My Networks: A Connectivist Point of View of Facilitating Learning

Networking has definitely changed how people do things, behave and learn.  I can still recall the long hours spent at the university's library when I was finishing my bachelor's degree.  Before the availability of the actual technological tools I had to spend a lot of time trying to locate the appropriate information.  Now all I need is my computer and my networks.    

The wide range of digital tools available continues to grow, and  many teachers are now using them to facilitate learning.  I am a very visual and auditory learner, so tools like the Podcasts and educational videos better suit my learning style.  During my coursework I had also experienced the use of one of the tools I consider being one of the most useful collaboration learning tools:  Google Docs.  

Acquiring new knowledge for me now is a "computerized" matter.  It is interesting how people have adopted the term "google it" meaning searching for information using the Google site's search tool.  I have also adopted different sites to search-in when I have unanswered questions.  In conclusion, I have to say that learning for me nowadays is a totally different experience.

Collaboration and Technology: a result of a learned behavior or an instinct

As I watched Howard Rheingold’s (2005) video discussing the evolution of society, collective action, and the natural instinct of people to collaborate, a few questions arise: is collaboration an instinct or a learned behavior?, how our society has been transformed by collaboration?, and how communication and technology has influenced those changes?

The discussion in "Is being green a basic instinct or learned behaviour?" poses an interesting point of view of the psychological principles that influences people. As it suggests, people have a social instinct to interact with others and take inspiration from their actions. Thus collaboration can be considered a basic instinct. What influences a collaborative behavior is what, as Rheingold (2005) points out, might be influenced by social institutions and might vary depending on each individual.

There are many examples in history on how technology has influenced society and collaboration. Rheingold (2005) presents how technological tools, like open source products (Linux, Mozilla, Apache, and Wikipedia) and the free Open University lectures, posted by Berkley and Yale, are being used as collaboration means. These resources can be viewed as a result of constuctivist collaborative efforts of a community of knowledge. The tools that facilitate collaboration are under continuous development, especially within the Web 2.0 applications. As these tools continue its deployment, learning will be an "open door" to promote collaboration, while students analyze, create, and construct their knowledge through their initiative and independence.

Ideas, thoughts and theories

As I read the blog postings from Bill Kerr (http://billkerr2.blogspot.com/2007/01/isms-as-filter-not-blinker.html), Stephen Downes, and Karl Kapp (http://karlkapp.blogspot.com/2007/01/out-and-about-discussion-on-educational.html) on cognitivism and behaviorism, I could not do anything else than to agree with them and reflect upon my own thoughts.  Nothing could be sounder than Kapp’s (2007) expression: “what we need to is take the best from each philosophy and use it wisely to create solid educational experiences for our learners.”

As I reflected upon the questions they pose, the term multiple intelligences came to my mind.  According to Gardner's Theory of Multiple Intelligences (http://www.multipleintelligencetheory.co.uk/), each human being is capable of processing information in eight relatively independent forms, with individuals differing from one another in the specific profile of intelligences that they exhibit (Sag, R., Savas, B., &; Celik-Kayapinar, F., 2009).

A whirlwind of ideas and thoughts come to my mind... Can we integrate the principles of one theory with other theories?  How do the constructivist and the behaviorist theories can be adapted to each one of the multiple intelligences?  Ideas, thoughts and theories... What do you think?

References:

Kapp, K. (2007).  Kapp Notes: Out and About: Discussion on Educational Schools.  Retrieved from http://karlkapp.blogspot.com/2007/01/out-and-about-discussion-on-educational.htm

Sag, R., Savas, B., & Celik-Kayapinar, F.  (2009).  Abstract Proceedings of the 1st International Conference of Living Theorists Howard Gardner.  Retrieved from http://makusem.mehmetakif.edu.tr/howardgardner/images/abstracts.pdf

Learning Theories and Educational Technology

Two very important questions that all people passionate about learning through technology should reflect upon:

• How do you believe people learn best?
• What is the purpose of learning theory in educational technology?

What do I believe?

Learning is defined as a persisting change in human performance or performance potential (Driscoll, 2005). There are many theories about how people learn. And I believe that all of them are pertinent to specific learning situations. I believe that people learn best when different techniques are used so their learning styles can be fulfilled. Shirley (2010) classifies learners into three basic groups: the listening learners, the seeing learners, and the touch/experience learners. There is no better learning style, they are just different from each other.

Educational technology has a long history. As I watched a YouTube video about the History of Educational Technology I reflected upon how it has influenced learning and how learning theories influence educational technology. Educational technology is defined as the study and ethical practice of facilitating learning and improving performance by creating, using and managing appropriate technological processes and resources (Richey, 2008). While learning theory is defined as a set of constucts linking observed changes in performance with what is thought to bring about those changes (Driscoll, 2005). I believe that learning theory is fundamental when designing the activities that will help people learn and improve their performance through those technological processes and resources.


References:

Driscoll, M. P. (2005).  Psychology of learning for instruction.  Boston, MA:  Pearson Education.
Richey, R.C. (2008). Reflections on the 2008 AECT Definitions of the Field. TechTrends, 52(1) 24-25.
Shirley, R. (2010).   Which one are you?  Retrieved from: http://www.worldwidelearn.com/education-articles/how-do-you-learn.htm