Week 2, ED 722: Online Learning Theories

Week 2, ED 722: Online Learning Theories

I do agree with the idea that interactions, environment and connections play a role in how effective technology can be in education. Strictly utilizing teacher to student, or student to student interaction is not always the best avenue to success. Just like you would not use the same teaching strategy every day for every lesson you teach, you should vary the types of technology and the ways in which you use technology for it to be effective in the classroom.

Sometimes behaviorism is valuable. We use it when we respond to prompts for our online learning. Cognitivism is valuable when we are trying to use a new tool. LEarning Skitch this summer was an area where students utilized this type of learning. In order to engage with material, Constructivism was used. Last semester we were directors of discussions and tried using new mediums while also defending why we used such medium for ED 7718. Creating our learning hub, accessing and building our personal learning network, and using our MOOC’s are part of connectivism.

I have found from watching the video we are utilizing all the theories and mostly trying to become experts in the latest, connectivism, field. Being able to rework our learning hub or reformat our blogs is a way of utilizing the connectivism strategy as we are constantly self-reflecting. This is a higher order thinking skill that would have to be honed from a young age if we really want our students to be able to perform at this level.

“Learners will not learn from simulations if the simulations are not developed using sound principles.” This quote from the Ally article encompasses the material for this week, in my opinion. It is not a matter of using new and creative teaching strategies or a matter of using the latest instructional technology. It IS a matter of using both, together, in varying fashions. The four learning strategies are beneficial and needed in education, but they need to be used together to help all students become successful.

Being part of this program has helped me create a more technology-friendly environment in my classroom. Prior to, I used technology to teach, but my students were not necessarily using technology to learn. I am now in the process of creating lesson using varying strategies that match the technology I have access to and making sure my students are being assessed using technology as well.