My Reflection

          In this course, I have had the pleasure of learning a great deal of information that I can use in the future. I have learned so much on how I learn as an adult learner through online classroom and as an educator. I would like to share some of the things I found to be surprising or striking as I enhance my knowledge about how people learn. I will like to share how this course has deepened my understanding of my personal learning process. I would also share details on how I learn to regard the connection between learning theories, learning styles, educational technology, and motivation. The last section will address how my learning in this course will help me as I further my career in the field of instructional design.
           When I began to learn how people understand and take in newly learned information, one of the first things I learn is all learning is brain based. Learning requires attention which is mediated by specific parts of the brain (Gredler, Ormrod, Schunk, (2008)). I understand how critical it is to use a combination of all the learning theories together in order to support students’ learning experience. Students learn through using learning strategies which eventually learner will become metacognitve aware and will be able monitor, direct, and regulate actions towards goals (Gredler, Ormrod, Schunk, (2008)). Learners will have awareness about what information is needed to be learned, how and when it needs to be learned (Gredler, Ormrod, Schunk, p.130). Overall, learners learn best when they can relate newly learn information to something in their prior knowledge in a meaningful way and apply it to their lives in the future.
           As an adult learner, I am a lifelong learner. I have always thought I learn best through experiential learning. I understood and retain information better when I am able to construct new knowledge by processing the information using personal experiences. However, as I continue read and learn more about the learning process, I begin to learn more about myself. Adult learners are individuals that are capable of using self directed learning to direct their own learning and being learner centered (Conlan, J., Grabowski, S., & Smith, K. (2003)). Since I have started by online learning, I have become more self-directed and motivated to make sure I gain all the knowledge I can. I now understand how I learn a vast deal through my personal learning network.
        I know it is very valuable to be able to distinguish between learning theories, and learning styles within your classroom or personal learning experience. In doing this, I will be prepare to know which strategies I need to in force to make the learners motivated to want to learn. Technology is one way to get learners engage in the instructions. I learned through reading the Horizon Report, about some of the emerging technology that will have a powerful influence on how well students can learn through this additional support in the classrooms. The ability to have a third party application install on mobiles are great devices to use within classrooms, social and entertainment settings (Johnson, L., Levine, A., & Smith, R. (2009)). Furthermore, I have learned that students learn more effectively when they are intrinsically motivated to learn and achieve. Intrinsically motivated learners are eager to learn, they possess independence and ambition to gain meaningful learning.
       As an instructional designer, I must keep in mind that we do not all learn the same way. As I design plans or strategies, I need to remember to use visual images along with text to allow learners a better change to remember what they have learned. When educators facilitate effective cognitive processing by providing advance organizers, visual aids and mnemonics, they give learners a better chance to be successful in learning (Gredler, Ormrod, Schunk, (2008)). The greatest impact on my instructional design practice is comprehension monitoring. This is a highly effective strategy that a learner can use to check how well they understand the text he or she is reading.
       In closing, I have learned a lot of valuable information in this course about myself as a learner and educator. I know the information I have learned will help me to reach more learners. I can wait to share my knowledge with others.

Fitting The Pieces Together

After I reviewed my response from my week 1 discussion on how I thought I learned best, I am now exploring these following three questions as I reflect on my learning experience throughout this course.

•Now that you have a deeper understanding of the different learning theories and learning styles, how has your view on how you learn changed?

Since I have gone through this learning experience, my view of how I learn has changed a great deal. Before I thought I learn by auditory, visual, hand on learning only. I still believe I use this skills quiet often. However, I know these aren’t the only strategies I use to have a deeper understanding. I am now more aware of the variety of resources I can use to build on my prior knowledge to make a meaningful connection. Through a recent class assignment, I discovered how I rely so heavily on my learning network to support my level of understanding of the skill or concepts that are being taught.  As an adult learner, I know it is very important to be motivated and to be a self directed learner. Learner must understand the importance of being engage in the learning process in order to get anything out of it.

 •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?

Although I am an adult learner and educator, I now know a learner’s learning style can fluctuate due to the task the learner will be completing. Dr. Ormrod stated, as instructional designers, we should not use learning styles, but we should use learning strategies. Learning strategies are effective techniques a learner can use to be more in control of their understanding of new information about a concept or skill. The learner could use elaboration, mnemonics and my favorite I use more of is comprehension monitoring. As you are reading required course material or for entertainment, learning can ask themselves questions to see how well they are understanding the text and not just reading words on the page or screen.

 •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 major role in my learning experience. I use my computer or my mobile device to research information using different search engines and my school online library all the time. I use YouTube to watch instructional videos on various topics I am studying. When I use visual images and combined it with audio and/or textual components, I tend to understand things much better. I am also discovering how blogs and wikis can effectively support my learning experience.

Connectivism Reflection of My Learning Network

This week, we have been learning about Connectivism and Adult Learning. Connectivism is the ability to connect with the world through different networks with the use of technology. I created this mind map to explore the way I learn through my networks.

As I reflect on my network for learning, I have noticed it has expanded since I have begun my online learning experience and career. One of the major changes is the use of blogs that I have created for this course and others blogs that I use for insightful information.  My professional learning connection has expanded the most. I have connected with other educators all around the world through PD360. We are capable of sharing helpful tips and information. I can join in on forums on topics and join communities with individuals that have the same interest as I do.

Educational and instructional videos are a very valuable digital tool I use to assist in my learning the most.  Video goes along with my learning style of being a visual and auditory learning. They give me the ability to see and hear experts or novices explain and give visual examples on the newly information and how it is applied to the world. This allows me the ability to make a meaningful connection to retain information better and apply it within my learning.

Whenever I am reading course material or for professional learning and I have a question, I always refer to my Google search engine and YouTube to give me a quick insight about the given topic. Having the capability to search any given topic using the Internet is a very effective tool to help facilitate my learning.

I believe connectivism supports my personal learning network. I use variety of sources to gain knowledge and understanding. My learning network continues to grow and expand the depth of knowledge I have. Today, we have the opportunity to explore and learn beyond my personal environment. I am able to stay connected with teachers from all around, classmates, colleagues, and my family. Furthermore, it is important to communicate with people that have similarities or interest as you do. When this taken place, you are able to discuss with one another personal viewpoints on any given topic. This will allow everyone involve to learn from each other by building on one’s prior knowledge with newly learned information. In this digital time, there are more resources readily available to assist in learning.

Connectivitsm

The Brain and Learning, Information Processing Theory, and Problem-Solving Methods During the Learning Process

        All learning is brain based. Learning requires attention which is mediated by specific parts of the brain. According to Dr. B. Perry, neural systems fatigue within three to five minutes of system activity. The neurons become less responsive because they need to rest. However, the recovery time is quick if given effective stimuli in a sustain way. Neurons respond to patterns and repetitive rather than, to sustained continuous stimulation. Students will learn more completely it they create memory interrelated neural systems. Facts are empty without being linked to context and concepts.

Through well supported research, there is a description of how information is process during learning. The information process theory suggests that there are three main components which are sensory, working and long-term memory.

Sensory memory main purpose is to process incoming stimuli and process only those stimuli that are most relevant at the present time. Information that is relevant and familiar to the task is likely type of information to be processed in sensory memory. This information will be forwarded to the working memory buffer.

The next component in the information process theory is the working memory. Once the information leaves the sensory memory, it moves to working memory or it is deleted from the memory. This is a temporary memory system where the information has meaning and linked other information.

There are terms that can describe efficient cognitive processing in the working memory.

·         Limited Attentional Resources

·         Automaticity

·         Selective Processing

All learners experience severe limitation regardless of their skills and ability level. Often differences between one learner and another are not due to the amount of resources but how the learner uses the resources. Effective information processing in sensory memory requires automaticity with regards to word recognition, decoding, printed words, and spoken words. Selective processing allows learners to be resourceful by putting all of their cognitive resources together. Highly effective learners succeed because they can recognize what is importance and pays close attention to only relevant information.

The last component is long-term memory. Long term memory has no constraint on how much it can hold or how long it stays there. Long term memory is considered to be a place for unlimited, permanent information. Long term memory holds various kinds of information. Therefore the information must be organized to be accessible to the learner. In this stage is encoding and retrieval is needed to assist in learning when information in long term memory is organized for easy access.

Improving Learning and Instruction

Here are four implications for improving learning and instruction.

·         The two strategies that effective learners use to cope with limited capacity are selectively focusing their attention on important information and engaging in as much automated processing as possible. Automaticity makes available limited processing resources that can be used to engage in labor intensive self regulation and comprehension monitoring.

·         Relevant prior knowledge facilitates encoding and retrieval processes. Effective learners possess general problem solving skill and critical thinking skills that allows learner to perform well in all content area. Helping learners use their prior knowledge when learning new information will only promote effective learning.

·         Automated information processing increases cognitive efficiency by reducing information processing demands

·         All effective learners draw from a repertoire of learning strategies in a flexible manner. Some of the strategies are automatic, controlled processing and metacognitve control that place a high demand on limited cognitive resources. The strategies that can be used are organization, inferences, and elaboration.

How the Brain Learns Best: http://teacher.scholastic.com/professional/bruceperry/brainlearns.htm

Information Processing Theory : http://www.education.com/reference/article/information-processing-theory/

Problem Solving Concepts and Theories: http://www.utpjournals.com/jvme/tocs/303/226.pdf

Instructional Design Blogs

There were plenty of helpful instructional design blogs that I viewed, but the three that I found to be most useful were Kappa Notes, Making Change, and Experiencing E-Learning.
I like Kapp Notes because he discusses strategies to get students engage by using interactive gamers. This blog targeted concerns about learning, e-learning and transferring knowledge through generations. The goal is to share information that will be helpful to create a better understanding of learning design. On a recent blog, it gave specific steps to create an interactive learning event which is an intervention for learning that gets students to want to be interested in learning by using interactive games. Kapp Notes also provides helpful tips and websites links to other great resources. http://karlkapp.blogspot.com/

  The next instructional design blog is Making Change by Cathy Moore. On this blog you can learn ideas for an action mapping.  According to Moore, action mapping is a quick visual process to design projects. The action pack mapping covers topics such as project management, goals, activity, and information. The action mapping is a great way to improve an organization performance. Also, there is a link to an awesome website that you can design action pack materials for e-learning. From what l learn from viewing it, there is four steps to create a challenging, powerful, action pack materials that is has cut out excess materials. When I become an instructional designer, I can see myself using this information to help me to design an effective plan from my organization. http://blog.cathy-moore.com/

The last blog is Experiencing E-Learning. I found this blog to be very informative as well. It is created by an instructional designer who has links to great blogs about instructional design and e-learning developers and workplace specialists. This blogs also explains what an instructional designer does and how they could help with improving students learning. There is a weekly bookmarking that discusses various topics surrounding instructional design and online learning.

http://christytucker.wordpress.com/2010/07/06/instructional-design-and-e-learning-blogs/

All of the blog I have mentioned have great information that can help anyone who is or will be an instructional designer or e-learning developer. I know I will continue to view all of them to learn new strategies that could help me become a great instructional designer.