StartFragmentAs we talk about learning theory and philosophy, I continue to reflect on what I feel learning and teaching should and can look like as education continues to shift. The addition of technology into most learning environments allows information to be at students fingertips. As instructional design continues to evolve, teaching looks different than it did twenty, ten, or even five years ago.
Many classrooms have incorporated a learning management platform, such as canvas, into their design allowing for out of class asynchronous collaboration to happen. Coming from the constructivist instruction design theories, students are given more control in their own learning. Learners work together, using their combined knowledge to find solutions to problems and construct new knowledge. As the learners collaborate and communicate there are many the opportunities to test and refine understanding in an ongoing process.
The teacher also plays a vital role in the learning process. Vygotsky’s and Piaget both have their own take on constructivism and the role of the instructor. Vygotsky puts significance in the learners working collaboratively with his theory of social constructivism. As teachers use platforms to jump start this collaboration, such as Google Classrooms and many of the apps associated with Google Drive, students increase the ways in which their collaboration can occur. Through these programs, students are not restrained to the classroom, but are given additional opportunities to work with their peers to develop their knowledge. Piaget's theory of constructivism lends more to the teacher as a designer of instruction to focus on creating a curriculum plan which enhances their students' logical and conceptual growth. Piaget looks to the teacher to emphasize the experiences or connections with the adjoining atmosphere in student education. The addition of technology to the classroom engages learners to experience things differently by watching videos or connecting with classes and professionals around the world to start. One class in our school skyped with Matt Muentser of HGTV as they concluded their outdoor recreational design in Math class through the Engaged Learning Model program and software.
Reflecting on all the of the classes that I have taken towards my PhD, I have been able to learn about theory in one class and then develop it in another. I had learned about both Vygotsky and Piaget in both of the advanced statistics classes that I took, but until this class I haven't really applied it to y philosophies of learning and what I am focusing on for my dissertation. As we expand on theories, such as behaviorism, my research has led me to find out more about the other learning theories. Our first minor argument is coming up next week and even this blog has led me to be able to gain direction on how that will all come together. EndFragment
