Fitting the Pieces Together

 

I do not believe that my views on how I learn have changed. Instead, it has now expanded for me to understand better how I learn and why some strategies or processes work better than others. I still stand by Ormrod et al. (2009) assertion that learning theories change over time, and learning is a continuous process that evolves as new things are discovered. I aligned myself to Social Constructivism Learning Theory in my week one discussion. Based on my research, further reading on the other learning theories, and completing my learning theory matrix, I realized that Social Learning Theory, Connectivism, and Adult Learning Theory play an equal role based on what is happening in my life (professionally and personally).

I have not changed from being a learner who learns by visual, tactile, and auditory information and interactions. However, I realized that learning styles are not fixed throughout a student's academic and work life. My learning styles develop as I learn and often change within the classroom and work environment based on what is being taught and the learning theories used. Thus I will use all three learning styles within a particular class or complete a specific assignment.

Technology plays a significant role in my learning and my job. Technology is a lifeline to my learning and keeps me connected to family, friends, students, and colleagues as needed. I use technology tools all the time, and this is where Social Learning Theory and Connectivism come into play most often. I can find information using several devices connected to the internet, including my smartphone, laptop, and desktop computer. I use the different apps, software applications, and learning management systems to complete leisure activities, work-related and school-related tasks, making learning convenient and accessible. I conduct classes online using web meeting tools such as Microsoft Teams, Cisco Webex, Google Classroom, and Google Meets. I also use the same tools to communicate with my coworkers and students. I create online resources, assignments, and tests using my computer and share them using email and WhatsApp or LMS. I also mark said tasks and provide feedback via my smartphone or laptop if I am not physically at work to use my work computer. Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and WhatsApp allow me to connect to a wide network of people, including family, friends, coworkers, and students. I use YouTube to find information on several do-it-yourself projects and give students discovery learning activities to complete using that platform. I follow different professional blogs for best practices and the latest trends in the industry that I can try. Within the classroom,  technology provides that medium for an instructional designer first to learn content and create multiple ways to illustrate a concept using the different technology tools, which provides that path for individualized and differentiated instruction. It changes how instructional designers and students gather, access, analyze, and present information (Waddell, 2015).

References

Omrod, J., Schunk, D., & Gredler, M. (2009). Learning theories and instruction (Laureate custom edition). New York, NY: Pearson.

Waddell, J. (2015). The Role of Technology in the Educational Process. Retrieved from https://edwp.educ.msu.edu/green-and-write/2015/the-role-of-technology-in-the-educational-process/