in hopes to solving a problem.

The website named Study Guides and Strategies seems to be a great source for information where teachers, students, and parents can gather facts to empower all learners. The info is in the form of study guides to assist with PBL and other methods of learning and teaching. Great information!!!

http://www.studygs.net/enews/

While reading the article, "How Does the Brain Learn Best? Smart Studying Strategies", I am convinced that as soon as I am here, I am going to order the book,  “How We Learn: The Surprising Truth about When, Where, and Why It Happens,” author Benedict Carey. His friend, Ingfie Chen gives a great overview of the book and highlights some  different ways of how we learn. He explains how Carey has done extensive research and investigations on learning and memory and has put together his best lessons into a practical guide. The guide a variety of techniques and exercises that can help you learn new information and skills into your long term memory.

 Very exciting and informational article!!

http://blogs.kqed.org/mindshift/2014/08/how-does-the-brain-learn-best-smart-studying-strategies/

New to the Blogging Community

I am very new to the blogging community but since I've researched information for this assignment, I see that I have been missing out on exploring another culture through the internet.  Just surfing this community, I see there are a lot of professional personnel out there that are willing to share their information and experiences to all who are interested. There are no rules so you are free to speak freely, be personable and communicate with others in the same profession as yourself.

 I chose two blogs from the Association for Talent Development (ATD) formerly known as the American Society for Talent and Development (ASTD). One blog is for government learning, I chose that one because I am a current government employee  http://www.astd.org/Publications/Blogs/GovLearning-Blog . The other blog is for learning and development http://www.astd.org/Publications/Blogs/L-and-D-Blog.

ATD is a non-profit association for workplace learning and performance professionals in which any professional  could be a member. You could benefit from having new technologies explained in understandable and clear terms. The membership shares and provides you information related to teaching, learning and development because its intent is to make your job easier.

In my last government position, all training and development employees were automatically given a membership upon hiring. So I am familiar with what the membership has to offer. The information that you learn enhances any current knowledge that you already possess in the training and development field.

Some of the other information ATD features are job listings, resume assistance and writing, access to career coaches and a career center as well. It also teaches you how to affectively use social media and networking sites to further your career. Job searching tactics are constantly changing. Nowadays, all job search information such as job applications and resume reviewing are sent electronically to companies and organizations through the internet. Some temporarily give you access to their intranet to answer the interview questions in writing before they even contact you for a interview in person. This information is essential to everyone in the Instructional Design Field.

The last site I chose was a United States Navy blog. I chose this one because I am currently a Instructional Systems Specialist for the Navy. I chose the Navy blog to stay current on their culture and environment.  It gives you the current  status of the Navy. It also gives up to date information on changes that are about to take place with leadership and policies. It gives you links to Navy Educational websites to include Navy E-learning, Navy Knowledge On-line and the policies and instructions for curriculum development http://www.navy.mil/.