"Fitting the Pieces Together"

Fitting the Pieces Together

Winfred Keith Ridley

 

Walden University

Dr. Anthony R. Artino, Jr., Ph.D.

EDUC-6115-5 Learning Theories & Instruction

10/20/2013

I have been reflecting on my views regarding learning since starting this blog and I felt then and I feel now that I learn best primarily cognitively, taking the time to ponder, analyze, reflect and revise my positions. However, my view has evolved to now also include social learning theory and connectivism. I have always learned from and put to good use, the lessons from my parents, classes that I have taken, the jobs that I have held, and any professional and social organizations I have been involved in. What has changed for me is the now conscious way this information is stored, retrieved and applied. For example, Kim (2001) states that “social constructivists see as crucial both the contexts in which learning occurs and the social contexts that learners bring to their learning environment.” We have students in our building who not only live with single parents and cope every day with the circumstances, some positive and possibly, some negative of that environment, but who also may go home to very little to eat on the weekends. Consequently, our PTSA makes bag lunch/dinners available for some of our students to take home with them. My lesson from witnessing these situations is to always be as understanding as possible when a student is not engaged in the day’s lesson or does not have his or her homework; to remember that there are other students in and beyond our building, our city, and our state who are likely living under the same circumstances, and to teach in such a way that students learn that circumstances do change. I have also learned through understanding connectivism, how it impacts our “endless changing environment” and its present and future effects; both on individuals directly and society as a whole. This being said implementing connectivist theory on a consistent basis makes learning and therefore data more accessible, but at the same time more complex (Seimens, 2009). As an example, information on Wikipedia is easily accessible but educators often, (and rightly so) forbid students to use it as a trustworthy source to complete research due to the fact that anyone and everyone has ready editing access to this oft viewed site. Ready access often leads to erroneous information.

To continued learning….

Winfred

Resources:

Kim, B. (2001). Social Constructivism. In M. Orey (Ed.), Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved 9/25/13 from http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/.

Siemens, G. (2009).) Connectivism. Laureate Education Inc. [Transcript].

Wikipedia Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page Accessed 10/20/2013.