Module 10

I was aware of learning theories from an educational psychology course, but we learned about them in a more abstract form. Seeing how learning theories applied to educational technology gave me an opportunity to reflect on which theory I am most drawn to. Reflecting on my practicums, I believe that I relied overly on behaviourism; theoretically, however, I aspire to integrate constructivism into my classroom. My experience as an outdoor educator, where we rely on experiential learning, has allowed me to observe children’s excitement at being able to try things on their own, such as canoeing. Success or failure is not what is important, but simply doing.

Part A: PLN Learning Theory Posts

Behaviourism

Extraneous Load

Constructivism

Personal Learning Theory

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Part B: Learning and Technology Theories Reflection

Aspects of all the learning theories we discussed help me learn, but when I think back to classes in which I was most successful, behaviourism describes how I best learn. I am a visual-auditory learner, so a lecture paired with notes written or projected on a board have always supported my learning. I am also good at rote memorization, so drill and practice work well for me.

Because theory is today more focused on student-centred education, behaviourism has become a passé theory; however, I believe that we can still make some space for it in our classrooms. Before higher-level learning objectives can be achieved (such as analysis and evaluation), there are certain core competencies and knowledge that must be acquired (Surgenor, 2010, 5). This is the learning space in which behaviourist teaching and technology can be applied to good effect. I will focus here on behaviourist technologies that teachers might use to benefit a behaviourist learner such as myself.

If direct instruction is a teacher’s main teaching tool, she might also make use of videos from YouTube, TED, and TeacherTube. Students can tire of hearing the same voice and same lecture structure over and over again; instructional videos break the pattern and may revitalize the classroom. Teachers can search TED Talks by topic or find a talk by a well-known figure whose words would be of interest to students. Videos on YouTube and TeacherTube use auditory and visual cues that, for a visual-auditory learner such as myself, would be very engaging.

To reinforce learning, a teacher might use stimulus-response techniques. A technology such as Poll Everywhere allows students to practice and teachers to assess their students’ level of understanding. (An added benefit for teachers is that Poll Everywhere can be accessed on computers, tablets, and cell phones, which supports mobile learning.) The stimulus is the multiple-choice question and the response is the student clicking on the answer they decide is correct. If I, as a behaviourist learner, chose the correct answer, I would feel the intrinsic reward of mastering the content.

Finally, many schools are connected to learning management systems such as Blackboard and Moodle. Teachers are able to post additional learning resources on their class board, such as readings, videos, and quizzes. Because I learn well through drill and practice, a teacher might post optional practice quizzes where I could test my knowledge, repeat problems, and simulate a test experience. My marks would be instantly accessible to both my teacher and me, allowing us both to monitor my learning. This would be in in keeping with the trends of creating educational activities for particular students’ needs and of students taking responsibility for their learning (Ferro, 2011).

 

References

Ferro, Maria Carolina. (2011). Behaviorism and Educational Technology [blog]. Retrieved from http://teachtechcolombia.blogspot.ca/2011/11/behaviorism-and-educational-technology.html.

Surgenor, Paul. (2010). Teaching Toolkit: How Students Learn 2. Retrieved from http://www.ucd.ie/t4cms/ucdtlt0017.pdf.