Fitting the Pieces Together

When this course began, each person was asked to select a learning theory that best describes how he or she learns.  At the time, I believed that my learning was a combination of cognitivism and constructivism.  As a learner, I need to make meaning of the content through my personal experiences and I strive to then apply my learning to different circumstances.  When knowledge is meaningful and used to relate to new information it tends to last in the memory (Ertmer & Newby, 1993).  This is very accurate for me.

After completing much of the course work and developing a deeper understanding of the different learning theories and learning styles, my belief of how I learn has not changed.  I still believe that I learn best with a combination of cognitivism and constructivism, but I have gained a deeper understanding of the way I learn, as well as how others may learn.  Ormrod, Schunk, and Gredler (2009), stated that knowledge is not imposed, but rather formed inside the learner.  Instead of taking one person's perception as rote, I use my experiences and knowledge to form an understanding.  I have also discovered that I prefer to control my learning as much as possible.  As an intrinsically motivated learner, I seek opportunities to gain new knowledge that I can apply to the many circumstances I encounter within my job.

Just like I don't fit just one learning theory, I also do not fit one learning style or model.  Since I am intrinsically motivated, I am find completed coursework or a project on my own.  However, I also enjoy collaborated and having my beliefs and thoughts challenged by others.  Therefore, I seek opportunities to work with others whether through a collaborative project or presentation, or seeking an EdCamp with rich discussion.

Technology plays an vital role in my profession and in my learning.  Whether it is being used to create a presentation for professional development, communicating with colleagues, or researching an instructional strategy, technology is present.  As a classroom teacher and instructional coach, I use technology to plan lessons, research strategies, present professional development and record keeping.  It has also become an integrated part of the classroom, too.  Students utilized technology to research and create projects to display understanding.  It has also become in invaluable communication tool between various stakeholders within the classroom.  What I enjoy most about technology is that while it is ever evolving, I enjoy learning new uses right along side of my students.  While technology won't replace quality instruction, it does have a valuable place within my personal, professional and educational life.


References

Ertmer, P.A., & Newby, T.J. (1993).  Behaviorism, cognitivism, constructivism: Comparing critical features from an instructional design perspective. Performance Improvement Quarterly, 6(4), 50-71.

Ormrod, J., Schunk, D., & Gredler, M. (2009).  Learning theories and instruction (Laureate custom edition).  New York: Pearson.