Monday, August 20, 2012

Learning in a Digital World


I believe every student learns differently. For example, one student may learn better by watching a factual movie, whereas another student may benefit from listening to a song with facts presented as lyrics. I believe that every student learns to the maximum possible capacity when the method that best serves them is used while all the other methods are used in conjuncture as well. I think it is critical and non-negotiable for lessons to include visual, auditory, and tactile learning. By planning lessons that use these strategies, students can actively participate in lessons and therefore learn (Driscoll, 2005, p. 156). This is also known as Situated Cognition. On the same hand, lessons can relate to past experiences, this is known as Schema Theory (p. 126). I personally believe in every learning theory, assuming a variety of methods are used. I also believe in connectivism as a learning theory, which is when learning occurs when a student interacts with a network. According to Davis, Edmunds, and Kelly-Bateman (2008), connectivism is a type of learning that can occur within a socially and technologically enhanced network where the learner recognizes and interprets patterns.

 Technology has influenced the way I learn by providing easier and faster access to information (Laureate Education, Inc., 2012.). In the past, gathering information involved finding time to go to the library, trying to think of the right key words to look up information, locating the right books, and then scanning them until finding the right information. The search took up more time than reading and retaining the information. Additionally, there was always information that could not be found in books. For example, unless someone wrote a book on how to fold a pinwheel, the way to learn involved finding someone who could make one and asking. With technology, information is delivered within seconds. However, there is little involvement in tactile learning on basic computers. Here is an example of a video that explains the use of a program that can be learned online, http://youtu.be/PI9EyGPe-oo it is visually and auditorally stimulating, but the extent of tactile learning is the use of the keyboard and mouse. That is where the SmartBoard and various other expensive technologies come into play, in order to make technology more tactile. The expense is pointed out because many schools and homes cannot afford them. On the other hand, how technology is integrated needs to be carefully considered. In this video, examples of technology integration are used in several subjects: http://youtu.be/Dsif-1dqPho. Although this video is meant to show how much faster students can do work, it also proves that long-term objectives of lessons may not be reached due to technology. For example, in the scene where one student is solving a complicated mathematics problem on paper and another is using a calculator, the one with the calculator is showing his ability to punch information correctly into a calculator. He is not showing his understanding of how to solve the problem. With that said, I believe technology should be integrated into lessons, but it is also critical that children be involved in group work that minimally uses technology. Students need to develop socially appropriate skills. Technology is not helping students develop the critical skills they need to interact with each other.
Resources
Davis, C., Edmunds, E., & Kelly-Bateman, V. (2008). Connectivism. Emerging perspectives on
learning, teaching and technology .

Driscoll, M. P. (2005). Psychology of learning for instruction (3rd ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson
Education.
Laureate Education, Inc. (2012). Connectivism learning theory. Baltimore, MD, Author: George Siemens