When I first began reading and analyzing how people learn a few weeks ago, I decided that I learn in many different ways depending on the material being processed. I came to the conclusion that it is important for me as a teacher to know how the brain works to the best of my ability, however, I will never fully know how each of my students learn best for each subject or project. Therefore, I must use many different teaching strategies and not only remember that students learn differently than each other, but each student has a different learning style when learning different things. "To teach effectively, you've got to know how students learn and you have to know, in particular, how they think and what's going on inside their heads" (Ormrod, J. 2011). I agree with Dr. Ormrod, however, this is generally. In order to teach effectively, you've got to know how students learn, in general. You have to know how they think generally. I attempted to understand how people learn by studying the different learning theories. Understanding how people learn is a generalized subject. Everyone learns differently at different times and when learning different subjects. If we want to know how each students learns each subject, we would have to study each student very carefully for a long period of time. As teachers, we don't have the time or resouces to do so. Therefore, we study generally how people learn and try to use different strategies to impact, engage, and assess each student. When I teach a concept using a certain strategy or method, I then assess the students learning. If some students don't seem to get it, I help them individually using a different strategy. Or, if my initial strategy didn't seem to work for most students, I'll revisit the concept using a different method. The dynamics of a class helps me decide which strategy will possibly work best for that group.
On the website, http://www.ic.arizona.edu/ic/edtech/strategy.html, there is a list of different teaching and learning methods that are very popular and effective: collaborative learning, cooperative learning, discovery based learning, engaged learning, problem based learning, and whole language approach. There are many other strategies as well: whole group discussion and/or debate, small group discussion and/or debate, story telling, interactive media engagement, games, polling, socratic discussion, project based, and so on. I am learning about new strategies and how I can apply them to my teaching, including many new methods using technology. I have learning how big of a role technology plays in my teaching and learning. I use the websites, online articles and journals and blogs to research information, opinions and theories on instructional design and technology.
Now that I have a better understanding of how students learn in general, I can now make better assumptions on how I can help individual students understand a concept better. I can also use the new teaching and learning tools relating to technology to understand my own learning and apply it in the classroom.
Ormrod, J. (2011) An Introduction to Learning Laureate Education, Inc. 2011
Teaching and Learning Methods and Strategies Retrieved from
http://www.ic.arizona.edu/ic/edtech/strategy.html in June 2011.
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Sunday, June 5, 2011
Connectivism in the Digital World
With new ways to learn and gain information hitting us from all directions at a fast speed, it is only natural to want to use these new resources (well, some of them). Students take control of their own learning and make new connections with others who will strenthen the learning process (Dembo, S. 2011). When I was in school before technology was so advanced and we had all the tools and ways to use connectivism like we have now, I relied on being able to get to study groups without having many other ways to find information or learn from others. It was just a small group of people who I could brainstorm with. Now, the amount of brains and websites I can learn from is never-ending.
Out of the many digital tools out there, the ones I use the most are informational websites. Since my time taking classes online, I use much of my time reading articles and finding theories and information to support my claims. This is also how I gain new knowledge when I have questions. However, learning from others on discussion boards is also a way I gain knowledge. I ask others what they think of a topic and with discussion boards, I can get many opinions, facts and theories all at once. Digital tools such as these make learning happen at my pace. And as Dembo states, students take control of their own learning and find the tools and connections that work for them. We are now much more proactive in our own learning instead of reading out of one textbook and all hearing one lecture in a course.
My personal learning network supports the learning tenets of connectivism by giving me new information and new strategies for teaching, learning and organizing thoughts and theories. For example, recently, I have used new programs and websites that I have not used before but since others have exposed me to these resources I am thinking of ways I can use them in the classroom and then share my newly found resources in my teaching and show my students how they can use these programs in their own learning, such as Jing and Spinscape). The more ways we can deliver material to students, the more students we will reach and the easier they will learn. Also, if we give our students the tools to take control of their own learning, learning will be fun and exciting. Giving students choices instead of "making" them learn is a much more effective way of teaching.
Dembo, S., (2011) The Networked Student in Plain English Retreived from http://www.teach42.com/2008/12/06/the-networked-student-in-plain-english/ in June, 2011
Out of the many digital tools out there, the ones I use the most are informational websites. Since my time taking classes online, I use much of my time reading articles and finding theories and information to support my claims. This is also how I gain new knowledge when I have questions. However, learning from others on discussion boards is also a way I gain knowledge. I ask others what they think of a topic and with discussion boards, I can get many opinions, facts and theories all at once. Digital tools such as these make learning happen at my pace. And as Dembo states, students take control of their own learning and find the tools and connections that work for them. We are now much more proactive in our own learning instead of reading out of one textbook and all hearing one lecture in a course.
My personal learning network supports the learning tenets of connectivism by giving me new information and new strategies for teaching, learning and organizing thoughts and theories. For example, recently, I have used new programs and websites that I have not used before but since others have exposed me to these resources I am thinking of ways I can use them in the classroom and then share my newly found resources in my teaching and show my students how they can use these programs in their own learning, such as Jing and Spinscape). The more ways we can deliver material to students, the more students we will reach and the easier they will learn. Also, if we give our students the tools to take control of their own learning, learning will be fun and exciting. Giving students choices instead of "making" them learn is a much more effective way of teaching.
Dembo, S., (2011) The Networked Student in Plain English Retreived from http://www.teach42.com/2008/12/06/the-networked-student-in-plain-english/ in June, 2011
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