EDUC-8845-2 Learning Theory and Educational Technology

Module 4 -D.Miller

Connectivism Mindmap

How has your network changed the way you learn?

As a 21st century learner, it has become necessary to remain engaged via the use of new technologies and to strive to adapt to innovative and diffused key skills and attributes for future challenges. One must be ready to adapt to 21st century learning environment such as web-based curriculum, e-learning software, synchronous and asynchronous environments and strategies towards learning technologies the way we live with technologies. As an educational technologist scholar, I embracing the new technologies and skills that other instructors and students are experiencing outside of school.

Which digital tools best facilitate learning for you?

Because technology is a tool that can be used to help teachers facilitate learning experiences that address the diverse learning needs of all students and help them develop solid 21st century skill-sets, even the most basic level digital tools can be used to help a doctoral student of educational technology find, understand and use information. When combined with student-driven learning experiences and fueled by digital tools such as Moodle, Prezi, slideshare, Glogster EDU, Google Reader, powerpoint, Wikispaces, Voicethread, audacity and many other digital tools for learning. These technologies offer flexible learning paths and can guide the learner towards: analyzing data, texts, interactive works, generating ideas, building and sharing collections, collaborating, communicating, conducting linguistic research and managing tasks.

How do you learn new knowledge when you have questions?

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To become a more effective learner I strive to simply keep learing. An example would be to practice learning and using a foreign language. The adage of "use-it-or-lose-it" phenomenon involves a brain process known as "pruning." Certain pathways in the brain are maintained, while other are eliminated. If you want the new information you just learned to stay put, keep practicing and rehearsing it.

I also attempt to focus on learning in more than one way. Instead of just listening to a podcast, which involves auditory learning, I find a way to rehearse the information both verbally and visually. By learning in more than one way, you’re further cementing the knowledge in your mind. As a secondary and post-secondary instructor, I often teach what I have learned to students. Educators have long noted that one of the best ways to learn something is to teach it to someone else. Another great way to become a more effective learner is to use relational learning, which involves relating new information to things that you already know. For example, if you are learning about Romeo and Juliet, you might associate what you learn about the play with prior knowledge you have about Shakespeare, the historical period in which the author lived and other relevant information. For many of us, learning typically involves reading textbooks, attending lectures or doing research in the library or on the Web. While seeing information and then writing it down is important, actually putting new knowledge and skills into practice can be one of the best ways to improve learning.

            Of course, learning isn’t a perfect process. Sometimes, I forget the details of things that I have already learned. Research suggests that you are better offer simply looking up the correct answer if unsure or have forgotten information. I have discovered that the longer I spend trying to remember the answer, the more likely I will be to forget the answer again in the future. Why? Because these attempts to recall previously learned information actually results in learning the "error state" instead of the correct response. It is also beneficial for me to recognize my learning habits and styles.

Responded to

Zollinger BLOG URL

http://srzollinger.wordpress.com/

Ray Cox Blog:http://raycoxphd.blogspot.com

Ennis' EDUC 8845 blog address - http://ebrinsonlearningtheoryandedtech.blogspot.com/