Saturday, November 6, 2010
Monday, June 28, 2010
Reflection at the End of the Course
When I started the Learning Theories and Instruction course, I expected it to be taught a certain way – lots of reading, lots of lists and rules, lots of explicit instructions on what to remember, and some case studies – lots of concrete and definite information. Instead, the emphasis was placed on personal research, and lots of reflection and generating my own ideas. I kept expecting some critique and correction of my writing and my thoughts. This never happened. Everything was new, surprising, VERY interesting and VERY overwhelming. Some things we were left to discover on our own, such as the fact that this unusual way of learning is called constructivist. Also, I found surprising that, looks like this is the only theoretical course on learning theories required for us, future instructional designers. Even as this class closes, I am still feeling that some theories are not quite nailed by me. Seems natural to continue this exploration on a deeper level, but I understand, again, that I’m expected to do this on my own – I was given quite a lot of excellent tools for this.
However, despite the seeming confusion, I managed to find out quite a lot about my own personal way of learning: the comparison of my initial ideas with the ones towards the end, brought a surprising revelation, that I actually prefer the constructivist way of learning – through creating of my own meaning out of the class’ experience. In spite of my initial expectations, I do like to generate my own ideas, and often moan at the necessity to cite some literature, which is so abundant, that I simply don’t have time for everything! This brings me to the major problem - the lack of time. I found the hard way that if I think a task would take me X hours, I should multiply it at least by 3 to get the realistic timeframe for that particular task. I’ve analyzed this phenomenon using the tools and ideas I’ve learned in this class and came to the one-word self-recommendation: simplify! Sounds “simple”, but it’s not – it takes a focused effort to eliminate years of bad habits of making everything complicated and nearly perfect.
In this class we’ve touched upon different major learning theories (Behaviorism, Cognitivism, Constructivism, Connectivism, Adult learning theories, and Social learning); we’ve learned about learning styles (each person has a unique way of learning), multiple intelligences, motivation, and the use of technology (now and in the future). All this makes us look at learning from different angles and deals with the problem of making learning more efficient. As prospective instructional designers, we should consider all of these theoretical and practical aspects of acquiring knowledge and skills by our students.
As I have stated at the beginning, it is inconceivable for me not to continue learning about learning – keeping this knowledge up to date is essential for an instructional designer. I still do not know how, but I have to learn to manage my time better in order to read blogs, articles, books, online news, etc. So much to do!!!
However, despite the seeming confusion, I managed to find out quite a lot about my own personal way of learning: the comparison of my initial ideas with the ones towards the end, brought a surprising revelation, that I actually prefer the constructivist way of learning – through creating of my own meaning out of the class’ experience. In spite of my initial expectations, I do like to generate my own ideas, and often moan at the necessity to cite some literature, which is so abundant, that I simply don’t have time for everything! This brings me to the major problem - the lack of time. I found the hard way that if I think a task would take me X hours, I should multiply it at least by 3 to get the realistic timeframe for that particular task. I’ve analyzed this phenomenon using the tools and ideas I’ve learned in this class and came to the one-word self-recommendation: simplify! Sounds “simple”, but it’s not – it takes a focused effort to eliminate years of bad habits of making everything complicated and nearly perfect.
In this class we’ve touched upon different major learning theories (Behaviorism, Cognitivism, Constructivism, Connectivism, Adult learning theories, and Social learning); we’ve learned about learning styles (each person has a unique way of learning), multiple intelligences, motivation, and the use of technology (now and in the future). All this makes us look at learning from different angles and deals with the problem of making learning more efficient. As prospective instructional designers, we should consider all of these theoretical and practical aspects of acquiring knowledge and skills by our students.
As I have stated at the beginning, it is inconceivable for me not to continue learning about learning – keeping this knowledge up to date is essential for an instructional designer. I still do not know how, but I have to learn to manage my time better in order to read blogs, articles, books, online news, etc. So much to do!!!
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Fitting the Pieces Together
Those have been challenging 7 weeks! My appetite has been great, but my stomach - quite minuscule. I have been disappointed in the way I learn – my old and bad habits came out to the open again, after a long time. But now, I’ve got the tools and understanding of what to do to improve my learning style.
I reread my thoughts on how I learn from the first week of the class, trying to find any differences in the way I think about it now, from the perspective of newly acquired knowledge of learning theories and methods. I find myself readily operating new terms and better understanding the underling reasons of why I do what I do. I even came up with some solutions – theoretically, so far (even though, I am trying to apply them right this very moment). My views on how I learn, however, haven’t changed much. I still think I have to understand first, what I am to learn, and why, in order to remember, retrieve, and transfer the new knowledge better. I sill know that my memory for numbers is terrible, but that doesn’t mean that my Logical-Mathematical Intelligence is at its infancy – I CAN do arithmetics in my head and solve more challenging math and logic problems easily. It just means that I have to use cognitive tools to improve my memory for numbers. Since my visual memory is better, I could use that to remember numbers (I still have to experiment with this). Back in the first week of the class, I implied that I have used learning methods pertaining to all learning theories we’ve studied, depending on the task at hand, or due to constant developments in “my life, myself, my mind and outlooks”. I had a difficulty choosing one that suits me most.
Let’s see. I definitely do not like behavioral approach to learning, when the ready-made solution is given – you just have to demonstrate what you are told to make everybody happy (I use it a lot on my son to control his behavior, but I really wish I didn’t have to do that that often). This method is best, however, for learning rules, basics and anything that needs to be accepted without question. But I like to question. I need to try everything, and to make my own mistakes – that’s how I learn (and my son, too) – by “creating meaning from experience”(Ertmer & Newby, 1003) This means that Constructivist approach is the one I use widely in life and in learning. What about other theories? Cognitivist theory strikes me more as a science of information processing. It gives me tools, methods and strategies for the most efficient learning and presentation. I have tried in the past, and most definitely will use these tools and strategies to improve my metacognitive skills for helping myself and others process information. However, I don’t see myself using cognitivist methods constantly, in every life’s situation – only when I choose so. Social Learning Theories: even though, I am more convinced now, through this class, that learning involves socialization, I still prefer to study alone. I do like, though, to discuss what I’ve learned and hear people’s opinions, and give mine. I like conversations. That is how we try our own mental constructions, here new ideas, change our minds, and crystallize our knowledge. But this is a vast topic in itself, and I am struggling to be brief here! :-) Connectivism: it is a brand new and exciting theory of learning and information processing that is a product of the new world of information abundance that we are trying to fit in now. This is something I have not adapted to, yet, but recognize the necessity, so I’ll be actively working on it. Adult learning theories is something that should apply to me because I am an adult – and it does, for the most part. I do sometimes, however, enjoy learning for its own sake, but that happens less and less – not much free time.
Now, that I have a deeper understanding of how I fit among the learning theories, I can definitely announce that I am a constructivist in heart, with the mind trying on cognitivist and connectivist – and sometimes adult :-) – hats.
One of the biggest challenges I am facing now is the pressing necessity to increase my technological literacy, and stay informed of the new trends and technologies in the making. I need to improve my research skills, start using more online tools to stay connected the whole world of knowledge, find better ways to keep information in order, learn how to manipulate all this knowledge and technical aspects of online environment to create my own work. This is so overwhelming! But this is the way our world is heading – no boundaries for information, ideas, minds. Thomas Friedman calls it “flattening of the world”– there soon will not be a nation not playing on “a global, Webenabled playing field that allows for multiple forms of collaboration on research and work in real time, without regard to geography, distance or, in the near future, even language.” (Friedman, 2005)
References:
Ertmer, P. A., & Newby, T. J. (1993). Behaviorism, cognitivism, constructivism: Comparing critical features from an instructional design perspective. Performance Improvement Quarterly, 6(4), 50–71. Behaviorism, Cognitivism, Constructivism: Comparing Critical Features from an Instructional Design Perspective. Performance Improvement Quarterly, 6(4), by P. A. Ertmer & T. J. Newby. Copyright 1993 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Journals. Reprinted by permission John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Journals via the Copyright Clearance Center.
Friedman, T. (2005, April 3). It's a flat world, after all. The New York Times. Retrieved June 20, 2009 from http://www.nytimes.com It's a flat world, after all. The New York Times. by Friedman, T. Copyright 2005 by The New York Times Company. Reproduced with permission of New York Times Company in the format electronic usage via Sage Publications, Inc.
I reread my thoughts on how I learn from the first week of the class, trying to find any differences in the way I think about it now, from the perspective of newly acquired knowledge of learning theories and methods. I find myself readily operating new terms and better understanding the underling reasons of why I do what I do. I even came up with some solutions – theoretically, so far (even though, I am trying to apply them right this very moment). My views on how I learn, however, haven’t changed much. I still think I have to understand first, what I am to learn, and why, in order to remember, retrieve, and transfer the new knowledge better. I sill know that my memory for numbers is terrible, but that doesn’t mean that my Logical-Mathematical Intelligence is at its infancy – I CAN do arithmetics in my head and solve more challenging math and logic problems easily. It just means that I have to use cognitive tools to improve my memory for numbers. Since my visual memory is better, I could use that to remember numbers (I still have to experiment with this). Back in the first week of the class, I implied that I have used learning methods pertaining to all learning theories we’ve studied, depending on the task at hand, or due to constant developments in “my life, myself, my mind and outlooks”. I had a difficulty choosing one that suits me most.
Let’s see. I definitely do not like behavioral approach to learning, when the ready-made solution is given – you just have to demonstrate what you are told to make everybody happy (I use it a lot on my son to control his behavior, but I really wish I didn’t have to do that that often). This method is best, however, for learning rules, basics and anything that needs to be accepted without question. But I like to question. I need to try everything, and to make my own mistakes – that’s how I learn (and my son, too) – by “creating meaning from experience”(Ertmer & Newby, 1003) This means that Constructivist approach is the one I use widely in life and in learning. What about other theories? Cognitivist theory strikes me more as a science of information processing. It gives me tools, methods and strategies for the most efficient learning and presentation. I have tried in the past, and most definitely will use these tools and strategies to improve my metacognitive skills for helping myself and others process information. However, I don’t see myself using cognitivist methods constantly, in every life’s situation – only when I choose so. Social Learning Theories: even though, I am more convinced now, through this class, that learning involves socialization, I still prefer to study alone. I do like, though, to discuss what I’ve learned and hear people’s opinions, and give mine. I like conversations. That is how we try our own mental constructions, here new ideas, change our minds, and crystallize our knowledge. But this is a vast topic in itself, and I am struggling to be brief here! :-) Connectivism: it is a brand new and exciting theory of learning and information processing that is a product of the new world of information abundance that we are trying to fit in now. This is something I have not adapted to, yet, but recognize the necessity, so I’ll be actively working on it. Adult learning theories is something that should apply to me because I am an adult – and it does, for the most part. I do sometimes, however, enjoy learning for its own sake, but that happens less and less – not much free time.
Now, that I have a deeper understanding of how I fit among the learning theories, I can definitely announce that I am a constructivist in heart, with the mind trying on cognitivist and connectivist – and sometimes adult :-) – hats.
One of the biggest challenges I am facing now is the pressing necessity to increase my technological literacy, and stay informed of the new trends and technologies in the making. I need to improve my research skills, start using more online tools to stay connected the whole world of knowledge, find better ways to keep information in order, learn how to manipulate all this knowledge and technical aspects of online environment to create my own work. This is so overwhelming! But this is the way our world is heading – no boundaries for information, ideas, minds. Thomas Friedman calls it “flattening of the world”– there soon will not be a nation not playing on “a global, Webenabled playing field that allows for multiple forms of collaboration on research and work in real time, without regard to geography, distance or, in the near future, even language.” (Friedman, 2005)
References:
Ertmer, P. A., & Newby, T. J. (1993). Behaviorism, cognitivism, constructivism: Comparing critical features from an instructional design perspective. Performance Improvement Quarterly, 6(4), 50–71. Behaviorism, Cognitivism, Constructivism: Comparing Critical Features from an Instructional Design Perspective. Performance Improvement Quarterly, 6(4), by P. A. Ertmer & T. J. Newby. Copyright 1993 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Journals. Reprinted by permission John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Journals via the Copyright Clearance Center.
Friedman, T. (2005, April 3). It's a flat world, after all. The New York Times. Retrieved June 20, 2009 from http://www.nytimes.com It's a flat world, after all. The New York Times. by Friedman, T. Copyright 2005 by The New York Times Company. Reproduced with permission of New York Times Company in the format electronic usage via Sage Publications, Inc.
Thursday, June 17, 2010
My Connections and Learning
Back in my “old days” in the late Soviet Union, people would meet in person. It was OK to drop by without appointment, take you away from whatever you were busy with and demand hospitality for the rest of the day, or the whole week – depending on how far the guest came from. You’ll eat and talk, talk and eat – find out all the latest news about people you haven’t seen in years and about the city or village you’ve left long ago and haven’t made it back to visit, yet. That was before the widespread phone service, and I’m not even mentioning long distance service – for that you had to go to the post office, select a date, notify the other party and come back a few days later, get into a booth and scream into the phone for about 3 minutes – that was a big event of the day. All business was conducted by showing up personally. Everything was done by foot (or by bus), by long waits in lines, by coming back numerous times. You would learn news by word of mouth, letters, phone, a couple of TV channels and radio – radio was big – you could tune up to interesting things.
I am glad I’d experienced all that. I am 40, but remember things my kids wouldn’t be able to ever imagine! The first time I touched a computer was here, in 1995, and I did not know what to do with it – I thought it was just a fancy typewriter/calculator.
Look at us now! Look at the whole world! The former Soviet Union region, especially more populated western areas, is pretty much of the same technological level as we are here! That means, since I left in 1993, they have made a huge leap into the advanced technological age, very much in pace with me. I know exactly what Thomas Friedman is talking about when he calls the world a “giant playing field”: ”These new players are stepping onto the playing field legacy free, meaning that many of them were so far behind that they can leap right into the new technologies without having to worry about all the sunken costs of old systems. It means that they can move very fast to adopt new, state-of-the-art technologies, which is why there are already more cellphones in use in China today than there are people in America.” (Friedman, 2005)
So, yes, my own personal networks, by which I learn and obtain information about the world have changed in the crazy big way! But I am still a technological infant, a true “digital immigrant”, how Marc Prensky would call me. I still get overwhelmed by all these complex functions on a cell phone or a digital camera. About a month ago I finally decided I needed to start thinking of getting myself an iPhone, because it would make it much easier to study on the go. Not too long ago I preferred to have separate devices for each digital purpose – I couldn’t understand the need to stuff one little machine with all those not perfect functions. I guess, times have changed, technology improved, and quality of those extra functions, too. I’m committed to Macs. That’s the computer I’ve always used since my first time sitting in front of it at SVA’s digital lab. That’s what I use for my learning purposes. I bought myself a little portable PC a couple of weeks ago, but did not get a chance to work on it extensively – I need someone to explain to me what it is I need to have in it, where to download it from, what to buy and what not to, how to navigate in this giant virtual store where it is impossible to choose anything on my own. I need a guide for this – something I didn’t think of before.
I am still fascinated by the fact that I don’t have to go anywhere or wait for days in order to get some information. It’s such a fantastic thing to be able to turn to your machine, Google something, and in a matter of seconds read the information off your screen! I know, I’m still not good enough at searching – somehow, others manage to do it better, but I do find what I need in most cases.
Connectivism. It is a fascinating theory, and I understand most of its tenets. I think, I still need more experience and knowledge to start playing with it more confidently or try to refute any of the major principles. My networks, however abundant, are not producing a steady stream of knowledge – I am only starting to realize the importance of “nurturing and maintaining connections” (Siemens, 2005), thanks to the Learning Theories and Instruction course. I’ve come a long way!
References:
Friedman, T. (2005, April 3). It's a flat world, after all. The New York Times. Retrieved June 20, 2009 from http://www.nytimes.com It's a flat world, after all. The New York Times. by Friedman, T. Copyright 2005 by The New York Times Company. Reproduced with permission of New York Times Company in the format electronic usage via Sage Publications, Inc.
Davis, C., Edmunds, E., & Kelly-Bateman, V. (2008). Connectivism. In M. Orey (Ed.), Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved from http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/index.php?title=Connectivism
I am glad I’d experienced all that. I am 40, but remember things my kids wouldn’t be able to ever imagine! The first time I touched a computer was here, in 1995, and I did not know what to do with it – I thought it was just a fancy typewriter/calculator.
Look at us now! Look at the whole world! The former Soviet Union region, especially more populated western areas, is pretty much of the same technological level as we are here! That means, since I left in 1993, they have made a huge leap into the advanced technological age, very much in pace with me. I know exactly what Thomas Friedman is talking about when he calls the world a “giant playing field”: ”These new players are stepping onto the playing field legacy free, meaning that many of them were so far behind that they can leap right into the new technologies without having to worry about all the sunken costs of old systems. It means that they can move very fast to adopt new, state-of-the-art technologies, which is why there are already more cellphones in use in China today than there are people in America.” (Friedman, 2005)
So, yes, my own personal networks, by which I learn and obtain information about the world have changed in the crazy big way! But I am still a technological infant, a true “digital immigrant”, how Marc Prensky would call me. I still get overwhelmed by all these complex functions on a cell phone or a digital camera. About a month ago I finally decided I needed to start thinking of getting myself an iPhone, because it would make it much easier to study on the go. Not too long ago I preferred to have separate devices for each digital purpose – I couldn’t understand the need to stuff one little machine with all those not perfect functions. I guess, times have changed, technology improved, and quality of those extra functions, too. I’m committed to Macs. That’s the computer I’ve always used since my first time sitting in front of it at SVA’s digital lab. That’s what I use for my learning purposes. I bought myself a little portable PC a couple of weeks ago, but did not get a chance to work on it extensively – I need someone to explain to me what it is I need to have in it, where to download it from, what to buy and what not to, how to navigate in this giant virtual store where it is impossible to choose anything on my own. I need a guide for this – something I didn’t think of before.
I am still fascinated by the fact that I don’t have to go anywhere or wait for days in order to get some information. It’s such a fantastic thing to be able to turn to your machine, Google something, and in a matter of seconds read the information off your screen! I know, I’m still not good enough at searching – somehow, others manage to do it better, but I do find what I need in most cases.
Connectivism. It is a fascinating theory, and I understand most of its tenets. I think, I still need more experience and knowledge to start playing with it more confidently or try to refute any of the major principles. My networks, however abundant, are not producing a steady stream of knowledge – I am only starting to realize the importance of “nurturing and maintaining connections” (Siemens, 2005), thanks to the Learning Theories and Instruction course. I’ve come a long way!
References:
Friedman, T. (2005, April 3). It's a flat world, after all. The New York Times. Retrieved June 20, 2009 from http://www.nytimes.com It's a flat world, after all. The New York Times. by Friedman, T. Copyright 2005 by The New York Times Company. Reproduced with permission of New York Times Company in the format electronic usage via Sage Publications, Inc.
Davis, C., Edmunds, E., & Kelly-Bateman, V. (2008). Connectivism. In M. Orey (Ed.), Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved from http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/index.php?title=Connectivism
Sunday, May 16, 2010
Good Sites about Brain
It took me days to find the two I liked. Most of websites are highly specialized (education, psychology, problems with learning, commerce, hard to understand research papers - something like this). I found tons of book titles that I am going to keep in mind and try to comment on as I read. My primary interest is in brain development and training because I'm starting to worry about my own brain in need of a boost.
That's why I chose this site, which, as I understand, grew out of a book: http://braindance.com/homepage.htm The slogan is Work Smarter, Learn Faster and Manage Information More Effectively, which is exactly what's needed to catch my attention. The site design is nothing special - I would say, no design at all. Pure information. The site is based on a book called Brain Dancing by Patrick Magee. His acknowledged influence is Tony Buzan, the Mind Mapping inventor. There is, I guess, a shorter, or modified version of the book on the actual site called Brain Dancing for Students - these are suggestions for optimizing learning process, specifically, improving reading skills, memory, using such techniques as Mind Mapping. Patrick Magee writes:"Most people will spend about 100 hours during their lifetime just tying their shoes.Imagine how much time we will spend reading, remembering and learning! Doesn't it make sense to invest some time today towards optimizing the strategies you use to perform these activities? It is one thing to read a book on a specific topic, and quite another to read something that improves the effectiveness with which you learn any topic from that point forward." I agree.
My next site is http://brainconnection.positscience.com/. It is an interesting, very informative, easy to read, and entertaining website that involves everything concerning our brains. It is designed in a form of a magazine - major news, departments, blogs, ads, games, book recommendations and other related links. What I like about it is that it's a cluster of various bits of information collected in one place - easy to find major topics on brain, and get some basic knowledge that later can be expanded elsewhere, if needed. Is is a good place to start.
A little extra: http://thebrain.mcgill.ca/flash/index_a.html. This is a fun introduction to the brain basics called The Brain from Top to Bottom. They also claim that you can use their material in your interactive multimedia presentations, which is nice to know since I'm pursuing the Instructional Design and Technology degree.
That's why I chose this site, which, as I understand, grew out of a book: http://braindance.com/homepage.htm The slogan is Work Smarter, Learn Faster and Manage Information More Effectively, which is exactly what's needed to catch my attention. The site design is nothing special - I would say, no design at all. Pure information. The site is based on a book called Brain Dancing by Patrick Magee. His acknowledged influence is Tony Buzan, the Mind Mapping inventor. There is, I guess, a shorter, or modified version of the book on the actual site called Brain Dancing for Students - these are suggestions for optimizing learning process, specifically, improving reading skills, memory, using such techniques as Mind Mapping. Patrick Magee writes:"Most people will spend about 100 hours during their lifetime just tying their shoes.Imagine how much time we will spend reading, remembering and learning! Doesn't it make sense to invest some time today towards optimizing the strategies you use to perform these activities? It is one thing to read a book on a specific topic, and quite another to read something that improves the effectiveness with which you learn any topic from that point forward." I agree.
My next site is http://brainconnection.positscience.com/. It is an interesting, very informative, easy to read, and entertaining website that involves everything concerning our brains. It is designed in a form of a magazine - major news, departments, blogs, ads, games, book recommendations and other related links. What I like about it is that it's a cluster of various bits of information collected in one place - easy to find major topics on brain, and get some basic knowledge that later can be expanded elsewhere, if needed. Is is a good place to start.
A little extra: http://thebrain.mcgill.ca/flash/index_a.html. This is a fun introduction to the brain basics called The Brain from Top to Bottom. They also claim that you can use their material in your interactive multimedia presentations, which is nice to know since I'm pursuing the Instructional Design and Technology degree.
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
It always happens to me - I get excited over the idea of doing something I don't really believe I'm capable of. It's like creating a vision of an ideal future. I thought of this before - my personal blog. I was seeing myself blogging some day, when I have something to blog about. Well, this day (night rather) has come, and I must blog. I don't know how I'm going to do this!
I'm taking this fascinating class, "Learning Theories and Instruction". Everything is great - I've always been interested in studying the best ways to learn things, to improve my capabilities of learning, and to do that some nontraditional way, by using some kind of technology. Blogging is the requirement for this class.
This week we were supposed to look through some blogs about learning and Instructional Design, and choose three to talk about. It was frustrating initially, because all I was finding were terribly disorganized pages. One blog talked a great deal about what good design should be - and yet, the site was quite messy. The content prevailed, and navigation was difficult. Other sites, like Edublogs, initially looked much better, more organized, but material was mostly tech support, organizational problems, and adds - I couldn't find anything of value to read.
Here are the three sites I eventually liked:
1. Ferdinand Krauss’s IDEAS: Instructional Design for Elearning ApproacheS, http://ideas.blogs.com/lo/2004/04/
I was very impressed by his biography - he is an intensely dedicated, "hands on" instructional designer, with deep knowledge of technological aspect of the trade. I hope, by reading his blog, I learn a lot in this area. He also takes a great deal of time siting books and articles on the subject of learning and instruction, and it was pleasant for me to find some recently leaned terms and names in his posts, like in this one: Constructivist training for Online Teachers. It is a good site for leaning about technology, books, and latest news and ideas in education.
2. Dina Kennenedy's Blog called "Mrs. P's Blog", http://mrspritchard.wordpress.com/2010/05/12/in-what-ways-does-american-education-and-education-in-america-have-meaning-for-me/ - I liked the author. I think her outlook is very much in sync with mine. I like how passionately she talks about America and about diversity. "Horace Mann was a pioneer that believed that education needed to be universal, be the financial responsibility of the public and he dreamed that school would be a place for all to learn to be citizens". Dona is also a student, and seems excited about it. There is a lot of interesting material on her blog. I'm also feeling more comfortable to comment on her posts.
3. Patrick Higgins, Jr. and his "Chalkdust101", http://chalkdust101.wordpress.com/2010/, is the third site I found interesting. The author gives a worm feeling of a dedicated teacher, who is genuinely interested in today's young generation, fascinated by them. He has a great sense of humor, and shares a lot of insights about today's technologically enhanced education. I did not have time to read a lot of entries in his blog, but am definitely going to do that: it is a an easy read with a lot of useful information. He also quotes many of his colleagues, like here:"We are probably the last generation that will make the distinction between being online and not being online".
I'm taking this fascinating class, "Learning Theories and Instruction". Everything is great - I've always been interested in studying the best ways to learn things, to improve my capabilities of learning, and to do that some nontraditional way, by using some kind of technology. Blogging is the requirement for this class.
This week we were supposed to look through some blogs about learning and Instructional Design, and choose three to talk about. It was frustrating initially, because all I was finding were terribly disorganized pages. One blog talked a great deal about what good design should be - and yet, the site was quite messy. The content prevailed, and navigation was difficult. Other sites, like Edublogs, initially looked much better, more organized, but material was mostly tech support, organizational problems, and adds - I couldn't find anything of value to read.
Here are the three sites I eventually liked:
1. Ferdinand Krauss’s IDEAS: Instructional Design for Elearning ApproacheS, http://ideas.blogs.com/lo/2004/04/
I was very impressed by his biography - he is an intensely dedicated, "hands on" instructional designer, with deep knowledge of technological aspect of the trade. I hope, by reading his blog, I learn a lot in this area. He also takes a great deal of time siting books and articles on the subject of learning and instruction, and it was pleasant for me to find some recently leaned terms and names in his posts, like in this one: Constructivist training for Online Teachers. It is a good site for leaning about technology, books, and latest news and ideas in education.
2. Dina Kennenedy's Blog called "Mrs. P's Blog", http://mrspritchard.wordpress.com/2010/05/12/in-what-ways-does-american-education-and-education-in-america-have-meaning-for-me/ - I liked the author. I think her outlook is very much in sync with mine. I like how passionately she talks about America and about diversity. "Horace Mann was a pioneer that believed that education needed to be universal, be the financial responsibility of the public and he dreamed that school would be a place for all to learn to be citizens". Dona is also a student, and seems excited about it. There is a lot of interesting material on her blog. I'm also feeling more comfortable to comment on her posts.
3. Patrick Higgins, Jr. and his "Chalkdust101", http://chalkdust101.wordpress.com/2010/, is the third site I found interesting. The author gives a worm feeling of a dedicated teacher, who is genuinely interested in today's young generation, fascinated by them. He has a great sense of humor, and shares a lot of insights about today's technologically enhanced education. I did not have time to read a lot of entries in his blog, but am definitely going to do that: it is a an easy read with a lot of useful information. He also quotes many of his colleagues, like here:"We are probably the last generation that will make the distinction between being online and not being online".
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