Reflecting on Learning Theory

Over the last 8 weeks, I have learned much about the different ways in which people learn as well as how that knowledge can and should inform my own instructional design process.  We have looked at constructivism, cognitivism, connectivism, social learning theory and multiple intelligences.   We learned about conditioning form the likes of Skinner and how rewards and penalties could be used in terms of encouraging learning.  Finally, we looked at andragogy, the theory of how adults learn based on their experiences.

                As far as what I found striking as I studied, I believe the thing that struck me the most and has come to have the largest impact upon my instructional design is andragogy.  As an instructional designer that creates courses and learning experiences for adult professionals, having an understanding of how learning takes place within the experience of individual adults is imperative.  As we learned, there must be some need for new information in order for adult learners to engage in learning experiences.  Most often, this takes the form of needing new information in order to perhaps receive a promotion in one’s career or perhaps find a new career altogether.  As a result, adult learners are looking for learning opportunities that speak directly to their experience.  For example, adult learners want to learn what they will need to know in the new position or job.  Anything else may be deemed irrelevant and therefore jettisoned from the student’s overall learning experience.

                As an instructional designer then, it is my job to create courses or training modules that address this need.  How is this done? It can be accomplished in many ways.  Situational learning where students are interacting with some sort of problem they may encounter in their new position or job is an excellent way for adult learners to stay engaged in the process and use their own problem solving knowledge and experience.  Another strategy that can be employed when designing instruction for adult learners is group projects or discussions.  Connectivist theory tells us that much learning occurs through learning nodes that the student connects with and designing experiences that give students the opportunities to connect with other students and experts in their field and glean further knowledge.

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.

Connectivism

Below you can see the connectivist "Mindmap" that shows my personal learning networks that have assisted with increasing my knowledge of instructional design.  As you can see, I have included not only people I interact with on a daily basis (such as my mentor, students and faculty at Walden) but also technological tools I use, conferences and associations I belong to and social networking sites such as blogs and Linkedin.

My network had greatly influenced my learning as I’ve moved into the field of instructional design.  Initially of course, my mentor was the one that first guided me toward the field of instructional design.  I had been working in educational administration and it was this mentor that first taught me about instructional design and showed me that I have a talent for it.  In addition to teaching me many things about how instructional design works and what are effective and ineffective strategies, it was she who encouraged me to take the program at Walden.  My studies thus far have been valuable in helping me learn about the field and has provided me thus far with formal educational training to compliment the experience I have already gained. 

From a digital tools perspective, software such as animoto, prezi and google docs have been invaluable.  Learning how to take things like powerpoint presentations and turn them into videos with narration, animation and other resources has allowed me to learn how to create more advanced and engaging presentations.  Google docs have allowed me to collaborate with faculty members in real time, sharing documents and designing instruction simultaneously.  In addition, although it they are not listed, software programs such as Moodle and Blackboard have been invaluable to my learning process.  Connecting with tutorials and user groups have shown me new and more effective ways of creating instructional activities for diverse learners.

As for how I gain knowledge when I have questions, there are a number of ways I can accomplish this.  First, one of the nest ways I can learn is to engage with tutorials or user groups as a means of finding the answers I need.  I find that I learn best when I have step by step directions or demonstration.  Additionally, my mentor and other staff members I work with are always available to answer questions or provide some guidance and advice.  Again, these connections are imperative in helping me to gain the knowledge I need to be effective as an instructional designer.

I believe that all of these factors support the theory of connectivism.  Without all of these connections in place, I know that I would not have had the opportunities to learn that I have had thus far.  The key of connectivism is learning networks and establishing those networks is how learning occurs.  Through technological tools, conferences and events, discussions with mentors and colleagues and educational opportunities, my knowledge base increases and I become a better instructional designer.