Fitting the Pieces Together

Over the last several weeks, I have been fortunate to study many of the learning theories prevalent in education today.  Behaviorism, cognitivism, constructivism, social learning, connectivism and adult learning were all subjects I explored throughout the course of this class and gleaned much insight into not only how others learn, but also how I process and apply new information.

In my initial discussion post during week one of this course, I stated that I believe the learning theory that applies most to how I obtain new knowledge, was personal and social constructivism.  After studying the various learning theories, I can say that this is still the case, although I have added new pieces to my learning puzzle through an understanding of connectivism and adult learning theory (andragogy).  Without even truly realizing it, my learning, especially later in life has come through the nodes of my learning networks, be it fellow employees, mentors, professional organizations or courses such as this one.  Each of these nodes has added to my knowledge base in a way that would not have occurred if they didn't exist.  In adult education, I find that my learning style fits also.  Like most adult learners, I am now learning largely because in my current context, I have a need to do so.  Having moved into instructional designed and gained some professional experience in the field, I believed it was important to also obtain the theoretical and formal knowledge as a supplement.  Thus, since my personal context has change and I have a need for this information, my engagement is high.

This also helps to explain my own personal learning preferences.  Again looking at andragogy, I strongly agree with the theorists in that if the information I am being presented with has little or no meaning for my personal experience, I would not put forth the effort to learn and store it.  At this point in my life, I am about learning what is important for me to reach the goals I have set for myself and have little time to learn for learning's sake as I did while an undergraduate.  As an instructional designer, I keep this before me at all times while I design learning outcomes and strategies.  Perhaps one of the benefits of getting older is wisdom and with that comes the understanding that you can learn (sometimes very much) from others.  This is indeed the case with me in that I have learned a great amount through my connections with others in the fields, mentors, trainers and presenters.  Attending conferences and learning best practices from others has been invaluable for me as I seek to learn all I can to be a highly successful instructional designer.

How does technology play into all of this?  In many ways is the short answer.  Specifically, technology has been invaluable for me as I learn learning management systems and design principles.  For example, my institution uses blackboard and there are many excellent tutorial and best practice presentations and documents available on the internet.  While this may sound quaint or outdated, it is in fact something that I use daily as I design courses for the university.  Additionally, I have attended many online training sessions and seminars that have enhanced my learning by providing insights into how other designers go about their craft.  Through these I have established excellent relationships with others in the field that I can always bounce ideas off of and get feedback when I need it.  All of this information is being stored in an electronic portfolio of my own creation that I can access at any time should I need a refresher.  This and other tools ensure that I can continue to grow as a developer and educator.