Reflection on Learning Theories Matrix

Now that I have a deeper understanding of the different learning theories and learning styles, my view on how you learn changed in a variety of ways reflecting from my childhood through my adult learning. As a child, I did not always understanding the behavior I was to model; however, I hated having different levels of reading and always being in the intermediate level. According to Pavloff’s learning theory of conditional learning and B.F. Skinner’s operant conditioning, I did not understand the rewards and consequences for maximizing your learning potential. In elementary school, I always remember the teacher giving away candy as a reward for learning to spell words correctly. That was not a good incentive for me because I grow up in a neighborhood where learning was frowned upon by the locals. This tends to align with C. Hull’s version of behaviorism known a Drive Reduction Theory. Hull was interested in studying intervening variables that affected behavior such as initial drive, incentives, inhibitors, and prior training (habit strength). Like other forms of behavior theory, reinforcement is the primary factor that determines learning.

 As an adult and after taking my “Learning Theories” class, I better understand how I lose information as a result of not constantly using it in some type of way to reinforce learning. Malcolm Knowles is the theorist who developed the theory of “Andragogy” or adult learning theory. This theory makes the following assumptions about the design of learning: (1) Adults need to know why they need to learn something (2) Adults need to learn experientially, (3) Adults approach learning as problem-solving, and (4) Adults learn best when the topic is of immediate value. The process of learning is more of the focal point rather than content. Strategies such as case studies, role playing, simulations, and self-evaluation are most useful. Instructors adopt a role of facilitator or resource rather than lecturer or grader. Andragogy applies to any form of adult learning and has been used extensively in the design of organizational training programs (especially for "soft skill" domains such as management development. Another more recent theorist to support Knowles’ view is K.P. Cross (1981) with “The Characteristics with Adult Learning” (CAL) in the context of lifelong learning. Organization plays a vital role in my ability to learn. I cannot concentrate if my environment is not structured to my liking.

Further, I have learned about the various learning theories and learning styles more in depth over the past weeks that can further help explain my own personal learning preferences. I understand that I can possess all three learning styles – visual, auditory, and tactile- based upon what I am learning and the context in which I am learning. The one that intrigued me the most was the social learning theory developed by Banduara. Nevertheless, I believe that social development plays a major role in learning and their environment contributes to their negative or positive experiences. This in turn impacts learning by one’s desire to improve their situation or learn social patterns that can be detrimental to their very existence.  

 Technology plays a major role in learning. Based upon the “Connectivist” theory, learners are connected or become informed through different nodes, such as social media’s -facebook, twitter, and flicker – which threads discussions for all. Still, software programs such as Microsoft Office include programs such as Excel to create spreadsheet to organize data and create charts. Adults use online programs to share learning experiences with a community of learners.

 

Dr. Ray

http://raypastore.com/wordpress/category/instructional-design/
This is a cool website and immediately caught my eye when I saw the three types of video conferencing. These three are skype, google handout, and facetime. I am familar with skype and it is both, free and paid service. It can be used with multiple devices, such as computers, cell phones, and tablets. The benefit of using skype is that you can invite up to 25 people on a conference. Great for training visual learners because you can share screens with others. 


 I have no experience with google handout, but will acquaint myself to it in the near future. It works on all computers through a google account, such as gmail and is also available as an app via apple/android. Again, users can share desktop, as well as, call and video chat with up to 10 people for free.Facetime only works with apple users and only allows one on one conferences. Great for a single project that is small.

Dr. Ray offers ideas for teaching using infographics from resources such as the Library of Congress.Additionally, there are other resources like lesson plans, presentations, and primary sources. Many professional development opportunities are available,too.

Train Like A Champion

Pages ‹ sacklin — WordPress

A beginning blog

The Upside Learning blog website,www.upsidelearning.com/blog, helps instructional designer provide multiple solutions to improve workplace performance offering a variety of technological tools, such as mobile learning.  This blog, points out teaching strategies to create effective learning techniques by using case studies, gaming, and interactive scenarios to make it more relevant to adult learners.

 The Rapid eLearning blog website, www.articulate.com/rapid-elearning,  gives assistance to both, students studying to become instructional designers and novice instructional designers to build eLearning or online courses for training or teaching a class with little or no programming skills. There are three areas of focus (instructional design, visual design, and performance consulting) when designing opportunities for learning.

 The host of this blog is Tom Kuhimann who has 15 years of experience in the training industry and articulate community. Articulate is a software program that allows designers to enhance Microsoft Power Point Presentations by transforming into storyboards and adding audio to it or voice-over-narration

 In addition to the blog, Cathy Moore’s website, blog.cathy-moore.com, offers endless tools to the industry of Instructional Design. She provides opportunities to participate in online and instructor-led workshops, certificate programs to receive certification in ID and eLearning, examples of how to design eLearning courses and what they should look like, tips on becoming an instructional designer, and a list of clients to connect to find jobs and other pertinent information in the field.

A workshop that I found interesting on her blog was a Training Conference & Expo 2012 to be held in Florida during the month of February. Anybody and everybody in Instructional Design and Training look like they will be attending. There are sessions that are hands-on and workshops to obtain certificates onsite. Keynote speakers will offer learning and development opportunities to stimulate your mind, body, and soul. This seems like a workshop one would not want to miss!