In Mohamed Ally's article "FOUNDATIONS OF EDUCATIONAL THEORY FOR ONLINE LEARNING," we are presented with four viewpoints for online learning:
1. Behaviorist, sees the "mind as a black box" and leaning can be measured or quantified.
2. Cognitivist, sees learning as a process of memory and reflection.
3. Constructivists, are active learners that "process information through the senses to create knowledge."
4. Connectivists collaborate in a "networked" environment.
Much of this article delves into how all of these types of learning effect how we assimilate or process information in an online learning environment and discuss whether or not the available technologies are simply a means to an end or actually influence learning outcomes. For me, the vehicle plays a big part in how I learn and retain information. Just this past week, watching a streaming video of a speaker presenting their viewpoint on education, made a memorable impact on my thought process. His delivery was nearly as important as his content. I know I would not have retained the same information by reading the presentation in text or audio only media.
I suppose my past experiences in education could best be described as a mixture of all of these types of learning design with the exception of the Connectivist viewpoint as I've only had a few online learning experiences thus far. I much prefer Cognitivist- Constructivist combination in my style of learning. I, like many people, am a very visual person who at times, likes the "wow" factor in a presentation that leads me to that reflective place where I can process the information in a meaningful way.
Hi Rob! Thanks for the insightful post. I agree that a Cognitivist and Contructivist combo is the most influential. Having the 'wow' factor is a must in learning, especially online learning. If the class or content is boring, I find it really easy to open a new window and explore the vast reaches of the Internet.
ReplyDeleteRob,
ReplyDeleteI like that you pointed out the fact that the delivery method is very important for you. It is also very important for me as well. When taking learning style inventories I always come out almost perfectly balanced, but in a way if I don't receive the information through a minimum of two delivery methods it is nearly impossible for me to understand the information. In fact, I even have the computer read the article to me while make notes on the hard copy. Even though the voice is not perfect I found that it really helps with my retention. I was very encouraged to read that I was not alone, as the article talked about the dual-coding theory (pg. 28), but in my case it is the tri-coding or quad-coding theory :)