Walden University

Module 5 Blog

2010-05-12T11:59:00.000-07:00

I responded to Wandra Coffield and Charlotte Vaughn for module 5 blog.
http://carollee387.blogspot.com
http://charlottevaughn.blogspot.com

There was an introductory lesson I planned at the beginning of the school year and I was met with disappointing results. I had completed 2 quarters of classes through Walden University and I made plans to use more technology in my classroom. The subject was World History and studying ancestors fit in well. I decided to have the students, who were mostly 10th graders, create a family tree. First,the students would get as much information from their parents on both sides of the family. Next, the students would take the information and make a family tree and share a small presentation. I spent the majority of the time that was spent in class for the project, showing the students how to put the presentation together and how to make a family tree. The students knew how to chat, check and receive e-mail, and complete searches. They did not know how to organize and put together information to share with other people.
The students took much more time than I had expected. They did not have the skills needed to complete the assignment, and I assumed they did. The students did not get to work and did a large amount of talking. They did not know how to get started on the project, so they talked.
I learned that I should not assume that all students know how to do something. I have decided to stretch the project out through the first nine weeks and make it a mid-term project. Ths will give more relevance to the assignment (Driscoll, 2005). In order for students to have any confidence, they will need instruction on how to plan and organize a presentation. After students know what is expected, they are able to focus on the assignment.

Reflection for Module 4 Mind Map

2010-04-27T13:51:00.000-07:00

I responded to Angela Finley and Charity Moran.
http://finleylearningtheory.blogspot.com
http://msmomo-educationaltechnology.blogspot.om

My connections facilitate learning in several ways. The personal networks, including social networks, are valuable to learn about current events in the world, weather, and social events. Work and school networks are used to get assignments, discuss assignments and topics, find out needed information, and share a finished assignment. I see where all people have some kind of connections.
When I was in high school, technology consisted of typewriters, adding machines, and filmstrips. People either had to go to a specific place and look up needed information, or they received the information in a classroom. I learned in this way, but I have had to change along with the new technology. Instead of finding the information in a book, I am able to use a laptop from almost any place I choose and find several sources of information. I can even work with another person from hundreds of miles away.
The digital tools that best facilitate learning for me are computers. I am able to use a laptop or smartphone and find any information I need. I can store the information and share the information with group members, instructors, and other students. I can use a computer and work on projects. The way I learn new knowledge when I have a question, depends on what the knowledge consists of. If it is something I need for my education, I will search on the internet for scholarly articles and works. If I want to know something fo personal reasons, I will also search the internet, but I will use Google and Wikipedia. Reading information is the best way for me to learn new knowledge. Everyone has connections and everyone learns in some way or another every day.

Module 4 Mind Map

2010-04-26T17:49:00.001-07:00

Module 3 Blog

2010-04-13T17:53:00.000-07:00

I posted responses to Sherry Breeden and Tiffany Wilkinson.
http://sbreeden71.blogspot.com
http://digitalworldlearning.blogspot.com

I believe that the majority of people do have a basic instinct to interact and work as a group. There are a few people, that for some reason, do not have this basic instinct. The majority of people enjoy being social and do not like working alone. People tend to work harder, if other people are dependent on them. People also like competition and by working together, there is a feeling of competition or showing others how well they can complete a task.
When people interact with other people and work together, they fill the need for socialization. They get to use their strengths and the other people make up for the weaknesses. There is not one person who is good at everything and working together helps to compensate for any weaknesses.
Constructivist principles stress collaboration and using technology would work well. Since the world has become so technologically advanced, real world experiences would be easy to come up with. Also, using technology can help make tasks more complex (Driscoll, 2005). When people learn to use technology, there is really no limit to what can be accomplished.

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

Blog-Module 2-Cognitivism as a Learning Theory

2010-03-29T17:25:00.000-07:00

Module 2 Blog

Responses to Blog #2
Laine Pagan http://lainepagan.blogspot.com
Jesus Berrios www.blogberrios.blogspot.com

I agree with Bill Kerr, about not using _isms as a blinker, but as a filter (Kerr, 2007). A blinker would mean that you are going in a specific direction, but a filter could mean that you were going to use parts of each learning theory. This also goes along with Karl Kapp's idea that all of the learning theories have useful parts to them and can be used at different levels of learning (Kapp, 2007).
I agree with both of these blogs. Students do not all learn the same way and they are not all on the same level. Also, different lessons or assignments may require a different learning theory. If a student needs to lean a specific behavior or needs to memorize something simple, behaviorism would work well. If a student needed to take information and make it into a research paper, another learning theory would be used, depending on what the research paper needed to cover. I think teachers use parts of the different leaning theories throughout a course each year.

Kapp, K. (2007, January 2). Out and about: Discussion on educational schools of thought. Retrieved from http://karlkapp.blogspot.com/2007/01/out-and-about-discussion-on-educational.html
Kerr, B. (2007, January 1). _isms as filter, not blinker. Retrieved from http://billkerr2.blogspot.com/2007/01/isms-as-filters-not-blinker.html

2010-03-15T17:19:00.000-07:00

7105 Learning Theory and Educational Technology

Responses to Blog 1
Angela Finley
http://finleylearningtheory.blogspot.com

Jane Dewitt
http://janedewitt.blogspot.com

Module 1 Blog
Topic number 2
According to Driscoll, the critical elements of a learning theory include results, means, and inputs. Results are the changes that are expected to take place. The means are what causes the change to take place. The inputs involve the actual resources used to cause the learning to happen. All three of these are needed to come up with any learning theory (Driscoll, 2005).
When looking at the different learning theories such as behaviorism, constructivism, and cognitivism, they should all include results, means, and inputs. I believe Driscoll covered all that is needed very well, when looking at a learning theory. The change that takes place is very important and is an observable result. The processes involved in the change are also important along with the resources used to help cause the behavior to occur (Driscoll, 2005)
The five questions in Siemen's article appear to cover everything needed to explain learning theories, however, the actual end behavior that is the result of the learning is not discussed. How, what factors, memory, transfer, and types of learning are covered very well. This covers the processes and inputs. I think another question should be answered that looks at the specific behavior expected. This would have made the information more complete.

Driscoll, M. P. (2005). Psychology of learning for instruction (3rd ed.). Boston: Pearson Education, Inc.
Siemens, G. (2008, January 27). Learning and knowing in networks: Changing roles for educators and designers. Paper presented to ITFORUM. Retrieved from http:it.coe.uga.edu/itforum/Paper105/Siemens.pdf

This link is good for the different heories of learning.
http://oswaldoipc.wordpress.com/2007/06/29/theories-for-learning-tefl-methodology

This link looks at learning from something thatis acquired or some behavior that is changed.
http://johnmill.wordpress.com/2010/02/23/on-metaphor

EDUC 7101 Presentation

2009-08-11T17:15:00.000-07:00

This is my presentation for EDUC 7101. I tried every way to get it on my wiki, but it would not fit. I kept getting a message that it was over the amount allowed.

2009-08-06T11:43:00.000-07:00

Here is my video presentation. This is the first time I have ever done something like this. If you would like to see the paperwork, including the annotated bibliography, go to http://sharonmcdaniel.wikispaces.com.