Module 6 Blog Assignment

Learning in a Digital World

An educator’s philosophy is based on learning theories and philosophical concepts. My belief is that learners need to be active participants not passive. I am a believer in constructivism. “Constructivist theory rests on the assumption that knowledge is constructed by learners as they attempt to make sense of their experiences” (Driscoll, 2005, p. 387). I believe that children learn by doing, especially in math. By deriving formulas and rules on their own, children have a deeper and better understanding of the concepts being taught. I do think that direct instruction has its place in teaching though. The critical and non-negotiable aspects of teaching and learning to me are that all lessons should incorporate a variety of learning styles: visual, auditory, and kinesthetic. Every child learns differently and in order to reach your students you need to include all three styles in your lessons. The other non-negotiable for me is that learning needs to be meaningful and relevant to the student. “The constructivist approach to identifying learning goals emphasizes learning in context” (Driscoll, 2005, p. 390). In order to get and keep the attention of your students, you must make your lessons relevant to their lives. By connecting the concepts you are teaching to real-life, your students will be able to understand why they need to learn them and will be active participants in their learning.

In the digital world of today, I also believe that social networking needs to be a part of the classroom. I have introduced some of my former co-workers to www.edmodo.com and they plan to use it this year in their classrooms. I believe that Siemens is right when he says we learn from our connections through our networks. “Connectivist teaching and learning must optimize the ability for learners to form effective networks” (Siemens, 2009). By using Edmodo, students can discuss the book they are reading in English class or work together to solve a math problem. It brings the class discussion home and students can continue it as they complete their homework. The teacher can then show the class the discussions from the night before and have even more discussions on the concept. Social networking is a part of children’s lives today and it is very beneficial to make it a part of their education as well. As educators we must embrace the ever changing world of technology. Behaviorism, cognitivism, and constructivism help educators to form instructional theories and create lessons. Siemens’ idea of connectivism gives educators insight into the world of social networking. We should take heed of this information and incorporate social networking into our classes. While I do not believe that connectivism is a new learning theory in and of itself, I do believe that some of Siemens concepts should be utilized in today’s classroom.

References:

Driscoll, M. (2005). Psychology of learning for instruction (3rd ed.). Boston: Pearson Education, Inc.

Siemens, G. (2009). Connectivism learning theory. Class Podcast.