Foundation of Research: Learning Reflection

Foundation of Research: Learning Reflection

1.     How can you establish your reputation as an instructional designer that follows high ethical standards when conducting research and interacting with clients and/or stakeholders?

The most important attributes of following ethical standards in research are fact, honesty, integrity and objectivity. As an IDT professional, my goal is to preserve high standards of competency in my work at all times, and be aware of my expertise’s limits and imperfections. Therefore, it is imperative when conducting research to cite the sources of data. Further contextualizing integrity Dean stated:

Professionals seek to promote integrity in their research, teaching, and practice. They are honest, fail, and respectful of others. In describing or reporting their qualifications, services, products, they do not make statements that are false, misleading, or deceptive. To the extent feasible, they attempt to clarify for relevant parties the roles they are performing and to function appropriately in accordance with those roles. (Dean, 1999, p. 9)

An IDT professional, I will uphold the integrity of my profession.

2.     How will the knowledge you have gained in this course help you to interact with clients and propose solutions to instructional design problems?

The knowledge gained in this course has made me confidence in my learning experience to be able to interact with clients across all levels. It has also shown me how to research, analyze and write the problem statement in order to formulate a research solution.   

3.     Provide a specific example of how you will use what you’ve learned in your current job or in a job you anticipate having in the future.

This is an excellent question. I will carry on my learning experience in research to be responsible for factual support of data. For example, one of the researches conducted in this course was a true-to-life situation that took place in my company. A colleague wanted to know if the ACD Company decided to go green would there be adverse effects on the business. I had no idea of what to do, where to look, or how to start finding answers to the question. This course taught me how to conduct research by starting with the problem statement, and then finding resources through literature reviews to support the findings. Without this course, I would still be in the dark and presenting research on a rudimentary level. I am so appreciative to have had Dr. Paula Porter as my professor. She inculcated in me so much about conducting research.

Reference

Dean, P. J. (1999). The relevance of standards and ethics for the human performance technology profession. In H. D. Stolovitch, Handbook of human performance technology (2nd ed.) (pp. 698-712). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.



Fitting the Pieces Together

Now that you have a deeper understanding of the different learning theories and learning styles, how has your view on how you learn changed? My learning view has changed tremendously; I am now able to pull resources of skills from all of the theories and apply each to my learning needs. Before taken this course, ‘Learning Theories and Instruction’, I was not aware of my learning strategies or how the different learning strategies could help me to develop skills in ways that would not only be beneficial to my career, but also to the facilitation of learning skills germane to the student’s needs as well.

What have you learned about the various learning theories and learning styles over the past weeks that can further explain your own personal learning preferences? AS an adult learner and educator in the digital age, my learning preference is the “Connectivism Learning Theory”. This learning theory is diverse in its network, its strength are tied to the context of occurrence and its various communities. Its delivery is balance among experiential learning with guided mentoring and collective reflection for all learners. According to Siemens and Downes 2005, this theory expression through nonlinear association webs of representations. Co-design of learning experiences personalized to individual needs and preferences.” This theory too, I believe, is the way to learning for the next generation because of its technical sureness and constant evolving for better understanding and users friendly.

I have acquired wealth of knowledge from all other theories such as these:

The Cognitive/Learning Styles—refers to the ways in which individual process information. According to Gardner, Guilford, Sternberg individual learning differences in abilities are described as peak performance. Styles describe a person’s typical mode of thinking, remembering or problem solving.” Styles are also categorized into two dimensions--bipolar (a person’s styles) and unipolar (a person’s abilities).Another fact about the cognitive learning theory that I do like is its emphasis is on the building blocks of knowledge (e.g. identifying prerequisite relationships of content), and emphasis on structuring, organizing and sequencing information to facilitate optimal processing. (Piaget, Bruner, Gagne’, Lewin, Kohler, Koffka, Ausubel, Ertmer/Newby).

The Behaviorism Learning Styles – This theory because of the S-R framework of behavioral. That learning is the results between stimuli and responses. That our learning strengthened or weakened by nature is via the S-R parings. There are three primary laws proposed by Thorndike’s theory, which of (1) Law of Effect, (2) Law of readiness and (3). Law of exercise, these laws plays an intricate part to the learned behavior.

Constructivist Theory/Learning Styles – is learning that is actively processing learning in ways in which learners construct new ideas or learning patterns based upon their current or past knowledge. According to J. Burner, The learner selects and transforms information, constructs hypotheses, and makes decisions, relying on a cognitive structure to do so. Cognitive structure is, for example, schema and mental models, which provides meaning and organization to experiences and allows the individual to go beyond the information given.”

Adult Learning/Styles—another word for adult learning is Andragogy. It is an attempt to develop specific learning theory for the adult learners. According to Knowles, adults are self-directed and expect to take responsibility for their decisions. That adults need to know why they need to learn something (2) adults need to learn experiential, (3) adults approach learning as problem-solving and (4) adults learn best when the topic is of immediate value.


Social Learning theory/Learning Styles-- Individuals are more likely to adopt a modeled behavior if it results in outcomes they value. Observational learning is also known as imitation or modeling. Observation Learning: learn by observing others. The base for this theory is that the individual’s environment depicts how they learn.

What role does technology play in your learning (i.e., as a way to search for information, to record information, to create, etc.)? Technology plays a very important role in how I search for information via the web, different search engine. I particularly prefer to search for information through these sites: www.trueknowledge.com, www.hakia.com and www.semantifind.com. These are very thorough in locating specific information. I also found a site that is good to use if you are creating professional slide presentations and videos, these are: www.jaycut.com for videos and www.slideshare.net or www.sliderocket.com for slide presentations. (Johnson, Levine & Smith 2009)

References:

Ausubel, D. (1963). The Psychology of Meaningful Verbal Learning. New York: Grune and Stratton.
Bandura, A. (1977). Social Learning Theory. New York: General Learning Press.
Bandura, A. (1986). Social Foundations of through and Action: A Social Cognitive Theory. Englewood Cliffs: Prentice Hall, p. 23 (#1).
Bednar, A. K. (1991). Theory into Practice: How do we Link? In G. J. Anglin (ed.), Instructional Technology: Past, Present, and Future. Englewood, CO: Libraries Unlimited. .
Bransford, J. D. (1971). The Abstraction of Linguistic Ideas. Cognitive Psychology, 2, 331-350.
Bransford, J. S. (1988). The Video Revolution and its Effects on Cognitive Development: Some Initial thoughts. In G. Foreman & P. Pufall (Eds.), Constructivism in the Computer Age. Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
Brown, J. S. (1989). Situated Cognition and the Culture of Learning. . Educational Researcher, 18(1), pp. 32-42.
Dede, C. (2005). Planning for Neomillennial Learning Styles: Implications for Investments in Technology and Faculty. In D. G. Oblinger & J. L. Oblinger (Eds.), Educating the Net Generation, Retrieved from http://www.educause.edu/content.asp?page_id=6069&bhcp=1.
Downes, S. (2005). An Introduction to Connective Knowledge. In T. Hug (Ed) (2007). Media, Knowledge and Education. Exploring New Spaces, Relations and dynamics in Digital Media Ecologies.
Ertmer, P. A. (n.d.). Behaviorism, Cognitivism, Constructivism: Comparing Critical Features from an Instructional Design Perspective. Performance Improvement Quarterly, 6(4), pp. 50-72.
Gagne, R. M. (1985, (4th Ed)). The Conditions of Learning. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston.
Garvin, D. A. (1993). Building a Learning Organization. Harvard Business Review, 71 (4), 78-91.
Johnson, L. (2009 (Ed.).). The Horizon Report. Austin, TX. The New Media Consortium.
Knowles, M. (1968). Andragogy, not Pedagogy. Adult Leadership. 16(10), 350-352, 386.
Knowles, M. (1984). Andragogy in Action. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Koffka, K. (1924). The Growth of the Mind. (R. M. Ogden, Trans). London: Kegan Paul, Trench, Trubner.
Kohler, W. (1947). Gestalt psychology: An Introduction to New Concepts in Modern Psychology. New York: Liver Right. (Reprinted 1959, New American Library, New York. . .
Lewin, K. (1935). A Dynamic Theory of Personality. New York: McGraw-Hill.
Moslaw, A. H. (1959). New Knowledge in Human Values. . New York: Harper and Row.
Ormond, J. E. (1999, (3rd. Ed.)). Human Learning. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice-Hall.
Piaget, J. (1985 (original work published 1996)). Equilibration of Cognitive Structure. University of Chicago Press.
Rogers, C. R. (Ordinal printed 1969, 1994, (3rd ed)). Freedom to Learn. New York: MacMillan.
Siemens, G. (2005). Connectivism: A Learning theory for the Digital Age. International Journal of Instructional Technology and Distance Learning, 2(1).
Skinner, B. F. (1953). Science and Human Behavior. New York: Free Press.
Thorndike, E. (1927). The Measurement of Intelligent. New York: Teachers College Press

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My Reflection on Connectivism Learning

How has your network changed the way you learn? The ways that I have learned in the past has greatly been impacted by the ways that I am learning now. It is important for me to know how and where to locate learning resources and gather information that is readily available without going to my local library. At this point in my life, I appreciate the convenience of technology. Thanks to the digital age of the Internet and personal computers, I am able to learn from various sources such as  Wikipedia, forum, chat group, eLearning/distance, online communities, and the latest learning tool for me—blogging all from the comfort of my home.

In my current class, "Learning Theories and Instruction” I am engaging in a new learning path and knowledge-based skills not only applicable to me in the classroom, but also in learning out-of-the classroom. As a former corporate trainer for adults learning, I was only interested in how best to create learning that was conducive to their needs but the wealth of knowledge that I have acquired during this course I have access to various learning theories applicable for me to use with all genre of learners including, but not limited to, my own learning needs.

 Which digital tools best facilitate learning for you? I think the digital tools that work best for me is the Internet—wikis, blogs, web feed, eLearning, webinars, distance learning as well as forums. I have found, since taking online classes that engaging all of these tools have really helped in my ability to require and understand different learning theories and learning needs

How do you gain new knowledge when you have questions? Now that I have been introduced to different ways in which to communicate, my favorite way to gain knowledge is via the Wikis, forums and blogs.

In what ways does your personal learning network support or refute the central tenets of connectivism? My personal learning networks have been very instrumental in providing the kind of learning experience for me to complete my education in the comfort of my home thanks to the digital age of online learning. The fact that I am able to find information on any subject germane to my learning experience is also great.

  

What Is a Thinking Curriculum?

Evaluating and Identifying Online Resources

As I evaluated the article, “What is a Thinking Curriculum?" I was amazed at its finding. This article, for example, characterizes the importance of successful learners that have emerged from various research perspectives—cognitive, philosophical and multicultural. These patterns of learning speak to the core concept of how we learn. I find that the information is critical to instructional designers and teachers as they develop better learning curriculum for students in a more concise and methodology fashion.  

I like the fact that curriculum development must be geared toward learners in term of their ability to learn. Thus, these examples listed.  

1.         Knowledgeable learners – these learners acquire a substantial and organized body of knowledge which they can use fluently to make sense of the world, solve problems, and make decisions.

2.         Self-determined learners feel capable and continually strive to acquire and use the tools they need to learn.

3.         Strategic learners have a repertoire of thinking and learning strategies that they use with skill and purpose to think about and control their own learning and guide their learning of new content.

4.         Empathetic learners are able to view themselves and the world from perspectives other than their own, including perspectives of people from different cultural backgrounds.

I like the fact too, that thinking curriculum should have a dual agenda with the power to promote higher-level processes, i.e.

1.         The scope of a thinking curriculum promotes in-depth learning.

2.         Content and process objectives are situated in real-world.

3.         Tasks are sequenced to situate holistic performances in increasingly challenging environments.

4.         A thinking curriculum actively connects content and processes to learners’ backgrounds.

I feel that this article is valuable to me because it provides concise and in-depth tools that will help me to develop curriculum that is conducive to the learners’ ability to fully understand and apply the content of the curriculum to learning applications.

http://www.asa3.org/ASA/education/think/methods.htm

Week 2 -Application #1

Left Brain, Right Brain, Whole Brain?

Evaluating and Identifying Online Resources

The article left brain, right brain, whole brain was very interesting to me because I have read information on the uses of the left and right brain before; however; this article provided more information on the topic. The model of the human brain consists of many parts:

1.     Brain stem, hind brain, mid brain and cerebellum – the most ancient parts, connected to the spine, controls movement, breathing and heartbeats.

2.     Limbie system – consisting of many specialist organs including the Hypothalamus, hippocampus – developed in mammals. Some memory functions and generation of emotional responses.

3.     Cerebral cortex – the distinguishing feature of human brains.

The cortex is divided into two hemispheres, left and right connected by a thick layer of cells called the corpus callosum. I agree based upon the various biology course that I have taken over the past several years.

According to the article, the two hemispheres --left and right brain work similar to the schematic listed below.

	Right Hemisphere	Left Hemisphere
Specialties’	Copying of designs, Discrimination of shapes e.g. picking out a camouflaged object, Understanding geometric properties, Reading faces, Music, Global holistic processing, Understanding of metaphors, Expressing emotions, Reading emotions.	Language skills, Skilled movement, Analytical time sequence processing.
Shared	Sensations on both side of face, Sound perceived by both ears, Pain, Hunger, Position.
Emotions	Negative emotions (fearful mournful feelings),	Positive emotions
neurotransmitters	Higher levels of norepinephrine	Higher levels of dopamine
Grey Matter White Matter ratio	More white-matter (longer axons) on right	More grey-matter (cell bodies) on the left.

This information is valauble to me because it has enriched my knowledge to the point that I am now able to think and speak as well as react to situation according to how my brian preceed the situation.  And, it will also enhance learning styles and personality.

http://www.singsurf.org/brain/rightbrain.php

Week 2 - Application #2

"The Doorway to Professional Learning Communities"

In viewing several blogs on Instructional Design and Technology, one finds that many of them pertain to employment opportunity in Instructional design http://http//www.educause.edu/Professional+Development/JobOpportunities/InstructionalDesignerTrainer/. Other provided information on the structural changes that instructional design play in the schools system http://www.cjlt.ca/index.php/cjlt/article/view/, questions and concerns of designer with regard to the ramification of updating existing online curriculum, eLearning http://www.articulate.com/rapid-elearning/why-e-learning-is-so-effective/, Gaming, and instructional design for the neomillennial learning—how learning is for the future and many more.

Ramification to updating existing online curriculum:
1. Have legal guidelines and relevant policies that might affect the course revision changed?
2. What progress or change in the domain field might inform the course revision?
3. What updates in teaching and learning methodologies might be relevant?
4. What updates in relevant technologies could improve the course?

Concerns for Instructional Design: On the other hand, Shalin Hai-Jew an instructional designer, writes in Educause Quarterly Magazine that she feel that there are, “many forces that impede or preclude substantive updates in course content, including a lack of dedicated resources (budget, time, expertise); a lack of political will at the administrative level; inertia on the part of those who first developed the curriculum; and a protectionist attitude toward the existing course on the part of the course developers.”

Gaming as a Designed Platform: Emerging devices, tools, media, and virtual environments offer opportunities for creating new types of learning communities for teachers and students. http://www.virtual-u.org/, and http://www.whyville.net/smmk/nice, and http://muve.gse.harvard.edu/muvees2003/. 

Instructional Design for the 'Next Generation' learners: “The defining quality of a learning community is a culture of learning, in which everyone can be involved in a collective effort of understanding. Bielaczyc and Collins indicated that there are four characteristics that such a culture must have: (1) diversity of expertise among its members, who are valued for their contributions and given support to develop, (2) a shared objective of continually advancing the collective knowledge and skills, (3) an emphasis on learning how to learn, and (4) mechanisms for sharing what is learned. If a learning community is presented with a problem, then the learning community can bring its collective knowledge to bear on the problem. It is not necessary that each member assimilate everything that the community knows, but each should know who within the community has relevant expertise to address any problem. This is a radical departure from the traditional view of schooling, with its emphasis on individual knowledge and performance, and the expectation that students will acquire the same body of knowledge at the same time.” http://www.educause.edu/Resources/PlanningforNeomillennialLearni/

Jew, S. H. (2010, December). An Instructional Design Approach to Updating an Online Course Curriculum. Educause Quarterly Magazine, pp. Volume 33, Number 4.


Week 1 Application