Learning In A Digital World

A teacher willing to learn and broaden his or her teaching style and pedagogy is critical and non-negotiable.  Teachers need to realize that one strategy or even a repertoire of strategies will never meet the needs of all of their students year after year.  Over the last several years, I have noticed my students are not the same as the ones when I started teaching.  The teaching style and strategies I used when I first started teaching would not meet the needs of the students I have today.  In learning, making connections to others and information is critical and non- negotiable.  For myself, I know if I do not find relevance to the information then it usually goes in one ear and out the other.

One specific learning theory (behaviorist, cognitive, or constructivism) cannot fully explain how people learn.  Driscoll (2005) states each learning theory pinpoints some aspects while hides others.  Even though learning theories are efforts to explain how people learn, Shuell (2013) states these theories can help inform teaching.  A teacher needs to know what is entailed in each of these theories and apply the concepts of each theory when needed to maximize the learning process.  Learning theories have their limitations, however, they are needed.

References

Driscoll, M. P. (2005). Psychology of learning for instruction (3rd ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson Education.

Shuell, T. (2013, July). Theories of Learning. Retrieved from http://www.education.com/reference/article/theories-of-learning/#C.

New Technologies Module 5

        My school uses Promethean and Team Boards.  Most teachers use them as a glorified overhead.  I have given several workshops to help my colleagues on how to make more interactive lessons using their boards.  I have found most teachers will not take the time to explore the tools available.  Many are afraid they will do something they cannot undo.  While others feel they have too much to do as it is and they do not care to add anything else to the long list they already have to do.  

       Keller’s ARCS Model was developed to help arrange resources and procedures to maintain motivation of the learners (Keller, 2013).  Each letter represents a condition for motivation that needs to be “met to have a motivated learner” (Driscoll, 2005, pg. 333).  The first letter represents Attention.  In order to motivate my students, I will need to gain their attention beyond curiosity (2005).  Throughout my training, I will need to show Relevance.  My learners need to know why this training is important to them and how it will help them in the future.  Confidence building exercises are necessary to help those who struggle with basic technology or who think they will break the program.  If these three areas are met throughout my training, I will have a higher learner Satisfaction.  

References

Driscoll, M. P. (2005). Psychology of learning for instruction (3rd ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson Education.

Keller, J. (2013). What is a motivational design?  [Web site]. Retrieved from http://www.arcsmodel.com/#!motivational-design/c2275.