A New Age of Digital Learning Theory
What
is Theory?
Theory
explains how some aspect of human behavior or performance is organized. It thus
enables us to make predictions about behavior. Theory provides concepts to name
what we observe and to explain relationships between concepts. Theory allows us
to explain what we see and to figure out how to bring about change. Theory is a
tool that enables us to identify a problem and to plan a means for altering the
situation. In the instructional environments we
learned that there are three broad learning theories behaviorism, cognitivism,
and constructivism. Behaviorism as we know started in the very first part of
the twenty century through various animal learning experiments. This behaviorism was considered then to be
the theoretical frame work. When I began to look at the word constructivist
along it remind me that learning along can point toward many teaching
practices. However I must say that students must be encourage in learning how
to use different techniques in his or her experiment, problem solving to create
more knowledge and then reflects on how their understanding is changing.
Perhaps years ago these terms may have been limited
in different ways of meaning. There was a time where these learning theories
did not impact the uses of technology. However now over the last twenty years,
we are able to communicate, how we live, and how we learned through technology.
The theories and Learning needs should be describe as learning principles and
how it is process, also should reflect the underlying social environments.
According to Vaill emphasizes that “learning must be a way of being-an ongoing
set of attitudes and actions by individuals and groups that employ to try to
keep abreast of surprising, novel, messy, obtrusive, recurring events…”(1996,
P.42). How would this framework or theory be used in research you plan to
complete in the future? These framework will be incorporated in my research
plan to corporate what theory is best to used and what is not good for a
learning environment.
Reference
Vaill, P. B., (1996). Learning as a Way of
Being. San Francisco, CA, Jossey-Blass Inc.
Stephenson, K., (Internal Communication, no. 36) What
Knowledge Tears Apart, Networks Make Whole. Retrieved July 10, 2004 from
http://www.netform.com/html/icf.pdf
Christopher,
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed reading your thoughts on learning theories. I agree that it is up to us as teachers to show students and encourage them to use various learning strategies. I also feel that it important for students to reflect on what they have accomplished in class. This allows them to see the pros and cons of what they did and reflect on making improvements. God Bless!