Learning Theory and Instruction Course Reflection
When I began this course I was more familiar with
learning styles than I was with learning theories. It has always appeared to be important to find
ways to increase student test scores by focusing on how they learned. I am constantly seeking ways to modify my
teaching, or tutoring, to help students succeed. This course has helped me to
understand why I still struggle with the art and science of teaching, and how
the methods used in traditional educational settings do not always have
positive results.
It is a shame that education is all about the
"test". When politicians continually focus upon educational
reform it has resulted in new demands on teachers and school administrators. However, in my 16 years in education I have
not seen any major changes in how students are taught. There are many
innovations, but creative teaching methodologies require creative budgeting and
spending. I am fortunate to work at a charter school where we use a lot
of technology to help our students, but even with modern technology several
students continue to lack motivation.
My job is part time teaching and part time academic
advising to 30-40 students on an individual basis. Some of my students are thriving in the classes
related to computer repair and maintenance courses, and they are getting above
average grades in web design and graphic arts, however they are still getting
below average grades in the core content areas.
There are students who cannot seem to grasp new academic content, but
they are able to assemble all the parts correctly to build a working computer. They must be actively listening to their IT
instructor, or their peers. My current strategy
with these students is to attempt email communication with them to see if that
makes a difference. Instructors must be
creative and never give up on the quest to find a way to communicate with their
students.
Creating The Learning Theory Matrix was highly
beneficial for several reasons. As I was
reviewing resources to create the matrix, I was seeking answers to some
questions. The main question was to find
out if a given learning theory is age specific, or can each theory apply to
multiple age levels of learners. I even
wrote a discussion topic about how I felt it would be difficult to label people
with one learning style, or just one way of learning for all situations. I
found that the answers to my questions continue to be debated by
researchers. Some researchers agree that
it is probable that diverse personalities and topics require diverse learning
theories. As research has continued over
time, it is interesting to find that it is an ongoing process, but the past is
always taken into consideration and not necessarily thrown out as new theories
are presented. It was enlightening to
see the same researchers quoted that I studied in my consumer behavior programs
while pursuing my undergraduate degree in business.
I was enjoyed learning about Andragogy, Connectivism,
and Social Learning Theories (QOTFC, 2007) (Siemens, 2005) (Kim, 2001). I tend to believe that the 21st
Century is going to see technological sophistication among students at an early
age. Therefore, knowing how to incorporate
technology into education is going to be vital if we want graduates that are
prepared to compete in a global job market.
Students are going to have to be able to communicate with people from a
variety of cultures, and accept those cultures as being important and valuable. We are already 14 years into this new
century, and technological advancement does not seem to be slowing down. However, is education in the USA keeping up
with the requirements of this age? Is the
nation that was first to put a man on the moon relinquishing its status as a
world leader for innovation and creative problem solving? We cannot afford to settle for second place
when it comes to preparing our workforce to compete in a globalized market.
References
Kim, B. (2001). Social Constructivism..In M. Orey
(Ed.), Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology.
Retrieved February 12, 2014, from
http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/ McLeod, S.
A. (2011). Bandura - Social Learning Theory. Retrieved from
http://www.simplypsychology.org/bandura.html Merriam,
S. (2004). The changing landscape of adult learning theory. In J. Comings, B.
Garner, & C. learning theory. In J. Comings, B. Garner, & C. 220).
Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Smith (Eds.), Review of adult learning and
literacy: Connecting research, policy, and practice (pp. 199-220). Mahwah, NJ:
Lawrence Erlbaum Associates"
Siemens, G. (2005) Connectivism: A
Learning Theory for the Digital Age. Retrieved, February 15, 2014 from
http://www.itdl.org/Journal/Jan_05/article01.htm
