Fitting the Pieces Together: How Learning Theories Affect Me as a Learner and Instructional Designer

“There are no mistakes. The events we bring upon ourselves, no matter how unpleasant, are necessary in order to learn what we need to learn; whatever steps we take, they're necessary to reach the places we've chosen to go” (Richard Bach).

This quote summarizes how I feel about learning. Over the past seven weeks, I have learned about various learning theories and how they affect each of us as we learn. I do believe that each learner acquires knowledge in very distinct ways. Just like DNA, no one person learns exactly like another. I also believe that we all process information using a mix of each of the learning theories. From behaviorism to cognitivism, from constructivism and social learning to connectivism and adult learning, we have each of the learning theories in all of us. One or some of the theories are just more prevalent and some times than others, depending on the learning situation.

After delving into each of the theories and their meanings, I still believe that I am more of a constructivist. As a learner, I create meaning from experience. I learn by doing! But, I do see myself as a learning theory mutt. I have a mix of all the theories, just as most of us do. Now I understand why there are occasions where I learn better working in a group and adapting the social learning theory. I also learn from others' knowledge and experience as connectivism comes to play. And as an adult learner, I greatly appreciate learning and have a completely different motivation as an adult then I did as a child.

I now understand much better that there are many learning strategies that assist us when learning or processing information. I have a difficult time getting information into my long-term memory. First of all, I came to the realization that this is a common occurrence and that we all use different strategies to help with the learning process. Mnemonics, visualization, and reflection are strategies that I now have in my toolbox as a learner. But, I will also use these strategies and many others to help design effective instruction.

As an instructional designer, having a foundation and understanding of each of the learning theories, and various strategies helps me relate and design instruction that is suited for a variety of learners, since we all learn through different means. And I see how the use of technology, enhances learning. But, I understand that technology does have limitations and negative attributes as well. I can search for and share information so much more effectively and efficiently with the use of technology. In addition, using technology while creating instruction, I believe I can more easily incorporated the different learning theories and strategies to help learners learn.

Connectivism Reflection

Wow, how learning has changed! I remember when my main resource for any substantial, scholarly information was the library. This was before you could just turn on your computer and “Google it.”

Now, I have so many different resources in my Learning Network. While creating the mind map of my network I wasn't sure what substantiated as a resource. You see, I watch some television programs that I do actually learn from and there are many “how to” videos on YouTube that come in quite handy.

From finding information after sitting in a library for hours, sifting through book after book or viewing the microfiche (wow are those still around), to now searching for something on the Internet, facebooking a question on my wall and seeing how many different responses I get, or calling a reliant friend, I can now find out answers to many questions via my network. What may have taken me all day, now takes minutes, if not seconds. I never realized how powerful my learning network was. Actually I never really thought about the fact that I even had a learning network.

We are now in the age of instant gratification. We want what we are looking for right now, if not yesterday. Technology aids, if not feeds, this immediate desire for knowledge. Google is my primary tool for information retrieval. Then, I just take off from there. I recently learned about Google Scholar as well. I read industry forums and newsletters from the Society of Technical Communication (STC) and various other technical writing or training development Websites and blogs.

The problem now is not finding the information I need. We are all seemingly overloaded with information these days. Now I have to prioritize and be selective on what I want to read and what is important or what will feed my hunger for knowledge.

Now that I have had time to reflect on the learning network mind map that I created, I can truly say that it follows the principals of connectivism. George Siemens, the father or connectivism, posits the following principles of connectivism:

• Learning and knowledge rest in diversity of opinions.

• Learning is a process of connecting specialized nodes or information sources.

• Learning may reside in non-human appliances.

• Capacity to know more is more critical than what is currently known.

• Nurturing and maintaining connections is needed to facilitate continual learning.

• Ability to see connections between fields, ideas, and concepts is a core skill.

• Currency (accurate, up-to-date knowledge) is the intent of all connectivist learning activities.

My favorite principal and the one I plan to expand on is “nurturing and maintaining connections is needed to facilitate continual learning.” That pretty much wraps up my learning network. In the near future I think I'm going to revisit my mind map and expand on my network, and even look for more resources that I should use on a regular basis.

Connectivism - My Mind Map

Resources for Understanding How the We Learn: The Brain & Learning

The following are articles that are resources for the learning process:

Making It Stick: Memorable Strategies to Enhance Learning

This article by Regina G. Richards (2008), helps to identify how you remember something and what techniques you can use to enhance your memory skills. First, it is important for us to understand how we remember information so that we can better utilize the different strategies that we have at hand. And as Instructional Designers this is our toolbox for creating effective courses.

This article takes us through the memory process and explains how all the intricate components work together to move information from sensory input to sensory memory and short-term memory and eventually into long-term memory. Richards explains that “The use of strategies plays a very critical role in structuring input to help it move into long-term memory in a meaningful and memorable format.” The unique strategies outlined are in your RIP toolbox for memory (Repetition, Imagery, and Patterns). She also goes on to explain how motor images and demystification works to improve our memory.

A Framework for Supporting Post-secondary Learners with Psychiatric Disabilities in Online Environments

This article by Scott Grabinger (2010), supports and highlights the need for online classes for students with cognitive disorders. He introduces us to Elena, who has a psychiatric disability: bipolar (manic/depressive) disorder and Daniele, who suffers from depression. Both are serious cognitive disorders that have significant effects on learning, especially learning online. The article expresses the need to “turn the locus of support for students with cognitive impairments 180°, addressing support for students at the instructional level instead of the institutional level, which usually takes the learner out of the classroom.” The article help to educate us on how different cognitive impairments effect not only our memory, but also functioning, and problem solving and reasoning. The is a need for a Universal Design for Learning (UDL), which provides a framework for designing online instruction for learners with cognitive impairments. An outline of the Web 2.0 applications lists the various tools that that can be used to help facilitate learning.

Grabinger, S. (2010) “A Framework for Supporting Postsecondary Learners with Psychiatric Disabilities in Online Environments” Electronic Journal of e-Learning Volume 8 Issue 2 2010, (pp101 - 110), available online at www.ejel.org

Useful Instructional Design Sites

IDEAS: Instructional Design for Elearning ApproacheS

This blog is an excellent resource for instructional design (ID) students and professionals. It provides links to elearning and technology in eduction sites, other ID blogs, and articles. Ferdinand Krauss, a Masters student enrolled in the Instructional Design and Evaluation, Advance Technology in Distance Education at Athabasca University, is the author of this blog. It appears that it exists for the same reason my blog is being created, initally for a class assignment and it grew from there. I think this is a great jump-off to an array of elearning information.

Making Change: Ideas for lively e-learning

This is an awesome blog to use as a place to get your elearning creative juices flowing. Created by Cathy Moore, an elearning consultant, this site helps "save the world from boring elearning." I am very impressed by the amount of information that you can get from this blog. Cathy provides a number of recommended posts and links to ideas on how to make elearning interesting and effective. It mainly focuses on the business community, but I am sure that you can also get valueable information and ideas for the educational sector as well.

eLearning Technology

This 2008 edublog award winner site is a phenomenal resource for elearning technology. The author, Tony Karrer, is the CEO/CTO of TechEmpower, a Web development firm in LA. He is considered one of the top technologists in elearning. The blog was created in the February 2006, therefore it has a good bit of useful content to peruse through. You can also sign up to receive elearning technology articles via email. There is a list of useful elearning tools, companies, organization, and other blogs as well. The topics covered on the blog are quite insightful.