Learning to Learn

At the beginning of any course, learners will usually have some anxiety as to how well they will do in a course. Some learners even withdraw within a week or two. The goal of any instructional designer is to learn how to keep the learners motivated and engaged in a course. It is necessary for the designer to have a clear understanding of how the learners learn. There are many theories and all of them play a role at different times throughout a course. Successful instructional designers will have a firm understanding of learning theories and processes. They will also need to know when, where and how to use them effectively.

Of the many learning theories, I found it surprising that connectivism to some people is not considered a learning theory but instead view it as a pedagogical approach. It has been argued that “To be relevant at the theoretical level, connectivism should explore the processes of how people learn” (Davis, Edmunds, & Kelly-Bateman 2008). As I mentioned earlier Connectivism “does provide a means that makes sense of how the other theories work together instead of standing alone” (Joslin 2014). There is concern of its flexibility as “what we consider to be right today may tomorrow be considered wrong” (Siemens, 2005). I believe that as there is no one learning style that will work with every learner.  With this in mind, there can be no one theory that explains all situations. Each learner must construct their own meaning in order for them to truly understand the concepts that are being taught. “Teachers should fashion teaching and learning so that all students have the chance to learn and demonstrate what they have learned” (Gardner, 2000). 

My personal learning process is complex. There are many ways to learn. But, I have found that different situations requires different approaches. This course has shown me the importance of motivation, especially for being an adult learner. I knew from experience that motivation keeps you on task. But, I did not realize that it is also important in helping with the retention of the information that is being presented. Will I recall every little detail? Probably not, But I will have created a foundation in which I can fall back on to guide and help me understand the basic and complex principles. As an adult learner, Relevance is also very important for me. I need to be able to make the connection with what I am learning and how it will be used as soon as possible. Otherwise, it is just information in, information out with no recall or understanding of the material. Also, for each learner the level of support they receive must vary as scaffolding is most effective when the support is tailored to the needs of the learner (McLeod, 2012). This will vary with the level of experience that each learner brings with them.

In any educational program, it is important for the instructional designer to incorporate the appropriate learning theories and styles for each lesson. For instance the use of the acronym ARCS is great for retention of its meaning, attention, retention, confidence, and satisfaction. But, a mnemonic may not work in understanding chaos theory of connectivism. The environment of an educational technology class is different from a traditional class in the delivery of information. Online learning gives learners the opportunity to put deeper thought into the assignments as well as the ability view posts that can be reread over and over as needed (Foley 2004). More communication with the instructor is necessary to avoid the feeling of isolation in an online class. As mentioned in the “Motivation in Learning” video instructional designers can use simulations to get the online learners involved in a virtual hands-on way (Laureate Education, (n.d.). This gets the learner involved in finding a solution for the simulation.

As a future instructional designer, this course has helped me to understand the learning theories and styles I will need to build the framework of a successful program. I know this next statement may contradict itself but the curriculum will need to be predictable yet unpredictable. For instance, the course outline provides a clear picture of upcoming assignments and their due dates. The rubrics also provide what will be required for each assignment. From this information, the learner can foresee what they actually need to do. This would be the predictable, behaviorist portion of the course, complete the requirements of assignments, in a timely manner, receive a good grade. The unpredictable, such as feedback from the instructor or relevant hands-on activities, keeps the learner on their toes and motivated, as adult learners need to feel involved in their learning (Conlan, Grabowski, & Smith, 2003).

There many avenues an instructional designer can take to achieve an effective program. However, it is crucial that the designer understands the theories and processes that are required to accomplish that success. From this understanding, the designer will be able develop curriculum of any subject they are comfortable with and keep the learner motivated and engaged.

References

Conlan, J., Grabowski, S., & Smith, K. (2003). Adult learning. In M. Orey (Ed.), Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved from http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/index.php?title=Adult_Learning

Davis, C, Edmunds, E, & Kelly-Bateman, V. (2008). Connectivism. In M. Orey (Ed.), Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved 4/26/14 from http://epltt.coe.uga.edu/index.php?title=Connectivism

Foley, G. (Ed.). (2004). Dimensions of adult learning: Adult education and training in a global era. McGraw-Hill Education. Retrieved from: http://site.ebrary.com/lib/waldenu/docDetail.action?docID=10161341&p00=dimensions+adult+learning%3A+adult+education+training+global

Gardner, H. (2000). Can Technology Exploit Our Many Ways of Knowing. Retrieved April 9, 2014 from http://howardgardner01.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/can-technology-exploit-our-many-ways-of-knowing1.pdf

Joslin, C. (2014). Week 7 blog assignment. Retrieved from: http://instructionaldesign6115.blogspot.com/

Laureate Education, Inc. [Producer]. (n.d.). Motivation in learning. Retrieved from: https://class.waldenu.edu/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab_tab_group_id=_2_1&url=%2Fwebapps%2Fblackboard%2Fexecute%2Flauncher%3Ftype%3DCourse%26id%3D_4775266_1%26url%3D

McLeod, S. (2012). Zone of Proximal Development. Retrieved from: http://www.simplypsychology.org/Zone-of-Proximal-Development.html

Siemens, G. (2005, January). Connectivism: A learning theory for the digital age. International Journal of Instructional Technology & Distance Learning, Retrieved November 03, 2008, from http://www.itdl.org/Journal/Jan_05/article01.htm